“Please see this patient for an urgent second opinion,” pleaded the letter on my desk.

But when I read the referral, it became clear that the patient was not looking for a second opinion as much as confirmation that she did not have cancer. Her diagnosis, however, was evident – and curable. What she needed was good communication and a way forward.

The aftermath of a cancer diagnosis is so overwhelming that patients often find themselves adrift. The abundance of gratuitous advice – about everything from genetics and lifestyle to mood and food – adds more pressure, making it understandable when patients crave simplicity.

Some patients walk away from a diagnosis, preferring to ignore it, while others are reluctant to seek a second opinion over fear of alienating their specialist. But many more are not sure whether or how to ask important questions to gain confidence in their care. In an era of remarkable medical advances, a second opinion can play an important role in guiding choices, shaping the future, and importantly, sparing time toxicity.

A doctor with cancer recently illustrated the disconnect between how she and her oncologists viewed her treatment. The “universal” medical attitude that she was “handling this treatment well”, she lamented, minimised her suffering through tremendous fatigue, nausea, explosive diarrhoea, hair loss, joint and muscle discomfort, loss of salary, inability to drive due to brain fog, and loss of mobility, just to name a few. Her powerful words underlined the importance of listening to the patient as........

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