How do I Assess Risks versus Benefits of Treatment Options?- 2

Part 2 Understanding evidence in accessing risks and benefits of treatments

Weighing the evidence before making a treatment decision is essential. To weigh it, you need to understand it. Consider the following:

Evidence – Upon what are you basing your recommendations? How much evidence (from research and or experience) exists? Please tell me the studies you have used to come to your conclusions.

If your health professional uses vague phrases like “high risk” or “very low risk”, ask him/her to be more specific. E.g. Is there a 1 in a 100 chance that the surgery you recommend will lead to a stroke, 1 in a 1000 or what? (What is high or low to the physician may not mean the same thing, or be acceptable, to you.) “Natural” may also need more explanation – it may not be risk-free.

If your doctor uses statistics, and quotes the percentages in the explanation, make sure you ask him/her to explain the difference between a “reduction in relative risk” and a “reduction in absolute risk.” You might think a reduction by 50% means a reduction by half), but you have to ask, ‘half of what?’ - It might actually only be a reduction from 2% to 1%!

Then ask yourself:

Is this treatment compatible with my personal values and preferences - so that I can put myself 100% behind it? Will it work with my family/work responsibilities?

Is it accessible at a reasonable cost? – Can I afford it without being entire stressed out over money?

If you want more questions to ask your doctor, please refer to Chapter 3 titled “Harness the Power of Professional Support—Your Doctors and Health-care Practitioners” in AFTER SHOCK: FROM CANCER DIAGNOSIS TO HEALING. www.aftershockfromcancer.com