If you’ve been diagnosed with cancer, the more you know about your diagnosis and treatment alternatives, the more confident and comfortable you can be that the choices are the right ones for you. Especially when it comes to lifesaving cancer care, it’s normal to wonder if another doctor could offer more information or a different treatment option. You might want to find another doctor who can look at your test results, talk with you about your specific situation, and maybe give you a different option or perspective. Getting a second opinion can help you feel more secure about your diagnosis and treatment plan.
It’s also a common practice, so you don’t need to worry about offending your doctor or the doctor you receive the second opinion from.
Getting a Second Opinion
Stony Brook Cancer Center's Second Opinion Program is for New York State residents. It was created to assist you in being fully informed about your diagnosis, prognosis, and available treatment options. Many insurance companies will cover the cost, especially if you've been told you need surgery. Some insurance plans even require a second opinion for cancer treatment and you usually don't need a referral.
Contacting Us for a Second Opinion
Call Our Cancer Center
Stony Brook Cancer Center offers second opinions with surgeons, medical oncologists and radiation oncologists.
Call (631) 638-1000 Monday through Friday from 8:30 am to 6 pm.
Make a Telehealth or In-person Appointment
Getting a second opinion from world-class experts can be a vital part of making healthcare decisions for yourself or a loved one. A Stony Brook Cancer Center care team will help you every step of the way.
When to Seek a Second Opinion
If you’re not sure if you should consider a second opinion, the most common reasons to do so include:
• You want to be sure you have explored all your options.
• You think your doctor is underestimating how serious your cancer is.
• Your doctor is not sure what is wrong with you.
• You have a rare or unusual cancer.
• You think another treatment might be available.
• Your doctor is not a specialist in your type of cancer.
• Your doctor tells you there is uncertainty about the type or stage of cancer you have.
• Your doctor gives you a few different treatment options.
• You’re having trouble understanding and communicating with your doctor, or you want your options explained by someone else.
• You just want peace of mind that you have the correct diagnosis and that you are making the right treatment choice.
• Your insurance company asks you to get another opinion before you start treatment.
• If you want to explore the option of a clinical trial
Is there enough time to wait for a second opinion?
Treatment decisions should be made after you have learned all you can about your diagnosis, prognosis, and available treatment options. This can take time, depending on the type of cancer you have. In a few cancers, there are some treatment decisions that have to be made right away. But usually, you can take some time to think about them, and you should think about them. If you are concerned about waiting to start treatment, you should talk to your doctor.
The second opinion process: what to expect
Before you start looking for a second opinion, contact your insurance company to find out what your policy covers. In some cases, you may have to get a second opinion from another doctor who is part of your health plan before the plan will pay for your treatment
It’s important to be able to give the new doctor the exact details of your diagnosis and planned treatment. Make sure you have the following information handy and always keep copies for yourself:
• A copy of your pathology report from any biopsy or surgery
• Any radiology reports or scans (i.e. mammography, PET scans, CT, MRI)
• If you had surgery, a copy of your operative report
• If you were in the hospital, a copy of the discharge summary that every doctor prepares when patients are sent home
• A summary of your doctor’s current treatment plan or the plan that has been given to you as an option
• Since some drugs can have long-term side effects, a list of all your drugs, drug doses, and when you took them
You can ask your current doctor’s office for copies of your records. If you have had treatment or tests in a hospital or clinic, you may need to contact their medical records department to find out how to get these records. Sometimes you can request your records through an online patient portal if your doctor's office, treatment center, or hospital has one.
Our team is ready to help you with this process.