Finding the Right Care Team after a Lung Cancer Diagnosis
- Kathy Griffin, 61, has asked social media for help with her latest scan results after she was "ghosted" by the surgeon who removed half of her lung. She's looking to people online to help her translate the medical jargon. Thankfully, it seems that her cancer has still not returned, but SurvivorNet advises against seeking medical advice on social media.
- Lung cancer is the second most common type of cancer and it can develop in both smokers and non-smokers, though smokers have an increased risk.
- When looking for your lung cancer care team, it’s important to choose wisely. When choosing a medical oncologist to treat your cancer, look for a medically specialized thoracic oncologist.
- Similarly, if you need a surgical oncologist, choose one with credentials as a thoracic surgeon. It is always better to speak with a primary care physician, local hospital and health insurer to find a qualified oncologist. You can also find certified oncologists on the ASCO (The American Society of Clinical Oncology), and potential treatment centers on the NCI (National Cancer Institute) website.
- Also, never hesitate to ask your healthcare providers about their experience, credentials and area of practice devoted to lung cancer, and consider getting multiple opinions after your diagnosis. One of the greatest cancer researchers of our time tells SurvivorNet that people should get "multiple" opinions following a cancer diagnosis.
Griffin, 61, recently posted screenshots of her latest scan results in a desperate plea to help her understand what they mean because she claims that she "cannot get an oncologist on the phone and the surgeon who did my half of lung removal has ghosted [her]."
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Many people came to Griffin's support in the comments and offered their thoughts. One nurse even wrote: “Looks like good results and no reoccurring disease in my opinion (RN).”
Another nurse left a similarly positive comment: “Hey Kathy im a nurse not a radiologist but the results are good, just a little inflammation and a tiny bit of fluid in ur throat and sinuses (not unusual for urself) some cysts but they aren't new… but everything else is relatively normal for what u have been thru.”
Others came to offer well wishes, offer doctor recommendations and even offer support as fellow cancer survivors.
“Breast cancer survivor,I'm not an oncologist but it looks like no recurrence of the cancer.I think it's good results â¤ï¸” one user wrote.
Still, it's important to note that although it's good her results seem to suggest "no recurrence or metastasis," SurvivorNet does not recommend people with cancer turn to social media for medical opinions.
Kathy Griffin's Lung Cancer Journey
The comic revealed her stage 1 lung cancer diagnosis via social media in Aug. 2021. Thankfully, the cancer seemed to be contained to one part of her lung, so she underwent surgery to have half of her left lung removed shortly after sharing the news.
She then revealed she was cancer-free in December 2021, but she still had a lot of recovering to do. After the surgery, her voice was altered by an intubation tube giving her a "Minnie Mouse meets Marilyn Monroe" type of voice.
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She later revealed that her 6-month check up scans were clear in February, and surprised fans with a video showcasing the return of her voice in June though she says her voice has, sadly, suffered irreparable damage.
Though she's doing better today, it's clear that she's lost confidence in the doctor who performed her surgery. In another social media post from this week, she called him a "hack Dr."
Sucks! He ruined my vocal chords & my arytenoids permanently! My voice is my living. It's discouraging 2 me that people are sticking up 4 a surgeon who has caused me so many difficulties. I had stage 1. I sure wish I had gotten chemo/radiation instead of surgery with this hack Dr pic.twitter.com/6rgFHycymx
Kathy Griffin (@kathygriffin) August 22, 2022
"He ruined my vocal chords & my arytenoids permanently!" she wrote on Twitter. "My voice is my living. It's discouraging 2 me that people are sticking up 4 a surgeon who has caused me so many difficulties. I had stage 1. I sure wish I had gotten chemo/radiation instead of surgery with this hack Dr."
Understanding Kathy Griffin’s Type of Cancer: Lung Cancer
Lung cancer, the second most common type of cancer, is the leading cause of cancer deaths for men and women in the United States. Diagnosis and treatment of the disease can be tricky since symptoms often don't appear until the cancer has spread.
An initial symptom, for example, could be as serious as a seizure if the lung cancer has already spread to the brain. But other symptoms can include increased coughing, chest pain, unexplained weight loss, shortness of breath, wheezing, losing your voice or persistent infections like bronchitis or pneumonia.
The two main types of lung cancer are non-small cell, which makes up 85 percent of cases, and small-cell. These types act differently and, accordingly, require different types of treatment.
Dr. Patrick Forde, a thoracic oncologist at Johns Hopkins Medicine, tells SurvivorNet about how distinguishing between the two types and their subtypes can be very beneficial.
What Happens When You've Been Newly Diagnosed With Lung Cancer
"Within that non-small cell category, there's a subtype called non-squamous adenocarcinoma, and that's the group of patients for whom genetic testing is very important on the tumor," he explains. "Genetic testing is looking for mutations in the DNA, in the tumor, which are not present in your normal DNA."
Finding the Right Care Team as a Lung Cancer Patient
Unfortunately, it seems that Kathy Griffin did not find the right care team for her lung cancer journey. Your doctor should never “ghost” you, and you should never have to turn to social media for medical advice. That being said, there are things you can do to try to make sure you’re choosing the proper care team for your lung cancer journey.
Steps to Take After Lung Cancer Diagnosis
First off, when you’re looking for a good specialist, you need to narrow down a list of oncologists near you in order to move forward with a treatment action plan.
Typically, an oncologist has a team of multiple members who will work cooperatively as you undergo treatment. This team typically includes the following:
- A primary care physician who will oversee general health during the cancer treatment
- A medical oncologist who will oversee drug therapies, including chemotherapy, while treating you as the care team's primary coordinator
- Pathologists who will interpret lab results
- A surgical oncologist who may perform lung cancer surgery if needed
- A radiation oncologist who will oversee radiation therapy, with a radiation therapist
- Oncology nurses who will assist the process when you undergo treatment
- Radiologists who analyze and assess MRIs, CT scans and PET scans to check if your cancerous cells are responding to treatment
- Oncology therapists and social workers who will counsel you and connect you with various support groups
When choosing a medical oncologist to treat your cancer, look for a medically specialized thoracic oncologist. This type of doctor is a cancer specialist who focuses on cancers related to the thorax. Similarly, if you need a surgical oncologist, choose one with credentials as a thoracic surgeon. It is always better to speak with a primary care physician, local hospital and health insurer to find a qualified oncologist.
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You can also find certified oncologists on the ASCO (The American Society of Clinical Oncology) website and potential treatment centers on the NCI (National Cancer Institute) website. The NCI website provides a list of NCI-Designated Cancer Centers which are known for delivering reliable cancer treatment with highly trained and qualified specialists.
Once you’ve found an oncologist you’d like to try, it’s important to prepare for your first appointment. Successful cancer treatment is all about a collaborative partnership between the patient and their dedicated medical team. Your team keeps you informed about every aspect of your diagnosis as well as treatment. That is why you must find an oncologist who is skilled and experienced in his or her field and always willing to interact with you openly and honestly.
We recommend you write down questions and concerns before you meet with your oncology team. As the first appointment is about your treatment options and quality of life, it must provide you with the information and insights about the process ahead.
The National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship recommends some of these questions you may want to ask your oncologist:
- How do you choose a treatment option?
- What are the approaches that can be used to treat my cancer type?
- What are the chances of my treatment's success?
- What realistic goals have you taken into account for my treatment?
- What will be the effects of treatment on my health and life?
- Will I be able to continue my work/career?
No matter how awkward it may seem, never hesitate to ask your healthcare providers about their experience, credentials and area of practice devoted to lung cancer. Additionally, you should always consider getting multiple opinions from different doctors.
Cancer Research Legend Urges Patients to Get Multiple Opinions
Seeking a second opinion does not mean that there is a lack of trust between you and your oncologist. In fact, it provides you with a sound understanding to weigh the advantages and disadvantages of treatment objectively. In addition, it offers you a kind of validation to reconsider the steps related to your medical treatment. There are some standard protocols all oncologists follow, but sometimes there is a divergence in opinions based on newer therapies and treatment options available.
"If I had any advice for you following a cancer diagnosis, it would be, first, to seek out multiple opinions as to the best care," National Cancer Institute Chief of Surgery Steven Rosenberg told SurvivorNet in a previous interview. "Because finding a doctor who is up to the latest of information is important."
No matter what, make sure your care team is right for you and you are on board with your treatment plan.
A Doctor's Perspective: Joining but not Prescribing a Patient's Cancer Journey
"As a doctor, my main goal should be to be on your journey, not to totally prescribe your journey," Dr. Lawrence Piro, President and CEO of The Angeles Clinic and Research Institute in Los Angeles, previously told SurvivorNet.
Doctors are meant to present all the treatment options, outcomes and side-effects to patients. Some patients might deicide that the most aggressive treatment plan is right for them, but others may decide they can't live with the side effects and would rather pursue an alternative treatment. According to Piro, that’s up to each patient.
"It's my job to support and help [people] on their journey," he said.
Contributing: Dr. Raja Flores
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