‘Love It or List It’ Star Hilary Farr, 71, Felt ‘Absolute Fury’ When She Was Given the Wrong Breast Cancer Treatment – Why Getting Multiple Opinions Matters
'Love It or List It' Star Hilary Farr, 71, Felt 'Absolute Fury' When She Was Given the Wrong Breast Cancer Treatment Why Getting Multiple Opinions Matters
Seeking Multiple Opinions After a Cancer Diagnosis
"Love It or List It" reality TV star Hilary Farr, 71, said her previous doctor didn’t give her the breast cancer treatment that she needed.
Farr's breast cancer journey included three lumpectomy procedures, which involve removing cancer or abnormal tissue from the breast. She also received several rounds of radiation.
Radiation therapy is a form of cancer treatment that uses high-energy rays such as X-rays to destroy cancer cells. It's often used after surgery to reduce the chance that the cancer will come back after treatment.
When you see a doctor for a problem, don't hesitate to make sure that your questions are fully answered and that you are comfortable with the plan moving forward. By doing this, you are advocating for your health.
Seeking a second or third opinion for your diagnosis and treatment plan is another aspect of advocating for your health and making sure you get the treatment you need.
SurvivorNet offers questions you can consider asking your doctor if your are thinking about seeking another opinion on your diagnosis or treatment plan.
Reality TV star Hilary Farr, 71, is known for giving homebuyers advice on the popular "Love It or List It," show but her very own breast cancer experience can also teach a thing or two about advocating for your health and the importance of seeking multiple opinions.
Farr's television career includes acting roles on "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" in 1975 and "The Return" in 1980. But Farr was a home renovator at heart, and in 2010 she began the long-running HGTV show "Love It or List It.” Alongside co-star David Visentin, she helps homeowners determine if their current houses still fit their lifestyles.NEW YORK, NY – APRIL 24: (L-R) Monte Durham, Hilary Farr, and David Visentin attend the Discovery Upfront 2018 at the Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center on April 10, 2018, in New York City. (Photo by Bryan Bedder/Getty Images for Discovery)
Off-screen, Farr appears to be enjoying the time she gets to relax in nature, especially with her lovable black labrador retriever.
Another aspect of Farr's life involves breast cancer.
In 2012, a routine mammogram led to the discovery of a lump in her breast. She underwent a lumpectomy, which is a procedure to remove cancer or abnormal tissue from the breast. This procedure differs from a mastectomy, which removes part or all of the breasts.
WATCH: Should you get a lumpectomy or a mastectomy?
After reviewing the tissue, Farr's tumor turned out to be precancerous, which brought the TV star "so much relief," she described to People Magazine.
Two years later, Farr underwent another mammogram and it found she had invasive breast cancer, which can spread to other areas of the body. Another lumpectomy procedure was the course of treatment by her doctor.
At the time, Farr said, her medical oncologist told her "You're fine" after the procedure. However, Farr learned about two months later that she should have received radiation treatment after the lumpectomy to ensure any remaining cancer cells were eradicated.
"I was terrified because I knew I had a very small window," Farr said.
"I felt an absolute fury that someone could be so flippantly wrong," she continued, angered by her doctor's incomplete treatment plan.
Radiation therapy is a form of cancer treatment that uses high-energy rays such as X-rays to destroy cancer cells. It's often used after surgery to reduce the chance that the cancer will come back after treatment. It's common for women to undergo radiation as part of their breast cancer treatment, especially if they opt for a lumpectomy.
WATCH: What radiation therapy feels like?
Farr ended up filing a complaint against her former oncologist. She eventually received the needed radiation treatment she needed.
In 2015, her doctors found another “suspicious breast growth,” and a lumpectomy revealed the tumor was precancerous.
Farr's experience highlights the importance of being your own biggest health advocate. If you ever suspect all of your concerns are not being addressed, seek another opinion.
Second opinions provide benefits for not only diagnosing your symptoms but also determining the best treatment options.
The Value of a Second Opinion
Hilary Farr took ownership of her health after she learned she should have received additional treatment for breast cancer. Advocating for yourself is an important part of any health journey.
When you see a doctor for a problem, don't hesitate to make sure that your questions are fully answered and that you are comfortable with the plan moving forward. From a doctor's perspective, every problem should have a diagnosis, a treatment, a plan for follow-up, and a plan for what happens next if the treatment doesn't work.
WATCH: Being your own advocate.
"It’s important for you to actually educate yourself and be your own health care advocate," colorectal surgeon Dr. Zuri Murrell previously told SurvivorNet.
"You should lead each doctor’s appointment with a plan," Dr. Murrell adds.
In addition to making sure you and your doctor are in alignment with your diagnosis and potential treatment, seeking other opinions is equally important.
Doctors do not always agree about whether your symptoms might merit further testing and whether specific treatment methods might work best for you.
Dr. Steven Rosenberg, chief of surgery at the National Cancer Institute and one of America's most renowned cancer doctors, agrees.
WATCH: The value of getting a second opinion.
"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, because finding a doctor who is up to the latest of information is important," Rosenberg previously told SurvivorNet.
"It's always important to get other opinions so that you can make the best decisions for yourself in consultation with your care providers," Dr. Rosenberg continued.
