Drs. Colleen Lawton and Gary Sudakoff confer

Prostate Cancer Second Opinion

What You Can Expect

Once you’ve requested a second opinion regarding your prostate cancer diagnosis, a nurse coordinator will help you gather all the appropriate medical records, test results, and any other information necessary for us to make an accurate evaluation. The coordinator will explain what records are needed and how best to get them, answering any questions and assisting you all along the way.

Second opinion visits are usually scheduled at the Clinical Cancer Center building at Froedtert & The Medical College of Wisconsin.

During your visit, a physician will review your medical records, conduct a prostate exam and interview you to get a sense of your priorities and concerns. The physician will also discuss his or her impressions, and help you understand the risks and benefits of each treatment option open to you. Also, if additional specialists should be consulted regarding your case, we’ll do our best to make sure that happens during your second opinion visit.

At Froedtert & The Medical College of Wisconsin, we will engage you in the decision-making process. Because there are so many variables to consider, we want you to hear about the full breadth of options and help you weigh the pros and cons, making sure you understand completely. Factors such as age, other health issues, family history, your personal philosophy on risk vs. benefit, the stage of your cancer and more should be considered before choosing a course of treatment. What’s right for one person could be absolutely wrong for another.

Our goal is to provide you with a state-of-the-science evaluation and in some cases, we may feel additional information is needed that was not gathered prior to your visit. In those selected cases, further tests may be required, and the nurse coordinator will work with you to arrange any needed appointments.

Author: Joan Cotter Pike

Date: July 26, 2005

Medical Reviewer:

Dr. William See, Chief of Urologic Surgery

Last Review Date: Aug. 21, 2009