Episode 45: "Spotlight on Medical Oncology" with Sandy Kotiah, MD

One of the key aspects of one’s neuroendocrine cancer care is building your medical team, which typically includes a medical oncologist. In this episode, Medical Oncologist Dr. Sandy Kotiah from Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore expounds on the role of a medical oncologist. She sheds light on the first appointment, communication, and care coordination. 

TOP TEN QUESTIONS

1. What is your role in the neuroendocrine cancer world? What is your role with your medical team?
2. What is a medical oncologist? What training is involved? Is a medical oncologist the same thing as a hematologist oncologist? 
   • What’s the difference between a medical oncologist & surgical oncologist (& radiation oncologist)?
3. What is a NET expert and how does someone become a NET expert?
   • When I’m looking for a NET expert, what type of doctor am I looking for? 
   • How do I know if I’m with a “NET expert”? If I call a medical institution, will I automatically get assigned to a “NET expert?” If someone tells me they are a “NET expert,” does that mean that person is a NET expert?
4. What can I expect on my first appointment? What type of information do you try to communicate with your patients during the first appointment? 
   • Newly diagnosed patients often come to their first appointment feeling scared and overwhelmed. They wonder “how long do I have,” worry about how fast the cancer is growing, and are unsure of what to tell their family and friends. How do you address these concerns?
   • What questions should I be asking my oncologist?
5. When/how often should I see my medical oncologist? 
   • Who goes over my scan results with me? When does that happen/How soon after a scan should I expect results? 
   • Who communicates the tumor board discussions?
6. How is care coordinated with other providers on my team within the same institution? 
   • How is care coordinated with other providers from different institutions (i.e. with a local oncologist and a NET expert)?
7. What happens if someone wants a second opinion? How do you feel about second opinions?
   • How do I navigate or work through a situation in which there are differing opinions between doctors? 
8. If I have a question, concern, or symptoms, who do I communicate with and what’s the best way to communicate? 
   • What if we “run out of time” during an appointment? 
   • What if it’s a question or concern I’m shy about communicating?
9. Some people struggle with trust because of past experiences with providers who might have ignored or minimized their symptoms. What advice do you have to help build trust with my doctor? What would you say is my responsibility as a patient and your responsibility as the oncologist? 
10. If there is one thing you would like all people living with neuroendocrine cancer to know, what would it be?

For more information, visit NCF.net.