Medical second opinions made easy

My friend was undergoing cancer treatment and her outlook was devastating. Her doctors told her that she would not live to see her daughter enter primary school. I had heard about the option to get a second opinion from a Harvard-affiliated Cancer Center and suggested she consulted them to be sure that all available options had been taken in consideration. It felt reassuring for her to have this second opinion in the form of a written report from this world-renowned cancer expert. Having this gave her and her family peace of mind that they knew all the possible options and that the next steps she had aligned with her local doctors were the right ones.

I was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 42. I sought an opinion regarding duration of the hormonal treatment at Harvard's Dana Farber Cancer Institute. I underwent the initial treatment including resection of the tumor with radiotherapy and hormonal blockade. Continuing the hormonal blockade could have significant side effects, namely an induced menopause including the possibility of body changes with weight increase, mood changes, loss of energy, libido decrease, etc. Because it was such an important decision I sought a second opinion at Harvard's Dana Farber Cancer Institute and could share my case with one of the world’s top leaders in breast cancer. His advice, after taking into account my tumor stage, the tumor markers and my age and health status, was that there was no clear evidence of an increased benefit of long hormonal blockade. We discussed this thoroughly with my oncologist back home and decided not to continue with the hormonal blockade. This allowed me to avoid the side effects. I am now 7 years since the diagnosis and I am cured of the breast cancer. I could not be happier that I asked for a second opinion.

Being diagnosed with metastatic colon cancer was a life-changing event. I was lucky to have a fantastic oncologist who walked me through the decision making process. The world collapses on you with the diagnosis. A thousand questions are raised: about what happens to you, about the treatment, the side effects, what happens with those you love and those who depend on you? And all this happens at great speed and you do not have time to absorb it all. You go home and ask yourself “What did they tell me?”. It’s really hard to process all the information and cope with all the feelings. My treating oncologist suggested getting support from a Dana Farber Cancer Center gastrointestinal oncologist. I truly believe that this was one of the most valuable choices I made throughout the process; my oncologist and the oncologist at DFCI came up with a plan and agreed on the timing of chemotherapy, the inclusion of new immunotherapy and even timing of surgery for my liver metastases. Seeing them work as a team made me feel assured I was receiving personalized, cutting-edge treatment.

After our father's stroke, we had doubts about his care. GSO helped us verify the treatment he received and provided crucial medical advice for his future health. We chose GSO based on recommendations from trusted people. Initially, I was concerned about not understanding how the platform worked. But as I interacted with it and received responses, I gained complete trust in the process. I'd describe it to my best friend in four words: excellence, clarity, trust, and thoroughness. The three key benefits: medical guidance for future care, better understanding of my family member's illness, and extending their life expectancy. What surprised me most was the ease-of-use reliability of this completely new platform—I'll definitely use it again if needed.

A diagnosis of bladder cancer comes with the overwhelming decision of treatment choice: chemotherapy, endoscopic resection, radical removal of the bladder (cystectomy), or even radiotherapy. It was crucial for me to get all the information on the short and long-term risks, advantages, and disadvantages to make the right decision. Only GSO could provide it from a renowned source like Harvard hospitals in less than a week. I learned everything I needed quickly, without surrounding noise and unnecessary or biased information. It truly allowed me to make an informed decision about my health under very difficult circumstances.