There is no false hope – cancer is unpredictable.

No false hope cancer is unpredictable

No false hope cancer diagnosis is scary, but the fact is no-one knows what will happen in your future. During my life I have been through multiple health challenges and with others I love dearly. Some people outlive their cancer prognosis and other people don’t, why?

At the time of a new cancer diagnosis people like you need support and are very scared. You might be most motivated to change your circumstances, while other people are disempowered.

From a medical perspective, it is also when the healthcare team is either most conservative or aggressive, depending on the cancer, which can have quite different effects on your emotional and physical wellbeing.

One of the newest and most empowering shifts in medicine is to take a ‘patient-centred’ approach. This means that when you undergo treatment you have the power to choose what happens, when, and at what time.

Cancer treatments may include surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, diet-modification and exercise, but just like all cancers are not the same, neither is any treatment or outcome. So how do you know what to do?

The belief that something is working and of benefit, can have the most power for you and your family, also called hope.

To illustrate my point the term ‘placebo effect’, is also called the ‘power of the mind’ or the belief that a treatment is working, and can give 80% benefit when no treatment is given at all. The placebo effect has been extensively studied. This benefit has to be accounted for when designing a trial for a new medicine. The opposite is also true, called the ‘nocebo effect’, where the negative expectations you might have regarding a treatment, can make the treatment have a worse effect.

Both placebo and nocebo impact the body, which is better – what do you think?

No false hope cancer is unpredictable

I want to share this fantastic Ted Talk from my late cousin’s brain surgeon, Dr Charlie Teo. My cousin’s first brain tumour diagnosis was at 27, and his prognosis was just three months to live.

Dr Charlie Teo was told to stop offering a second opinion, when they differ to the first!

We sought Charlie’s second opinion, gained another 9 years of amazing experiences with my cousin Shannon. Shannon lived to the age of 38, we saw a new member of the family join us, his son, Charlie, who is now 11. There is no such thing as false hope, especially to us!

We are grateful that Dr Teo helped us when the first doctor said no.

Decision-Making

The understanding of your medical information, when you have new a diagnosis, is essential. Without this you cannot make an informed choice about how you will be treated or not. If you don’t understand your medical information you can be disempowered.

During the last few decades I have spent many years learning about cancer and too many of my family and friends have been impacted by it.

I believe in patient autonomy and I respect patient’s wishes.

I trust my new website provides information and support for you and your family. We support you when you have had a new diagnosis, to make decisions that suit you and make sense to you.

We have a range of tools to assist you with decision-making and support.

Dr Charlie Teo’s Research Foundation into a Cure Brain Cancer Foundation is here.

Feel free to pass-on to others touched by cancer in the future if you don’t currently have a diagnosis, thank you.

Yours in good health,