Tag Archive for: bladder cancer outcomes
Can Self-Advocacy Close the Gap in Bladder Cancer Outcomes?
Bladder cancer research insights show disparities for specific groups. Expert Dr. Shaakir Hasan from Beth Israel Lahey Health discusses highlights from his research study, the value of seeking medical attention and second opinions, and proactive patient advice.
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“Just do your own research, find what’s available, discuss these options with your provider, look at multiple providers, and get multiple opinions if you can to kind of feel more comfortable with whatever decision you end up making.”
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Transcript:
Lisa Hatfield:
Dr. Hasan, your study found that certain demographics, including Black and female patients have reduced survival rates. So can you speak a bit about the study and what you think can be done to improve outcomes for these groups?
Sure. So, I think that when it comes to the overall prognosis, the overall, you know, outcomes, the results as to how likely you are to get cured, survive is actually not so different. It’s a little different, but not so different among different groups, be it female, be it African Americans, the bigger issue is that they’re being diagnosed at a later stage. And that just makes care a lot more difficult. So, I think that’s the take home message there is that, going back to, I should just say, the biggest issue here is to look at preventive medicine and to kind of detect these symptoms early, detect bladder cancer early if it’s there, because that will eventually lead to better outcomes regardless of whatever group you belong to.
So, that does mean seeking medical attention early. That does mean addressing things like blood in the urine or just anything that’s off in your genital urinary system to address that early. Now, as far as reduced survival rates stage for stage, which is another thing that we showed, it could be a multitude of things. It could be that certain groups, demographic groups, just are predisposed to worst acting cancers. They could be more aggressive tumors. But there’s also certainly a lot of evidence that shows that certain ethnic groups just don’t get the same care, period.
Maybe they don’t have as much access insurance-wise. Maybe they don’t have the same coverage or they’re not seeking some of the expert care that’s out there. And so that certainly can contribute to worse outcomes, period. We’ve seen this in many different cancers. So, what I would say, what can be done to prevent this? I will again, encourage that those really advocate for themselves and say, look, do your own research, hop on Google and just bladder cancer treatments, plain and simple. And you’ll find a multitude of opportunities of different types of treatments. And you should ask your provider about them. The second you do that, they know you’re engaged. They’re going to engage back with you, and it’ll be much more of like a partnership in your management and your care.
And that will ultimately get you better results. I think another thing one can do is don’t, you know, in the business, in medicine, we call this doctor shopping, so to speak, but it’s not a bad thing, seek other opinions, be comfortable with your physician and be comfortable getting different opinions and seeing what’s all out there because, and we won’t be offended. I encourage all my patients to go get as many opinions as they feel comfortable with, because at the end of the day I want you to be comfortable with your management.
I want you to know what’s out there and you might just have a better fit, whether it’s location, you just like the position better. You like the facilities better, the opportunities, the nursing staff, whatever it might be, there’s going to be a better fit for certain patients in certain areas and you should explore that. So, I think regardless of your economic background, your ethnic background, your gender do this and then you, we kind of, so to speak, level the playing field for whatever type of care you get.
Start with doing your own research, you know, try to find what’s available for you, and you might not understand it all, but that’s okay. Just do your own research, find what’s available, discuss these options with your provider, look at multiple providers, and get multiple opinions if you can to kind of feel more comfortable with whatever decision you end up making.
