Un pc thoughts

Zoffiel

@Kiki_Dances60 treatments, particularly primary treatment, is pretty much dictated by the Clinical Oncology Society of Australia which operates in consultation with other similar groups across the world. Your oncologist doesn't come up his or her own regime--they adhere to world best practice. Mostly. So, in theory, your particular disease will be mapped and you will get the recommended treatment, as will everyone else with a similar cancer. If they can afford it, tolerate it access it etc.
Things get tricky when you throw things like adverse reactions, existing conditions and access to clinical trials into the mix. That's where an onc with some lateral thinking skills and the ability to competently assess their patients (which--shock, horror --can invoke actually consulting with them) comes into play.
There is no 'lite' cancer treatment that offers the same success rate as the horrible ones. It isn't a thing. There is a strong probability that many patients are over treated, but there is no way of figuring out who those folk might be at the moment. There is a shitload of research into that going on spearheaded, interestingly, by prostate cancer. Over treatment there can mean unnecessary impotence, and we really can't have that.
We all want to wiggle out of this and find an alternative. There really isn't one. Sadly. Mxx

Kiki_Dances60

Thanks, @Zoffiel. I get there’s no ‘lite’ treatment for BC, but I do know other first world countries have different ways of doing things to us. 

What you said about the onc ‘actually consulting’ with their patient totally resonated with me. Their job, surely?

The question of cancer research focusing on determining the minimal safe treatment for prostate cancer to safeguard male potency ... well, I’m not surprised, I guess. Xxx

Kiki_Dances60

Yes @arpie, it’s a small hospital. There may be one other onc, but I’m not sure. This person was highly recommended. Sigh. Yes I do need to tread carefully.