Being told you have skin cancer can be scary, and you may have many questions. But you have people on your care team who will help you.
Coping with fear
It's normal to feel afraid. Learning about your cancer and about the treatment choices you have can make you feel less afraid. This also helps you work with your care team and make the best choices for your treatment. You can also ask to speak with a counselor.
Working with your care team
Most nonmelanoma skin cancer can be treated by a dermatologist. This is a doctor who specializes in treating disease of the skin. If your cancer is more advanced, you may also have other types of doctors on your team. These may include:
- Surgical oncologist. This is a doctor with special training in surgery to treat cancer.
- Medical oncologist. This is a doctor with special training to treat cancer with medicines such as chemotherapy and targeted therapy.
- Radiation oncologist. This is a doctor with special training to treat cancer with radiation therapy.
- Oncology nurse. This is a nurse with special training to take care of people who have cancer.
You may also have physician assistants or nurse practitioners as a part of your care team. Your team will answer any questions you may have. They'll help you through each of the steps you'll take before, during, and after treatment. Your team will let you know what tests you need and the results of those tests. They'll guide you in making treatment decisions and help prepare you and your loved ones for what's ahead.
Learning about treatment choices
To decide the best course of treatment for you, your care team needs to know as much as they can about your cancer. This may mean getting some tests and working with more than one doctor or other type of health care professional. And you may decide that you want to get a second opinion to help you choose a treatment.
Getting support
Coping with cancer can be stressful. You can talk with your care team about seeing a counselor. They can refer you to someone who can help. You can also visit support groups to talk with other people coping with cancer. Ask your care team about local and online support groups.
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