For those that have advanced cancer and want to be a survivor, picking your oncologist is going to be the most important decision you make early on.  You will likely gravitate towards an oncologist that you like, that makes you comfortable or that aligns with your vision of treatment.  The likely reason for this is you have a very small understanding of your disease in the beginning, and you are just starting to comprehend how cancer is about to change your life.  

If you like your oncologist or they align with your vision, that is a plus, but that is not what you need to be thinking about right now.  

• You need to be focused on the survivor rate your doctor has with advanced cancer patients.
• Does your doctor specialize only on patients with your cancer type?
• What contributions has your doctor made to the cancer community that would make them a leader in their field?  
• If you are dealing with solid tumor cancer, does this doctor partner with a surgical oncologist, IR and radiologist that are also at the top of their field as well?

The treatment landscape is changing rapidly.  In just the three years since I was diagnosed with stage IV colon cancer, so many options have been added to many of the guidelines.  Now you are seeing HAI pumps, new immunotherapies and liver transplants as options.  Keep in mind, some of these guidelines are published once every 18 months.  If your doctor is only following these guidelines, there might be options being left on the table for your treatment.  If your doctor is complacent and not keeping up with new guidelines, you are in trouble.  It is best to find a doctor that is in the middle of the battle of finding the next best treatment.  Not only will they be more informed with what is happening now, they will have smart doctor friends that they often consult with.  They will also know how to best tailor a treatment plan to you and have an end goal in mind.  

There is a great chance that the oncologist you need is not in your area.  Traveling to treatments and appointments is going to be a burden with costs, work, family, etc.  If you can, find a way to make it happen.  You are worth it.  You will likely have to ask for help and that might be hard, but again you being a survivor is worth it.  You will find in the cancer community there are so many people that are not only willing to help but find joy in helping.  Even if you are lucky enough to have the right oncologist local, you are going to need help with this battle along the way.

I wish you the best of luck in your battle.  While this information might not be what you wanted to hear, I personally want you to have the best oncologist that will make you a survivor.