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There is often a degree of uncertainty when making decisions about treatment. Quite often there isn’t a clear ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ answer. The doctors may not even be able to say for sure whether the treatment will work and how it may affect you.
Uncertainty can be one of the most difficult things to deal with. It can make you feel angry, irritable or frightened. This can sometimes create tension with people around you.
It can help to talk to family, friends and healthcare professionals about how you feel. Some people find it useful to talk things over with a counsellor.
Your local cancer information centre or cancer support group may have a counsellor who you can talk to, or your doctors and nurses can put you in touch with one.
There is no right or wrong decision. People have different priorities, concerns and circumstances and will make different choices. The most important thing to remember is that the decision you make is the right one for you at the time. No one can tell you what is going to happen, and there will always be some uncertainty.
You may find you change your mind over time and how you feel now is different from how you felt a few weeks or months ago. It can also differ from how you may feel in the future.
As your situation changes, your choices may change too. The staff at the hospital will support you with decision-making and will respect the choices you make.
If the cancer comes back after having the treatment that you chose, don’t blame yourself
It’s possible that the cancer would have come back if you had chosen the other treatment option.
It is important to remember that you made the right decision at the time for all the right reasons, using the information you had available to you.
For answers, support or just a chat, call the Macmillan Support Line free (Monday to Friday, 9am-8pm)
If you have any questions about cancer, need support or just want someone to talk to, ask Macmillan.