Second Opinion On Prostate Cancer

The Birmingham Prostate Clinic welcomes patients who wish to seek a second opinion. We are very supportive of patients’ rights to an independent view from another clinician, which provides the opportunity to consider and reflect on treatment options.

We frequently see patients with prostate cancer who are seeking a second opinion. If you would like a second opinion, we can offer you two options: you can come into the clinic to see a consultant or you can have a telephone based advice and guidance discussion with consultant urologist Alan Doherty which may be convenient if you live a significant distance away from our clinics in the West Midlands. In the field of prostate cancer, there is a particularly wide range of treatment options, which have different advantages and disadvantages. Equally, doctors will vary in terms of what treatment they offer and may also vary more generally in terms of how conservative or interventional they are.

Seeking a second opinion will not mean that you need to have a biopsy or have other examinations repeated. If possible, please bring copies of your reports and scans with you, or if this is not possible, we can request this information from your clinical team.

At Birmingham Prostate Clinic, we have consultant urologists Mr Alan Doherty and Mr John Parkin who specialise in surgery for prostate cancer, working alongside oncologist Mr Ahmed El-Modir who specialises in radiotherapy, brachytherapy and chemotherapy for prostate cancer. Patients are welcome to seek a second opinion within the Birmingham Prostate Clinic team.

“Many patients feel reluctant to seek a second opinion because they fear it could harm or undermine their relationship with their doctor. I would say however that any doctor who is not supportive of seeking a second opinion does not have the patient’s interests at heart.”

Mr Alan Doherty, consultant urologist, Birmingham Prostate Clinic

“I believe it is very good for patients to seek a second opinion because it can help the patient to fully understand the treatment options and make an informed decision.”