Page 64 - Binder - English for Doctors

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Student B: play the part of the doctor. Use the case notes to help you.

Now make a conversation in which the patient asks about the treatment plan and the doctor
explains the plan to the patient.

Sheila is a 54-year-old woman with breast cancer. Sheila has
gone through the menopause. Sheila chose to have her breast
cancer (tumor) removed by a lumpectomy, but she also had
some of the lymph glands in her armpit removed. Sheila was
advised to have radiotherapy after her lumpectomy. Sheila's
breast cancer was small, and the lymph nodes under her arm
were not affected with cancer. Her tumor contained receptors
to estrogen, suggesting that it may be sensitive to the effects of
hormones. Sheila's doctor uses this information to decide if
she would benefit from additional treatment.

Case notes (You may use the following information)
1. Medication Doses

1.1 A 200 mg dose (one pill) of Mifeprex (mifepristone) will be used .
1.2 An 800 mcg dose (four pills) of misoprostol will be used. The misoprostol will be
inserted high in the vagina with a finger or taken orally in two doses.

2. Choose to take the second medication (misoprostol) at home to relieve
pain

3. Follow-up Care
Patients will have a follow-up visit one-week after their initial visit, rather than two weeks,
to confirm that the pregnancy has been successfully terminated.

G. Culture tip

There are frequently several alternative treatments for a given disease or condition.
Western patients expect the doctor to discuss the pros and cons of each option. They may
then ask the doctor for the doctor’s opinion, or they may prefer to make up their mind about
the treatment –either immediately, or after a period to think about the options and/or
discuss these options with family members and friends. Patients may also look up
information, especially since much medical information is now readily available on the
Internet.