Many diseases, including rare ones, share symptoms with others. It is important to confirm that your diagnosis is accurate, as a misdiagnosis can lead to incorrect treatment and the loss of valuable treatment time. Speak with experts and see if they agree that you have a rare condition. It may take some time to find an answer, but systematically ruling things out is helpful. Even if the second opinion confirms the first, you can feel reassured that it is correct. In a 2017 study of second opinions by the Mayo Clinic, 21% of diagnoses were changed, and 66% of diagnoses were at least partially confirmed but “refined or redefined” (Katella, 2020).

Cancer, as an example, is a serious diagnosis. Learning about such a diagnosis can be overwhelming and confusing. Cancer treatments will likely be life-altering. You will want to be as informed as possible about your diagnosis, treatment options, and prognosis. This is especially true, if you are diagnosed with a rare form of cancer. Doctors are human, and all humans make mistakes. No one person can be completely informed about every single study, clinical trial, and treatment option in existence. A study of biopsy slides at Johns Hopkins revealed a surprising rate of misdiagnosis, according to an article in the journal Cancer in December 1999 (Kahn, 2020). According to the Annals of Surgical Oncology, a 2018 study by the tumor board at the National Cancer Institute reviewed the diagnoses of 70 patients, which resulted in a 43% change in those diagnoses (Katella, 2020). For these and other reasons, not only is it appropriate to seek a second opinion for cancer diagnosis, but some insurance companies require it.