Questions To Ask Before Treatment

You or a loved one may recently have been diagnosed with cancer. You are probably facing a difficult time emotionally and a seemingly endless array of treatment decisions that need to be made. Below are some questions that you might ask your doctor to help them guide you through this process.

• What type and stage of cancer do I have?
• What is the purpose of radiation treatment for my type of cancer?
• How will the radiation therapy be given? Will it be external beam or brachytherapy? What do the treatments feel like?
• How long will I receive radiation? How many treatments will I receive per week?
• What are the chances that radiation therapy will work? Are there any other effective treatments?
• What is the chance that the cancer will spread or come back if I do not have radiation therapy?
• Will I need chemotherapy, surgery or other treatments? If so, in what order will I receive these treatments? How soon after radiation therapy can I start them? How will the treatments be coordinated?
• Is there a clinical trial for which I might be eligible? Should I participate in a clinical trial?
• What are the benefits and risks of treatment including short-term and long-term side effects?
• What are some of the support groups I can turn to during treatment?
• Will radiation therapy affect my ability to have children?
• If I have questions after I leave here, who can I call or email?
• How should I prepare for this financially?
• Do you take my insurance? Is there a co-pay?
• Is this the most convenient location for treatment (close to home or work?)