15 questions you should ask your Oncologist about your diagnosis

When you receive a cancer diagnosis, it’s natural to feel overwhelmed and anxious. In the first few days after hearing this news, you may not have the capacity to ask all of the questions that you want to. After that initial shock and fear subsides, you may want to learn more about your cancer and how you can manage it in the future. Understanding what your future holds with cancer will help you take an active role in treatment decisions moving forward. Even if your oncologist has already discussed your diagnosis and treatment options with you, there are likely still some things you may want to know more about. The emotional toll of being diagnosed with any kind of life-threatening illness is taxing on both your body and mind. However, arming yourself with as many facts as possible will give you strength when facing the challenges ahead. The following are 15 questions that can help provide clarity about your diagnosis, treatment plan, and future expectations:

What are the potential long-term effects of my treatment?

What are my immediate and short-term goals?

What are my long-term goals?

Where can I find support during this journey?

How can I help myself through this experience?

What happens once I finish treatment?

What can I do to prevent a recurrence?

What happens if I relapse?

What happens if I die from this disease?

What is the name of my cancer and what does that mean?

Knowing the name of your cancer will help you and your care team better understand your diagnosis. You can then research the type of cancer that you have and commonly associated symptoms, treatment options, and prognosis. Knowing the type of cancer you have may also help you find others who have been diagnosed with the same type of cancer. A support group can provide valuable insights and help you feel less alone during this difficult time.

When you receive your cancer diagnosis, your oncologist will likely provide you with a name for the type of cancer you have. This name will describe the unique characteristics of your cancer. Knowing the name of your cancer will help you and your care team better understand your diagnosis.

Which treatments are recommended and why?

It’s important to have an open and honest conversation with your care team about your preferences and expectations for treatment. You may have certain ideas about what you would like to try first or what your ideal treatment plan looks like. It’s also important to know why your care team has recommended certain treatments for you.

If there is a recommended course of treatment that is likely to be the most effective for your specific cancer, then it is usually best to start that treatment right away. However, if your care team has recommended a treatment that is not likely to be as effective, it is important to know if there are other options available.

If you decide to pursue a recommended treatment, you can still ask questions about it to gain a more thorough understanding of how it works, what potential side effects are associated with it, and how it compares to other treatment options. If you decide to pursue a different course of treatment, it’s important to understand the reasoning behind your care team’s recommendations so that you can better inform your treatment decision.

Which treatments are not recommended and why?

If your care team has determined that a certain treatment is not recommended for you, it’s important to understand why. You may have certain preferences or concerns that have led you to decide against the recommended course of treatment. Explaining why a certain treatment is not recommended for you may help you understand the rationale behind your care team’s decision.

It is possible that your care team has recommended that you not pursue a specific treatment based on your unique situation. There may be certain cancer characteristics that would make certain treatments less effective or even harmful. If a certain treatment is not recommended for you, it does not necessarily mean that you are a less worthy patient or that you should be treated less aggressively.

How effective are these treatments likely to be?

Knowing how effective a treatment is likely to be can help you gauge how likely you are to be cured. For example, if your care team has recommended surgery as your primary course of treatment and it has a high cure rate, then you are likely to be cured of your cancer. If, on the other hand, the treatment has a relatively low cure rate, then you may be left with a residual tumor that may require further treatment. Knowing how effective a treatment is likely to be can help you gauge how likely you are to be cured of your cancer.

As your treatment progresses, it’s important to keep an eye on the effectiveness of your treatment. If the treatment is not working or if it becomes less effective, it’s important to have an open dialogue with your care team about what the next steps might be. Your care team knows your case best and will have insight into how effective your treatment is likely to be. If you have questions about the effectiveness of your treatment, it’s important to speak up.

Are there any side effects associated with this treatment?

Knowing what side effects may come with a treatment can help you better prepare for them and know how to manage them. If you’re having trouble with side effects, it’s important to communicate them to your care team. They may be able to adjust your treatment or prescribe medications that can help alleviate these side effects. If you find that the side effects become too burdensome to manage, it’s important to communicate this as well. There may be alternative treatment options that are better suited to your needs.

It’s also important to remember that side effects don’t necessarily signify that a treatment has failed. Some side effects may actually be a positive sign that the treatment is working. Side effects are a normal part of the treatment process and should improve over time. If side effects are becoming problematic or are not improving, it’s important to communicate this to your care team.

Are there any other treatment options I should know about?

Your care team has likely considered a broad range of treatment options for you. However, you may want to know what other treatment options have been considered for you. Being aware of other treatment options can help you better understand your care team’s treatment recommendation. If a different treatment option has been discussed but not recommended, it can help you understand why it was not recommended.

If a treatment option that has been discussed but not recommended is something that you would like to pursue, it’s important to discuss this with your care team. They may have their reasons for not recommending the treatment, but it’s important that you have an opportunity to voice your desire to pursue it. If the treatment option is viable but has simply not been discussed, it’s important that you bring it up with your care team. They will likely be happy to discuss the option with you.

What are my chances of survival with this treatment option?

Knowing how likely you are to survive with a certain treatment option can help you make more informed treatment decisions. It can also help you understand your overall prognosis. If your prognosis is poor, it can help you mentally prepare for what may lie ahead. If your prognosis is good, it can help you feel empowered and prepared to tackle the journey ahead.

It’s important to note that survival statistics are just that: averages. They are a way to broadly estimate your prognosis based on how other individuals with similar cancer types have fared. Your prognosis will vary based on your specific situation, such as your age and other health conditions, as well as the type of cancer you have. However, knowing your prognosis can help give you a general idea of what to expect.

Is there a clinical trial that may be right for me? Should I consider going to trial instead of immediately starting standard treatment?

If a clinical trial is recommended by your care team, it’s a good sign that it may be effective for you. However, it’s important to understand that clinical trials are not a magic bullet. They are carefully planned out and monitored studies that test new treatments and drugs. In clinical trials, treatments are modified according to the needs of the patients. This is done to ensure that the best possible treatment is being delivered.

Before you decide to go to trial instead of immediately starting standard treatment, it’s important to understand what this decision entails. Going to trial means that you will not begin treatment right away. Instead, you will