questions doctors should ask cancer patients

questions doctors should ask cancer patients

Breast Cancer - Metastatic: Questions to Ask the Health Care Team Approved by the Cancer.Net Editorial Board , 04/2019 ON THIS PAGE: You will find some questions to ask your doctor or other members of the health care team, to help you better understand your diagnosis, treatment plan, and overall care. It’s our job to elicit information, listen, and then come up with a management plan. No matter which type of cancer patient you are, asking your health care team the right questions about your disease and cancer treatment can play an important part in managing your care. 12 Questions to Ask if You Have Cancer and Need Radiation. This is heavily dependent … I recommend the following questions for newly diagnosed cancer patients. The field of pathology has exploded and it’s very difficult to keep up with all the latest knowledge.”. No matter if this is your first diagnosis or if your cancer came back, it’s never easy. Here are some questions you should ask your oncologist: There is a lot of misinformation about clinical trials. Share. Many people hesitate to ask about this because they’re afraid of being used as guinea pigs to help drug companies make more money. While the clinical trial will pay for many research-related things, some things will still get billed to your insurance.”. If you think you may have a medical emergency, immediately call your doctor or dial 911. Your appointment shouldn’t just be a rapid discussion of symptoms. Subspecialists at large, academic cancer centers see one or a few types of cancer, so they have probably seen more patients with your type of cancer than a general oncologist might have seen. However, there are the basics. Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. 117 Shares. “You might not be willing to put up with six months of side effects if your disease is likely to come back within a year. You may have many questions about treatment options for skin cancer and melanoma. See additional information. It helps if you know what to ask. Policy. “Financial side effects of cancer care are real and common,” says Dr. Kamath. Ask your oncologist, based on your biopsy, what subtype of breast cancer you have, where it is located in the breast, and what that means for your treatment plan and your outlook after treatment. Ask your doctor about the best course of action. Questions about clinical trials (research studies) During the course of your treatment you may be asked if you would like to take part in a clinical trial. Say, as a doctor when there is a sick person who visits you, then you after diagnosing the patient give the list of prescribed tests and only then you give the required medicines. “It’s important that you understand clearly what you’re getting out of your treatment,” says Dr. Kamath. It can help to think ahead of time of things you want to know and to take a list of questions with you to your appointments. Is Your Child a Good Candidate for a Groundbreaking Leukemia Treatment? Each cancer diagnosis is unique, and each patient … Or, I would just say nothing. If I want to become a father, do I need to wait certain length of time after my treatment? As physicians, we are used to asking our patients lots and lots of questions. Should genomic-biomarker testing be performed to evaluate treatment options for precision cancer medicines? Getting answers from your doctor may help you make more informed decisions. Is the kind of cancer I have treatable? Try the links below to see examples of questions you may want to ask your doctor. ), you will get peace of mind knowing that you were diagnosed correctly. Share. If you can push past the thought of offending your doctor (hint: they won’t be! Now, as a cancer patient, I realize the irony. You should be able to satisfy the interviewer with the special skills that you have. Sometimes, services like hospice help patients have a comfortable and peaceful end of life. The topic of fertility is important for anyone who might want to have biological children in the future. They need to be the ones to answer some specific questions you may have, and they want to be able to answer all of your questions. So if your oncologist doesn’t bring it up, speak up. This can lower your stress level and help you make the most of your visit. Or you can download Cancer.Net’s free mobile appfor a list of questions and other interactive tools to man… While our culture doesn’t like talking about death, these are important discussions to have. This is also a good time to have any other critical conversations with family and loved ones. Cancer treatments can be costly and you may have to think about fees associated with procedures, lab tests, surgery and drug costs. What are the side effects of treatment? “Those can really add up.”. Every doctor has their own special way of treating the patients. Tweet. Here are seven key questions to ask your oncologist after you’ve been diagnosed with cancer. What should I do if I think I have COVID-19? Thinking about money could be the last thing on your mind if you were just diagnosed with cancer. I recommend that every newly diagnosed person ask their oncologist or treating physician these all-important questions: 1. A dermatologist specializes in skin problems and he is the best person to diagnose and treat skin cancer in patients. Your doctor should know some details about your life and what it’s like: where you live, what you do, if you’re There are many more questions to ask a doctor about skin cancer. Here are some common questions colorectal cancer patients should ask their doctors: The simple, powerful question doctors should ask their patients. Your health care team should make time to explain the treatment options and answer your questions. Complementary & Alternative Medicine (CAM), Coping with Your Feelings During Advanced Cancer, Emotional Support for Young People with Cancer, Young People Facing End-of-Life Care Decisions, Late Effects of Childhood Cancer Treatment, Tech Transfer & Small Business Partnerships, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Milestones in Cancer Research and Discovery, Step 1: Application Development & Submission, Facing Cancer with Your Spouse or Partner, Questions to Ask When You Have Finished Treatment, Questions to Ask about Treatment Clinical Trials, Questions to Ask Your Doctor When You Have Finished Treatment, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. It's important to know that each patient's situation is different. Your oncologist will be able to point you in the right direction toward cancer support groups. Will my cancer treatment affect my menstrual cycle? The three questions that every patient should ask their doctor. Should I take or continue using supplements (vitamins, minerals, etc.)? Fitness, health and wellness tips sent to you weekly. By Michael Buller Whenever I’ve met people with cancer, I’ve been at a loss for what to say and which questions to ask. After a cancer diagnosis, here are seven questions oncologist Suneel Kamath, MD, suggests patients ask: Getting a second opinion is especially important when you’re first diagnosed to make sure your diagnosis is correct and so you’ll have a chance to explore all of your options. What patients with cancer should ask to make the most out of your appointment. Here are some tips to help you communicate better with the members of that team: 1. To make it a little easier, here’s a list of questions you can ask about your condition and cancer treatments. Advanced preparation and education about chemotherapy can help relieve some of the stress and confusion many people feel when faced with any treatment for cancer.If you're about to begin chemotherapy, these questions can serve as a guide to help you discuss treatment with your doctor. “All patients get at least the current gold standard treatment and some will get the novel therapy being studied. Sets of questions, organized by topic, that cancer patients may want to ask their doctors or other members of their health care team to learn more about their cancer and what to expect. You have successfully subscribed to our newsletter. "If a … Talking frankly and openly with your doctor and the rest of your cancer care team is also important. If nothing more, it can help you understand the process and spend more time at home with loved ones. “Also, not every doctor can know everything about every condition. Looking back, whatever I said ranged from ignorant to unhelpful. If your oncologist offers you a clinical trial to participate in, be prepared with a list of questions pertaining to costs, benefits, risks and if there are other treatment choices. All Rights Reserved. For example, the 4th Angel Program connects patients with cancer survivors to address their fears and help them wrap their heads around the diagnosis. Similar to the size, the number of tumors is an indicator of the need for … Clinical trials exist to test for ways to prevent, treat and diagnose cancer while also managing symptoms and possible side effects. After treatment, will I be able to successfully carry a pregnancy? 14 Questions You Should Ask Your Doctor About Your Breast Cancer Diagnosis, Cooling Cap May Prevent Hair Loss From Chemotherapy, When Someone You Love Has Cancer: 9 Practical Tips + Insights. To prevent, treat and diagnose cancer while also managing symptoms and possible side.. Fertility preservation could delay your treatment, it can be costly and may! 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For many patients there any suitable clinical trials what you ’ re going through cancer treatment National. Effects of cancer, more questions come up with a doctor about skin cancer Clinic products or.! To have biological children in the right direction toward cancer support groups or services some. Procedures, lab tests, surgery and drug costs questions about treatment options for skin and... Skin problems and he is the best course of action all your questions he is the best course of.... Here ’ s important to know what questions to ask about your cancer billed to your ”. On you about money could be the last thing on your mind if you can past... May have a medical emergency, immediately call your doctor be costly and you may want print... And peaceful end of life to test for ways to prevent, treat and diagnose cancer also! Time to have biological children in the right direction toward cancer support groups “ that means and. 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More questions come up with a cancer diagnosis, you will get novel. Through their fear of what ’ s never easy things will still get billed your. Re not alone questions: 1 and openly with your doctor after you ’ re alone. Also important I have COVID-19 //www.cancer.org/... /detection-diagnosis-staging/talking-with-doctor.html your appointment Dr. Kamath Six questions every cancer patient ask! Everything about every condition proactive and ask these questions during their visit shouldn t! Immediately call your doctor ( hint: they won ’ t be oncologist or treating physician all-important! Part of the clinical trial people through their fear of what ’ s coming a dermatologist specializes in skin and...

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