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Patient Education

Questions to Ask Your Doctor

Given that your time with the doctor is limited, it's helpful to prepare for the visit in advance by prioritizing the questions that are important to you. You may want to start your discussion with the doctor with a statement about your personal goal for this appointment (i.e., the main question or concern you want to address).

Let the doctor know in advance how involved you would like to be in decision-making, and how much detailed information you would like him or her to give you. Also, keep in mind that you can direct questions about financial issues or emotional support to other members of the medical team or to the Patient and Family Cancer Support Center.

It is not uncommon during the first few office visits to be overwhelmed and to forget much of what is said. You might consider bringing a family member or loved one to your first few visits. Having another person there to ask questions and to review the information with you afterwards can be extremely helpful.

It also is a good idea to bring a notebook with a list of questions for your doctor and a pen to jot down important information. You also can ask your doctor to send you a copy of his or her evaluation and treatment recommendations.

If you would like help in preparing for your doctor's visit, the Consultation Planning program at the Patient and Family Cancer Support Center can help you identify your key questions and concerns. These questions and concerns are then organized into a flow chart, which serves as a guide for your discussion with the doctor. Consultation Planning is provided as a free service. Call the UCSF Cancer Resource Center at (415) 885-3693 for more information.

Continue reading

Diagnosis

  • What stage is my cancer?
  • Can you tell if this is a fast-growing type of cancer, or a slow-growing type?

Tests

  • What tests will I have?
  • When should I expect the results from these tests?
  • What will these tests tell me about my cancer?
  • How long after I have these tests will I know the results?
  • Who will call me with the results of these tests? Or, whom should I call to get the results?
  • If I need to get copies of my records, scans, X-rays, whom do I contact?
  • Do I have to do anything special to prepare for the tests?
  • Do these tests have any side effects?

Doctors

  • How many doctors will be involved in my care? Who are they? What are their roles?
  • Who will be the doctor in charge of coordinating my care and the rest of the doctors?
  • What other health care professionals can I expect to be involved in my care?

Treatment

  • What is the standard treatment for my type of cancer?
  • How many patients have you treated with this treatment? What have been the results?
  • How does this compare to other institutions?
  • What is the future outlook (prognosis) for my type of cancer with standard treatment?
  • Are there any other treatments that might be appropriate for my type of cancer?
  • What treatment do you recommend? On what do you base your recommendation?
  • What are the risks or benefits of the treatment you are recommending?
  • Who would you recommend that I talk to for a second opinion?
  • What percentage of patients usually respond to this treatment?
  • How long does each treatment last?
  • How long is the entire course of therapy?
  • How often will I be treated?
  • What type of results should I expect to see with the treatment?
  • Will there be tests during my treatment to determine if it is working?
  • What will it feel like to get treated?
  • Can someone accompany me to my treatment?
  • Can I drive to and from my appointments? Is parking available?
  • Can I stay alone after my treatments, or do I need to have someone stay with me?
  • Will I have to be in the hospital to receive my treatments?
  • Who will administer my treatments?
  • How often, during treatment, will I see a doctor? The nurse?
  • Will a reduction in or delay of the recommended therapy reduce my chances of being cured?
  • Are there foods or medications or activities that I should avoid while I am going through treatment?
  • How soon after treatment can I go back to work?

Clinical Trials

  • Are there any clinical trials or research being done on my type of cancer?
  • Are there any clinical trials that you particularly recommend?
  • Am I a candidate for any of the clinical trials that you recommend?
  • Where can I find related research information?
  • Is there anyone else in the area that is involved in research that I might contact to discuss my cancer?
  • How much time do I have to make a decision about my treatment options?

Financial Issues

  • Will the required treatment require out of pocket expenses?
  • Is there someone in your office (or facility) who assists patients with questions about insurance? Who would that be?
  • If my insurance doesn't pay for a particular treatment or medication, will you recommend an alternative treatment? What if it is less effective?
  • Who can I talk to about getting treatment if I don't have insurance?
  • Who can I talk to about pharmacy assistance programs if my insurance doesn't cover a particular medication?

Support

  • Where can I get literature about my illness?
  • Are you willing to speak to my spouse or other family members about my illness and my treatments?
  • Where can I find out about support groups?
  • Can I speak to someone who has undergone this type of treatment?
  • Is there a social worker that I could talk with?
  • Is there a dietitian on staff if I have nutritional concerns or difficulties?
  • Do I need to be on a special diet?
  • Are there any lifestyle changes you would recommend?
  • Who do I call if I have an emergency medical situation during my treatment, or shortly afterwards?
  • What are the telephone numbers I should have in order to reach you? The nurse? The hospital?

Side Effects

  • Should I watch for any particular symptoms?
  • How likely are they to occur?
  • What should I do if I have side effects?
  • Who should I call if I experience severe side effects?
  • What can be done to prevent these side effects or reduce their severity?
  • When might these side effects occur?
  • Could these side effects be life threatening?
  • How long will the side effects last?
  • What treatments are available to manage these side effects?

More Information:

For additional information or resources, please visit:

Patient and Family Cancer Support Center
1600 Divisadero St., First Floor
San Francisco, CA 94115
(415) 885-3693

UCSF Health medical specialists have reviewed this information. It is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace the advice of your doctor or other health care provider. We encourage you to discuss any questions or concerns you may have with your provider.

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Communicating with Your Doctor

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Coping with Chemotherapy

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Delegation to Help with Fatigue

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Diet for Cancer Treatment Side Effects

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Evaluating Health Information

Health information can be extremely useful, empowering us to make important health decisions. However, it also can be confusing and overwhelming. Learn more.

FAQ: Cancer Pathology Tissue Slides

Find frequently asked questions regarding cancer pathology tissue slides, such as how to obtain the slides and what to do with them once you do.

FAQ: Cancer Radiology Scans and Reports

Learn the difference between a radiology report and radiology films or scans as well as why your doctor may be requesting these scans and more.

Hospice Care

Hospice, which now exists in every state, provides home care and support for terminally ill patients. Learn more about the criteria and costs here.

Managing Your Treatment

Living with or caring for someone with cancer can be a full-time job. Here are some tips to reduce stress and help navigate the disease more effectively.

Nutrition and Coping with Cancer Symptoms

Side effects of cancer treatment may affect your eating pattern, requiring new ways to get the calories, protein and nutrients that you need. Learn more.

Resources for End of Life

The UCSF Cancer Resource Center has a list of bereavement support groups, counselors, hospice and others dealing with end-of-life issues. Learn more.

Tips for Conserving Your Energy

Cancer and cancer therapy can be accompanied by feelings of extreme fatigue. To help you deal with this fatigue, follow these easy tips help conserve energy.

Using a Medical Calendar and Symptom Log

Take time at the end of each day or each week to reflect back on the symptoms you've had. You can use a calendar to track your symptoms. Learn more here.

Key treatments

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Did you know?

Cutting-edge techniques for mapping the human brain – developed by UCSF neurologists – help us locate language, motor and sensory functions and make surgery safer, more precise and less invasive. Brain mapping may one day lead to therapies for restoring healthy brain circuitry in patients with epilepsy, depression, stroke and other conditions.

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