Category: Questions

Cancer Diagnosis

10/2/2017

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Questions to ask your doctor when the diagnosis is first made:

How many tests support the diagnosis? Are there other tests that should be done? If so, when can they be done?
What is the exact name of the disease? How common is it? Does it generally strike one group of people more than another?
How slowly or quickly does the disease progress? If there are different stages of the disease, what stage am I in now?
How will the disease affect my ability to do the things I routinely do each day?
What can or should I tell family members or friends that they need to know right now?
Where should I go for information about my disease?

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Cancer Treatment Options

9/4/2017

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Questions about cancer treatment options:

What immediate treatment do you recommend for me?
Are there options available to me for short-term treatment? If so, what are they? How do they compare? If you recommend one treatment over another, why is that?
What will that treatment aim to do to the disease?
What types of side effects might I experience from the treatment? What can I do to minimize any negative side effects?
What kind of cycle or schedule of treatment will I follow?
Where will I receive the treatment? Are there options for where I can go so that I’m as close to home as possible?
If I opt for treatment at a larger center that has more experience with my disease, can my treatment be coordinated with my doctor at home so I can actually receive my treatment locally whenever possible?
What options are available to me for long-term treatment (if needed)?
How will the treatment affect my ability to work, attend school, travel, or do any of the other routines of daily life?
What signs should I expect to see that show that the treatment is having a positive effect?
Are there any research studies regarding treatment for my illness that would be beneficial for me to be part of?
I’ve heard that some cancers respond to immunotherapy. What is that, and would it be an option for me?
Who can help me connect with others who have, or have had, the same illness I have, in order to get some emotional support?
If I have unexpected side effects or some other medical issue that arises, especially outside of ‘regular’ doctor office hours, who should I contact?

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Cancer Treatment Centers

8/6/2017

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Questions to ask about treatment centers:

How long has the treatment center been providing the recommended treatment for the disease I have?
What is the success rate of the treatment center as it pertains to my disease?
Is this a teaching hospital or treatment center? If so, should I expect to have interns and students as part of the medical team treating me?
How can I compare this treatment center to others that treat the illness?
Does the treatment center have a social worker or other support professionals available to me and my family?
Where is the treatment center? Is it easy to get to?
Can I have a tour of the treatment center and speak with the medical staff who would provide my treatment before I decide if this is the facility I wish to go to?
Do I have the right to choose the treatment facility I want to be treated at? Will my insurance cover expenses at the treatment center of my choice?
Is there someone at the treatment center who can help us with insurance issues?
Does the treatment center have a website where I can view all of the details of my medical expenses, what portion my insurance paid, etc.?
What other resources does the treatment center have for me and my family?
If my treatment center is far from my home, and I need to be in for treatment early in the day, is there an inexpensive place near the center where I can stay overnight the night before?
Approximately how long will I be at the treatment center?
How does the center decide which staff members will work with me? Will I have a primary care nurse, for example, who provides most of my daily care, with other secondary and tertiary nurses who work with him/her to continue my care?
How does the medical staff view my family’s participation in my treatment and recuperation?
Does the treatment center have a web site where I can view all of the details of my medical expenses, what portion my insurance paid, etc.?
If I am to be a distance from home during my treatment, are there facilities nearby where my family can stay that are inexpensive (like Ronald McDonald houses)? How can I find this out?
If my family comes to the center on a daily basis, is parking available at a discounted rate? What is the daily parking rate?
Are there inexpensive places to eat close to the treatment center for my family to use?
While undergoing long-term treatment, what kinds of items from home will I be permitted to have with me? What am I expected to provide?

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Cancer Long-term CAre

7/2/2017

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Questions to ask about long-term treatment at a center:

Approximately how long will I be at the treatment center?
How does the center decide which staff members will work with me? Will I have a primary care nurse, for example, who provides most of my daily care, with other secondary and tertiary nurses who work with him/her to continue my care?
How does the medical staff view my family s participation in my treatment and recuperation?
If I am to be a distance from home during my treatment, are there facilities nearby where my family can stay that are inexpensive (like Ronald McDonald houses)? How can I find this out?
If my family comes to the center on a daily basis, is parking available at a discounted rate? What is the daily parking rate?
Are there inexpensive places to eat close to the treatment center for my family to use?
While undergoing long-term treatment, what kinds of items from home will I be permitted to have with me? What am I expected to provide?

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Cancer Diagnosis

Cancer Treatment Options

Cancer Treatment Centers

Cancer Long-term CAre

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