When someone is suspected to be diagnosed with cancer or when they are diagnosed with cancer. The patient may feel an initial shock and other intense emotions. If you or your loved one is going through the diagnosis, I want to applaud you for searching for more information on this topic.
While things can come out of a sudden and with an emotional roller coaster, the moment to go into the doctor’s office for a visit can feel uneasy. However, this article aims to help you or your loved one ask your oncologist some of the most critical questions to help you navigate the journey with more precise knowledge and information.
Some questions can help them understand their current options and available resources. They can also help them start building stronger relationships with the oncologist and the team so they know what to expect in the future.
Other questions can help the patient launch into a self-search and connect with others who can help their cases. Asking good questions can help build patients’ self-confidence and help them move forward with their treatments toward healing.
In this article, we will share the 15 questions to ask your oncologist if you or your loved ones are diagnosed with cancer.
Questions to Ask Your Oncologist if You Are Diagnosed with Cancer
We divide our questions into three categories: diagnosis and other treatments, after-treatment care, community and resource support, and the oncologist’s schedule and availability.
This way, we can organize our questions into three major categories and touch on all three categories if you need more time with your oncologist.
Questions to Ask About The Diagnosis and Other Treatment and Resources Options
Essential questions to ask the oncologist will be about the diagnosis, treatment options, and other resources that can help the cancer patient navigate their cancer journey.
1. What type of cancer do I have, and what stage is it in?
Cancer is when the cells divide without control and can invade nearby tissues. Here, we will explain the stages of cancers:
Stage I: The cancer is localized to a small area and hasn’t spread to lymph nodes or other tissues.
Stage II: The tumor has grown, but it hasn’t spread.
Stage III: The cancer has grown larger and has possibly spread to lymph nodes or other tissues.
Stage IV: The cancer has spread to other organs or areas of your body.
This way, the cancer patient can better understand their cancer location, type, and current diseases. The most common types of cancers are lung cancer, colon cancer, breast cancer, prostate cancer, liver cancer, and stomach cancer.
2. What is my cancer treatment plan, and how did you decide my treatment sequences? Let’s discuss my goals and incorporate them into my treatment plan.
It’s essential to consult the oncologist to understand the logic and rationale behind the oncologist’s treatment plan. You must also provide your care goals. Whether you want to eradicate cancer, consider palliative or hospice care, or try clinical trials, you must ask the doctor so they can consider your life choices while designing your treatment plans.
3. How will we track progress and evaluate the effectiveness of treatment? How do I know if my cancer treatment is working?
This question helps you understand how well your body reacts to each treatment session and seek feedback from different test results. Here, we have an overview of progress measurement and the testing methods used to measure the effectiveness of the treatments.
Four different categories represent the progress of cancer: partial response or partial remission, complete response or complete remission, stable, and progression. Blood tests, tumor markers, X-rays, CT or computed tomography, MRI or magnetic resonance imaging, PET or positron emission tomography, or mammograms can find traces of cancer.
A partial response or partial remission means the tumor has shrunk by at least 50%, but it’s still there. A complete response or remission means any test can’t measure the cancer. Stable means the tumor has stayed the same as before. Finally, progression means the cancer has grown or spread.
4. What are the potential side effects of the treatments, and how can they be managed?
There are seven main treatment options: radiation therapy, immunotherapy, hematopoietic stem cell, chemotherapy, targeted therapy, and primary treatment such as surgery. Address the common side effects of the treatments used in cancer treatment.
The most common side effects of cancer and its treatments physically are pain, fatigue, anemia, mouth problems, nausea/weight change/dietary issues, and hair, skin, and nail problems. It will be essential to discuss with the oncologist the medication one can take or other ways the oncologist can help lessen the side effects’ impact.
5. What are the expected costs of my treatment, including medications and procedures?
Cancer treatment can be more expensive, depending on the coverage. Once we define the treatment plan, it is wise to ask the oncologist and the office for the estimated out-of-pocket cost for each treatment option.
It is important to get an accurate estimation and find ways to work with the oncologist and insurance company to increase coverage for the treatment to ensure sound financial planning for cancer treatment costs.
6. Are financial assistance programs or resources available to help cover these costs?
After learning about the out-of-pocket costs of the treatment plans, it will also be essential to seek out programs that can cover the out-of-pocket expenses and provide any other financial support for the treatment costs.
Therefore, asking the oncologist about financial assistance can be an excellent place to start.
Questions to Ask About After-Treatment Care, Community, and Resources Supports
7. How will the treatment impact my daily life, including work and family responsibilities? Can I find resources to mitigate the life-changing effects of cancer treatments?
This question may be good to ask the oncologist to share some examples of cases where they see how the cancer treatment impacted others’ daily lives, including work and family responsibilities. Could there be a loss of income or a need for others to watch their loved ones while undergoing treatments? What are the health condition changes for a typical patient similar to their profile, and how can one find resources and supports that can best mitigate the life-changing impact of cancer treatments?
8. What support services, such as lodging, transportation, and physical help, are available to me during treatment?
We were thinking about possible side effects and life-changing scenarios during and after treatments. We are looking to find support services that can mitigate the changes to our lifestyle. This question will be good to ask the oncologist and the clinic to get a list of support organizations and services available to cancer patients in the lodging, traveling, transportation, physical help, and other resources in this area if you are looking for out-of-state treatment options.
9. Can you connect me with resources like support groups or counseling services?
From the time the cancer patient received the diagnosis to finding treatment options to waiting to get treated and experiencing the side effects of treatments. Everything that happens can take an emotional toll on someone. Navigating this journey with a guided counselor or support group can help ease the emotional burden of extreme uncertainties. The cancer patient is never alone, and there are people to seek out for help. With that being said, this will be an excellent question to ask your oncologist beyond the medical care they are providing to someone.
10. What is the long-term outlook for my condition, and what factors influence it? How can I prepare myself for the possible spread of my cancer or do my best to stay in remission?
When a cancer treatment occurs with side effects, sometimes there could be long-term complications to our body, including fatigue, dental problems, brain changes, lung problems,
The best way to do this is to learn about the long-term health implications and other possible healing methods for recovering health. There’s always a chance of the disease spreading, so asking how to expel bodily toxins, adjust one’s lifestyle, and develop resiliency and mental strength becomes imperative. The process will require people to understand more about the chances of cancer spreading and what that looks like.
Questions To Ask the Oncologist about their Schedule and Availability and their Team
11. Can you walk me through the care team involved in my treatment plan, and how can I also meet them?
It can be good to know if there are any call lines where patients can consult nurses late at night or other care team specialists who can help them navigate the cancer treatment journey. Asking the oncologist this question can also establish a good rapport with the team and further allow the cancer patient to receive the treatments and care that work for the cancer patient.
12. How often will I need to see you during treatment, and can I contact you with questions or concerns?
The oncologist should also provide the treatment dates or how frequently someone should be seen for treatments chronologically.
Ask the oncologist about their availability and check if there are any out-of-office plans or if the oncologists’ other backup doctors are available during your treatment sessions or when you need help. Find out their preferred ways of contact, either through email, text, one call, or any other applications they might use.
Other questions relating to second opinions or other clinical trials for the cancer diagnosis and treatment options
Essential questions to ask your oncologist are, besides their treatment plan, who else can provide a second opinion on it and if there are any clinical trials in which someone can participate.
A clinical trial is a research study of a new cancer drug that recruits patients with a specific cancer type. The novel treatment can help cancer patients, but there’s also a chance it won’t.
13. Is it advisable for me to seek a second opinion on my diagnosis or treatment plan? Which oncologists would you refer me for this?
It might be a good idea to seek an alternative opinion on your treatment plan, especially if your case is a complex treatment plan involving many treatment options. Ask your oncologist if he knows anyone in his network who might help with your case. This is a good starting point.
14. Are there any clinical trials or experimental treatments I may be eligible for?
It is a good idea to ask the oncologist to see if you are qualified for any clinical trials for your cancer diagnosis and where they may be. Considering any novel drug that might help your cancer can be a good strategy.
15. What are the potential benefits and risks of participating in a clinical trial?
While participating in trials can be a personal decision, the potential benefits are gaining access to new and possibly effective treatments for the drug in the trial, focused care for the cancer conditions, a chance to learn more about the cancer conditions, help and contribute to the advancement of medicine, and in some cases, they might pay you.
Some risks or burdens in participating in trials include having more health visits, needing to travel more, or incurring more expenses; the treatment may or may not be effective, and in some cases, there might be harmful or severe side effects from the study treatments.
Consult and discuss with your oncologist so they can help you evaluate whether you would be an excellent candidate to participate in a clinical trial with your cancer diagnosis.
Final Thoughts
From questions relating to the diagnosis to after-treatment care to questions to get to know more about your oncologists and their team to questions about clinical trials or getting a second opinion on your treatment plan, the key takeaway is to actively engage holistically on everything around your diagnosis and treatment options to the life you will have after treatments.
Engage and have confidence in your ability to navigate your medical care. When we embrace the current situation and find ways to improve, things can turn around for the better. Talking to an oncologist can be an emotionally challenging experience, especially during a severe illness.
We commend you for all of the courage you have taken to talk to your oncologist about everything you need to know about your cancer. Here, we shared 15 questions to ask your oncologist when you are diagnosed with cancer.
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