What you should ask your doctor

Being diagnosed with cancer is a difficult time that brings many questions. While modern medicine has no answers for some of them, your oncologist can help you with others.

Don’t be afraid to ask

Although open communication between doctor and patient is a cornerstone of proper cancer treatment and can even improve the outcome, a large number of patients are afraid or embarrassed to ask certain questions. Of course, it is also the fault of the doctor who does not encourage the patient to talk openly. This leads to problems – patients then turn to other (often internet) sources that may contain misleading or even harmful information.

Don’t be discouraged by the feeling that you are delaying and alarming the doctor with your questions. The most important part of the communication process is taking responsibility and realizing that this is about you, your health and body. You are entitled to information about your health! Do you have questions? Ask questions, get information and take an active interest in your options. This will make it easier for you to make decisions when needed.

Basic information about the disease

Once you have been diagnosed, the first stage should be to find out the answers to the following basic questions:

• What type of cancer do I have? How aggressive is the cancer?
• Where is it located in my body? Does it spread?
• What are my treatment options?
• Is it a hereditary disease? Does it pose any risk to other men in my family?
• What can I expect in the next few weeks?
• Treatment of the disease

Other questions relate to the treatment options for the disease, possible side effects and the effect of the treatment on your life afterwards:

• How is this type of cancer treated?
• What type of treatment is best for me and why?
• What is the goal of my treatment – complete cure or symptom relief?
• How long will the treatment last?
• How often will I undergo each cycle?
• Should I prepare for side effects? If so, which ones specifically and how will they be dealt with?
• How will the treatment affect my daily life?
• Will my life change in any way after treatment?
• Where to find help and support

You can also ask your oncologist other questions:

• What can I do to improve my health? Can adjusting my diet or adding different activities help?
• Are there any support groups or patient organizations for my disease?
• What can my family do for me?
• Where can I find out more information about my disease?
• I have read this information on the internet/ in the media – could you tell me something about it or explain it to me?

Aftercare

• Will I have any follow-ups after my treatment? How often?
• Can my illness come back? What is the likelihood? How can I tell? What to look out for?

How to get maximum information from the doctor

Before visiting the doctor, write down all the questions you would like to know the answers to. Take the paper with questions with you. This will make sure you don’t forget any questions and get the most out of your visit. Sometimes it’s hard to take in all the information at once, so it’s best to write down the answers as well. That way you can go over them again and always have them at hand.

Medical slang can often seem confusing. If you think you don’t understand something or need to repeat something, don’t be afraid to ask again or ask for more information.