Re: Beverly (long)

[Guest guest]

Dear Beverly,

Here are some questions:

Questions to ask ... at or soon after diagnosis

To help you, here are general questions to ask the doctor who initially

talks to you about your diagnosis (see the glossary in the appendix for

definitions).

1. What kind of cancer is it?

2. What stage is it in? Is there any indication that it has spread to

other areas, or is it localized? How was this determined?

3. Are there any additional tests recommended to determine if and where

it has spread? Are there any risks to these tests?

4. How aggressive is it? How was this determined?

5. What are all my treatment options? Which option or options do you

recommend and why? You may want to seek a second opinion and do your own

research.

6. Are there medication choices available? What are the complications,

pros and cons, of each medication option? Will I become addicted to any of the

medicines?

7. Given my specific type of cancer, its stage and its aggressiveness,

what are typical survival rates?

8. What can I do to improve the likelihood of long-term survival? Are

there any complementary therapies that could be useful? (Some traditional

medical centers have added complementary therapies, such as meditation,

visualization, nutritional support and acupuncture or acupressure, to their

services.)

Questions to ask ... your medical oncologist, radiation oncologist or

surgical oncologist

1. What grade are the cancer cells? Cancer cells are evaluated as to the

degree of aggressiveness in their ability to spread. Grade 1 cells are well

differentiated, which means they resemble the tissue of origin. Grade 4 are

undifferentiated, which means they grow more aggressively.

2. What stage is it? Is it invasive or in situ? (Stage is the extent to

which the cancer is present. Stage 0 is in situ, meaning in place or

non-invasive. Stage I is confined to the tissue of origin. From Stage II to

Stage IV

describes the extent to which the cancer has spread to additional tissue.)

3. What are the lymph nodes and how are they connected with the cancer?

4. What are my treatment options?

5. What treatment do you recommend in my case? Why?

6. What is the goal of the treatment?

7. What are the side effects or risks of the treatment? Temporary,

long-term, delayed?

8. What are the risks of not having the treatment?

9. Where can I read about the latest medical studies on treatment and

cures of cancer?

10. Will the treatment hurt or be uncomfortable? If so, how can I prevent

or lessen the discomfort or improve the outcome?

11. How long will the treatment take?

12. How often will I take this treatment?

13. Will the treatment affect me emotionally or sexually?

14. How can I get copies of the pathology report or other tests to take

to another doctor for a second opinion?

15. What clinical trials are available and advisable for me?

I hope these help and mostly I wish you a good recovery from your surgery.

Rest!

" When you discover your mission, you will feel its demand. It will fill you

with enthusiasm and a burning desire to get to work on it. "