Questions to ask your doctor
After being diagnosed with head and neck cancer, you may have several questions regarding your treatment or outcome. You should discuss these questions with your doctor. Examples of questions patients commonly ask include:
- What type of head and neck cancer do I have?
- Where is the site of the tumor?
- What is the stage of my cancer?
- What kind of treatment do you recommend?
- How will each treatment option help me?
- What type of chemotherapy or radiotherapy will I receive?
- How will this treatment be given?
- What is the goal of treatment—to cure my head and neck cancer or stop it from growing?
- How long will it take to complete all my treatment?
- What are the chances cancer will come back after this treatment?
- How will we know if the treatment is working?
- What are the possible side effects associated with the treatment I will be receiving?
- How do I manage side effects of the therapy?
- What side effects should I tell you about?
- Will the treatment affect my daily activities?
- Can I do anything to make my prognosis better?
- How often should I visit with you after my treatment is over? What tests do I need after treatment is over? How often?
- What are my options if cancer comes back?
