Talking With Your Doctor

What Should You Ask Your Doctor About Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer?

It is important for you to have honest, open discussions with your cancer care team. They want to answer all of your questions, no matter how minor you might think they are. Some questions to consider:

• What kind of lung cancer do I have?
• Has my cancer spread beyond the primary site?
• What is the stage of my cancer, and what does that mean in my case?
• Are there other tests that need to be done before we can decide on treatment?
• What treatment choices do I have?
• What do you recommend and why?
• What is the goal of the treatment?
• What are the chances my cancer can be cured with these options?
• What risks or side effects are there to the treatments you suggest?
• What should I do to be ready for treatment?
• How long will treatment last? What will it involve? Where will it be done?
• What are the chances of recurrence of my cancer with these treatment plans?
• What would we do if the treatment doesn't work or if the cancer recurs?
• What type of follow-up will I need after treatment?

Along with these sample questions, be sure to write down some of your own. For instance, you might want more information about recovery times so you can plan your work schedule. Or you may want to ask about second opinions or about clinical trials for which you may qualify.