I haven't been around long but I see a number of new members with similar concerns when newly diagnosed with PC. I work for a large health care plan and ran across what I think are helpful questions to ask your physician and ideas to help you get organized for your journey. I hope some find this helpful.
What is the correct name of my cancer?
What stage is my cancer?
What treatments are available for this type of cancer?
What tests will I need and how do I prepare for these tests?
What will these tests tell me about my cancer?
Who will tell me the results of these tests and when will the information be available?
Can you get copies of my tests results for my records?
How many patients with this type of cancer do you treat each year?
What other ohysicians will be involved in my care?
If you are interested in a second opinion, ask your physicisn if he / she is willing to work with other physicians or refer you to other physicians to develop a treatment plan.
Is surgery an appropriate treatment options for my type of cancer?
What will surgery involve?
How long will it take for me to recover from surgery?
Will surgery remove my entire tumor and cire my cancer? If not what will surgery do for me?
Will I be able to return to normal functioning and normal activities after surgery?
What are short and long term effects of the surgery?
What are possible complications of the surgery?
Are there other options besides surgery?
Is chemotherapy an appropriate option for treating my cancer?
How many patients have you treated with this protocol and what are the results?
What is my pronosis with this treatment option?
Are other options available to me?
What options are available to treat side effects?
How will you know if this treatment plan is working?
What happens if the cancer does not respond to this treatment?
Is radiation an appropriate option for me?
Are there any clinical trials being done that I should consider?
Am I a good candidate for a clinical trial?
What do you recommend for followup care after treatment?
How long will I be monitored after I receive treatment / surgery?
When do I need to call you?
What are the chances of recurrence or metastasis?
Organize a notebook into several sections and take it woth you to all of your appointments. Write down your appointments, physician names and phone numbers. Write down your questions when you think of them. Take a friend or family member to your dr visits to take notes. Kepp copies of lab results.