Questions to Ask the Doctor

If you have a good understanding of your disease and can explain your condition back to your doctor, then you’re in good shape. Questions are your primary resource to gain a better understanding of your disease and enhance your quality of care. Well-thought-out questions can make all the difference and can help you get the most out of your appointments. If you don’t know what to ask, consider questions like:

• What type of breast cancer do I have? Is it invasive or non-invasive?
• What is the stage of my breast cancer?
• Can you write down the next step in the plan?
• Why are we doing these tests?
• What are my treatment options?
• Why do you recommend this treatment? What are the benefits? How effective is it?
• What are the risks and side effects of this medication?
• Do you have any advice on managing the side effects?
• Am I HER2/neu positive or negative? What does that mean?
• What is my hormone receptor status?
• Can you explain my pathology report and test results to me?
• Should neoadjuvant therapy (treatment before surgery) or adjuvant therapy (treatment after surgery) be considered?
• Will treatment affect my ability to have children?