Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsAfter DiagnosisTreatmentWhen Treatment Is CompleteFrequently Asked Questions
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
After Diagnosis
Treatment
When Treatment Is Complete
Frequently Asked Questions
If you’ve been told you havebreast cancer, it’s important to ask your doctor and other healthcare providers questions so you thoroughly understand yourdiagnosis, treatment plan options, and what you can expect throughout treatment and recovery.
Because this can be an overwhelming time, it’s a good idea to write down any questions you have in advance and bring them with you to your medical appointments. Bring a notepad so you can write down the answers to your questions. If possible, bring a family member or friend with you to appointments as well.
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This article will go over questions to ask after you initially receive a breast cancer diagnosis, before, during, and after treatment, before and after surgery, and when all treatments are completed.
A cancer care team is made up of different types of healthcare providers. In addition to anoncologist, providers you might see if you have breast cancer include:A breast surgeonor surgical oncologistA radiation oncologistA medical oncologistAplastic surgeonOther members of your care team can include physician assistants, nurse practitioners, nurses, mental health professionals, nutritionists, social workers, and patient/nurse navigators.
A cancer care team is made up of different types of healthcare providers. In addition to anoncologist, providers you might see if you have breast cancer include:
Other members of your care team can include physician assistants, nurse practitioners, nurses, mental health professionals, nutritionists, social workers, and patient/nurse navigators.
Questions to Ask: After Diagnosis
If you’ve been diagnosed with breast cancer, you’ll want to learn more about yourtype of breast cancer, treatment options, and support. If your primary healthcare provider suspects you might have cancer, they will likely refer you to an oncologist (a doctor specializing in diagnosing and treating cancer).
The following are initial questions to ask your oncologist:
What About Genetic Testing?Genetic testing can help determine if your breast cancer or family history of breast cancer is due to an inherited gene mutation, which can help guide treatment.Only 5–10% of breast cancers are related to an inherited gene mutation.Questions to ask your doctor about genetic testing include:Should I consider genetic testing or see a genetic counselor?What are my testing options?How might myfamily historyaffect my current and future cancer risk?
What About Genetic Testing?
Genetic testing can help determine if your breast cancer or family history of breast cancer is due to an inherited gene mutation, which can help guide treatment.Only 5–10% of breast cancers are related to an inherited gene mutation.Questions to ask your doctor about genetic testing include:Should I consider genetic testing or see a genetic counselor?What are my testing options?How might myfamily historyaffect my current and future cancer risk?
Genetic testing can help determine if your breast cancer or family history of breast cancer is due to an inherited gene mutation, which can help guide treatment.Only 5–10% of breast cancers are related to an inherited gene mutation.Questions to ask your doctor about genetic testing include:
Questions to Ask: Treatment
Treatments for breast cancer includesurgery,radiation,chemotherapy,hormone therapy, targeted therapy, andimmunotherapy.Treatments can be given separately or combined. Your treatment options will depend on your type of cancer, its stage, your health, and other factors.It’s important to ask questions to your radiation oncologist, medical oncologist, and surgical oncologist or breast surgeon before, during, and after treatment.
Before
Questions to ask before treatment include:
During
Questions to ask during treatment include;
After
Questions to ask after treatment include:
Communication MethodsMake sure to ask your healthcare providers how you can communicate or ask questions outside of scheduled appointment times. Find out if there are options such as email, patient portals, or after-hours phone services available and how you can access them.
Communication Methods
Make sure to ask your healthcare providers how you can communicate or ask questions outside of scheduled appointment times. Find out if there are options such as email, patient portals, or after-hours phone services available and how you can access them.
Questions to Ask: Surgery
Surgery is a part of breast cancer treatment for most people.Types of surgeries include breast-conserving surgery(lumpectomy)to remove the tumor and surrounding tissue,mastectomyto remove the entire breast,breast reconstruction surgery, and procedures to removelymph nodes.
If you’re having surgery, there are specific questions you should ask your breast surgeon or surgical oncologist before and after your surgery.
Questions to ask before surgery include:
What Is a Patient Advocate?A patient advocate is an important resource for assisting you with healthcare decisions, problems, coordination of care, and more. Different types of patient advocates include those affiliated with nonprofit organizations, for-profit organizations, or hospitals. In addition, private patient advocates can be hired on an individual basis.
What Is a Patient Advocate?
A patient advocate is an important resource for assisting you with healthcare decisions, problems, coordination of care, and more. Different types of patient advocates include those affiliated with nonprofit organizations, for-profit organizations, or hospitals. In addition, private patient advocates can be hired on an individual basis.
Questions to ask after surgery include:
Questions to Ask: When All Treatments Are Done
When you complete your treatment, you will still need to make follow-up appointments. You can ask any doctors or other healthcare providers who are involved in your follow-up care the following questions:
Summary
Though a breast cancer diagnosis can be overwhelming, it’s important to ask questions throughout every stage of your care. It’s a good idea to write down questions in advance of your medical appointments. Make sure you have a list of questions to ask after your initial diagnosis, throughout treatment, before and after surgery, and when your treatments are complete.
Remember, you are the most important member of your healthcare team. Don’t ever be afraid to ask your doctors and other healthcare providers questions about your diagnosis, treatment, recovery, or anything else that concerns you. Doing so will help you make informed decisions about your cancer care.
For your first visit, you can narrow questions down to those about the type of cancer you have, treatment options, and prognosis. You can also ask your doctor how to contact them if you have further questions after your first appointment.
Learn MoreBreast Cancer Tumor Size and Staging
Additional questions to ask if you have been diagnosed with invasive breast cancer include:Where in my body has the cancer spread?Are you experienced in treating people with metastatic breast cancer?What is my prognosis and is there anything I can do to improve it?Learn MoreMetastatic Breast Cancer
Additional questions to ask if you have been diagnosed with invasive breast cancer include:Where in my body has the cancer spread?Are you experienced in treating people with metastatic breast cancer?What is my prognosis and is there anything I can do to improve it?
Additional questions to ask if you have been diagnosed with invasive breast cancer include:
Learn MoreMetastatic Breast Cancer
6 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Cancer Society.Treating breast cancer.Lindenberg Cancer & Hematology Center.When are patients referred to an oncologist?Susan G. Komen.Genetic testing after a breast cancer diagnosis.Susan G. Komen.Genetic testing to learn about breast cancer risk.American Cancer Society.Surgery for breast cancer.Breastcancer.org.Breast cancer stages.
6 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Cancer Society.Treating breast cancer.Lindenberg Cancer & Hematology Center.When are patients referred to an oncologist?Susan G. Komen.Genetic testing after a breast cancer diagnosis.Susan G. Komen.Genetic testing to learn about breast cancer risk.American Cancer Society.Surgery for breast cancer.Breastcancer.org.Breast cancer stages.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
American Cancer Society.Treating breast cancer.Lindenberg Cancer & Hematology Center.When are patients referred to an oncologist?Susan G. Komen.Genetic testing after a breast cancer diagnosis.Susan G. Komen.Genetic testing to learn about breast cancer risk.American Cancer Society.Surgery for breast cancer.Breastcancer.org.Breast cancer stages.
American Cancer Society.Treating breast cancer.
Lindenberg Cancer & Hematology Center.When are patients referred to an oncologist?
Susan G. Komen.Genetic testing after a breast cancer diagnosis.
Susan G. Komen.Genetic testing to learn about breast cancer risk.
American Cancer Society.Surgery for breast cancer.
Breastcancer.org.Breast cancer stages.
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