11 essential questions to ask about your treatment

Undergoing treatment for breast cancer can be worrisome. One of the best ways to prepare, however, is to get informed about what’s involved. Here are 11 essential questions to ask your doctor.

1. What are the different available treatments?

2. What are their risks and advantages?

3. Is there a treatment that’s more appropriate for my situation?

4. Will I need to be hospitalized?

5. How long will the treatment take?

6. How can we assess the treatment’s effectiveness?

7. What side effects should I expect? How long will they last?

8. If I need to have surgery, what are the different options? What’s the difference between them?

9. If I need to have a mastectomy, do I need to have both breasts removed? If I do, when should I have it done?

10. If I have breast reconstruction surgery, what will my breast look like? Will it look like my other breast?

11. When will I be able to wear a bra again?

In addition to these questions, write down a list of your own so that you don’t forget anything when meeting your treatment team. Feel free to ask a friend or family member to accompany you. They can write down the answers to your questions so you can refer to them when you need to.