What’s on this page
These are general questions only. You can find more questions relevant to your situation, by looking for your cancer type or treatment type.
Diagnosis
- What type of cancer do I have?
- Has the cancer spread? If so, where has it spread? How fast is it growing?
- What’s the stage of the cancer? What does the stage mean for my treatment?
- Are the latest tests and treatments for this type of cancer available in this hospital?
- Will a multidisciplinary team be involved in my diagnosis and treatment?
- Are there clinical guidelines and an optimal care pathway for this type of cancer?
Tests
- What will this test involve?
- What are the benefits and risks of having this test?
- What will the test results tell us? How will the results affect the type of treatment I’m offered?
Treatment
- What treatment do you recommend? What is the aim of the treatment?
- Are there other treatments that might work? If not, why not?
- How long will treatment take?
- Who will provide the treatment?
- Will I have to stay in hospital?
- Are there any out-of-pocket expenses not covered by Medicare or my private health cover? Is there a way the cost can be reduced if I can’t afford it?
- Will I have only one treatment or will I also have other treatments?
- How long do I have to make a decision?
- I‘m thinking of getting a second opinion. Can you recommend anyone?
- If I don’t have the treatment, what should I expect?
- How will I know if the treatment is working?
- What if this treatment does not work?
Side effects
- What are the risks and possible side effects of each treatment? How can these be managed?
- Will the side effects improve or have lasting effects?
- Is there any side effect that I should particularly look out for?
- Are there any complementary therapies that might help me?
- Can I have the flu, COVID-19 or other vaccines?
Clinical trials
- What does taking part in a clinical trial mean?
- Are there any clinical trials or research studies I could join?
After treatment
- How often will I need to have check-ups after treatment finishes?
- Who should I go to for the check-up appointments?
- If the cancer returns, how will I know? What treatments could I have?
If advanced cancer is diagnosed
- What’s the best I can hope for by having treatment?
- Are there new treatments I can try? Is the treatment going to improve my chance of getting better?
- What treatments can relieve my symptoms?
- Who will be responsible for my medical care?
- What help can my family and/or friends get if they care for me at home?
- Can I have palliative care? How do I get it?
- Can you help me talk to my family about what is happening?
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