Questions Patients Should Ask After a Cancer Diagnosis

Receiving a cancer diagnosis can be shocking, overwhelming and comes with a ton of new information — from disease types and stages to new drug names and treatment types. Patients and their loved ones may have a list of questions running through their minds, or they may not know what to ask.

Over the last few months, CURE® asked oncology experts what they wish patients asked their care team soon after being diagnosed. Here is what they had to say.

Integrative Therapies to Manage Side Effects

“I wish more patients asked about integrative therapies that can help manage side effects and improve quality of life during cancer treatment. Many patients focus solely on their anti-cancer therapies but addressing symptoms and supporting overall well-being is also crucial. Clinicians can provide guidance on evidence-based complementary approaches that may be beneficial alongside conventional treatments.”

— Dr. Weidong Lu, lead oncology acupuncturist at the Leonard P. Zakim Center for Integrative Therapies & Healthy Living in the Department of Medical Oncology Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

Understand the Disease and Treatments

“Really understanding what their cancer is and what stage it is and what the goals of treatment are, I think, is really important. Sometimes we gloss over those basics and dive right into what the drugs are that we're going to use and how they work, but I think even just taking a step back and [asking], ‘What is the disease I have? And what can I expect in terms of treatment long term?’ is a helpful starting point. I do feel like sometimes when time is limited, those questions get a little bit rushed or glazed over, but they can really inform the relationship and conversations that go on in the months that follow.”

— Dr. James W. Smithy, melanoma medical oncologist and cellular therapist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

“One piece of advice … with permission is to record the conversation [with their care team]. People now have their phones, and they find it extremely valuable [to record the conversation] because even [for] people who [don’t have] cancer, it's hard to remember things from day to day with the conversation that you have with somebody. If you think about what you talked about with somebody yesterday, it's hard to remember all the details. But when you're in a stressful situation where it's potentially life-altering treatment, your brain is not absorbing [the information]. So I'd say one thing to ask your doctors, ‘Can I record this conversation so I can listen to it again later?’ I would say in my experience, almost all physicians will say yes.”

— Dr. David Palma, clinician scientist at the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research

“As oncologists, we are very used to giving a lot of information. But I think it's almost impossible for families to understand all of that information in one go, especially in the shock of dealing with a new diagnosis. So I think I would say there's not always one question. Whatever the questions are that you have that are relevant, ask [them] again. Even if it's a question that you think, ‘Oh, that surely was covered, I must know the answer to that,’ if you don't, or you feel unsure about it, ask again. … We want to know what the families still are unclear about and I'm happy to explain it again.”

— Dr. Daniel Morgenstern, pediatric oncologist at the University of Toronto’s Hospital for Sick Children

Surgery-Related Discussions

“I think that most patients [with solid cancers] should be asking to be seen by a surgeon.… You can't be cured without a surgeon doing surgery on you, and therefore, if you got a diagnosis or if you're responding to chemotherapy, you should ask to see a surgeon. And the answer might be from the surgeon that no they can't do anything for you, or they can do very little for you. But I just want to make sure that every patient who [has] a chance at surgery and that that potential cure is seen by someone who might offer them that chance.”

— Dr. Yuman Fong, Sangiacomo Family Chair in Surgical Oncology and director of the Center for Surgical Innovation at City of Hope

“A lot of the questions are geared towards post-operative expectations. There is a period that we will wait to make sure that patients are healed up if they actually need these additional therapies. But I think they should ask their provider, ‘What really can I expect after surgery? How long am I in the hospital? What is the regimen for CAT scans after treatment? And when will I really be back on my feet after surgery?’ I think all those things [help] mentally prepare patients and put them in the right mindset for recovery after treatment.”

— Dr. Randall A. Lee, urologist and assistant professor in the Department of Urology at Fox Chase Cancer Center

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