Questions to Ask Your Doctor

If you’ve been recently diagnosed with melanoma, you probably have many questions and concerns. It can be helpful, before your appointment, to make a list of the things you want to ask and discuss with your doctor. Below are some suggestions for things you might want to ask.

About Your Cancer

• What stage of melanoma do I have?
• Is it likely to spread?
• What are the chances that the cancer will recur after treatment? What can I do to lower these chances? p>

Diagnosis

• What type of test(s) will you do to confirm the diagnosis?
• When will I get the results, and from whom?
• How will these tests be done, and how should I prepare for them?

Treatment

• What kind of treatment will I receive? What are the reasons for choosing this treatment?
• When will my treatment start and end?

Surgery

• What kind of surgery will I have?
• Will I need a skin graft?
• What will the scar look like? Can anything be done to help reduce scarring? Will I need plastic surgery or reconstructive surgery?
• Will I have to stay in the hospital?

Radiation

• What side effects can I expect after radiation treatment?
• Will I have blistering, swelling, or bleeding at the radiation site? How should I take care of the treated area?

Chemotherapy

• Which drugs will I be given?
• How many treatments will I need?
• What types of side effects can I expect?

Outlook and Follow-Up

• How often should I get checkups after I have completed treatment?
• What screening tests should I have on a regular basis?
• What specific signs and symptoms should I be especially alert for?
• What are the chances that the melanoma will recur?
• If the melanoma recurs, how likely is it that further treatment will be successful?