Questions to Ask Your Doctor

 

About Your Cancer

  • What type of skin cancer 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?

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

  • What kind of chemotherapy will I have?
  • What precautions should I take when applying topical chemotherapy?
  • Do I need to avoid sun exposure while using topical chemotherapy?

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 this cancer will recur?
  • If the cancer recurs, how likely is it that further treatment will be successful?

This content has been reviewed and approved by Myo Thant, MD.

This content was last modified on February 21, 2008 .
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