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.