Questions to Ask Your Doctor About Follow-up Care

 

You will want to discuss your follow-up care plan in detail with your health care team before your treatment ends so you will know what to expect in terms of physical examinations, tests, chance of recurrence, as well as lifestyle changes and other ways to stay healthy. Before your active treatment ends, be sure you've established a way to contact your physician or nurse to talk about the following questions and any additional concerns you have.

  • Can you provide a comprehensive summary of my care to date and a written follow-up care plan for me and send it to my primary health care provider?
  • What are the chances of my cancer coming back?
  • What are my chances of developing a new cancer?
  • What can I do to stay healthy and maintain my well-being?
  • Will I have any long-term side effects from my cancer treatments?
  • Could having cancer affect my health insurance coverage or job security?
  • Can you tell me how to find a support group that would be good for me?
  • Which member of my health care team will monitor my follow-up care?


 

This content was last reviewed August 15, 2010 by Dr. Reshma L. Mahtani.
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