For the Newly Diagnosed

The flood of emotions that come with being newly diagnosed can be overwhelming. Feelings of shock, confusion, despair and many others are common in new patients. However, it’s important to know that major advancements in cancer research are allowing more and more people to lead long and fulfilling lives well after their initial diagnoses.

At Cancer Care Associates, we believe the patient is an instrumental part of the care team. After all, no one knows your body better than you. So if you’re one of the newly diagnosed, it’s important that you learn as much as you can about your cancer and your treatment options. And what’s the best way to learn? By asking. Below you’ll find a list of questions you can ask your care provider to help you better understand your cancer.

• At what stage is my cancer?
• Should I get a second opinion?
• What risks or potential side effects are associated with each treatment?
• What clinical trials are available that could be right for me?
• How long will I receive treatment, how often, and where?
• What are the names of all the drugs I will be taking?
• Are there treatments that can help relieve the side effects? What are they? Do you usually recommend or prescribe them?

Keep in mind, this is just a partial list of questions you may want to ask your doctor or nurse. There are several great resources online, so do your research. The more you know, the better prepared you’ll be.