Questions to Ask Your Doctor: Prostate Cancer
As you cope with cancer and cancer treatment, we encourage you to have honest, open discussions with your doctor. Feel free to ask any question that's on your mind, no matter how small it might seem. Here are some questions you might want to ask. Be sure to add your own questions as you think of them. Nurses, social workers, and other members of the treatment team may also be able to answer many of your questions.
- Would you please write down the exact type of cancer I have?
- May I have a copy of my pathology report?
- What is the chance that the cancer has spread beyond my prostate? If so, is it still curable?
- What further tests (if any) do you recommend and why?
- What is the clinical stage and Gleason score of my cancer? What do those mean in my case?
- Do you recommend watchful waiting as an option for me? Why or why not?
- Do you recommend a radical prostatectomy or radiation for me? Why or why not?
- If you recommend a radical prostatectomy, will it be nerve sparing? Will it be lapararoscopic?
- What type of radiation treatment might be best for me?
- What other treatments might be appropriate for me? Why?
- Among those treatments, what are the risks or side effects I should expect?
- What are the chances that I will have problems with incontinence or impotence?
- What are the chances that I will have other urinary or rectal problems?
- What are the chances of the cancer coming back with the treatment you suggest? What would be our next step if this happened?
- What is my expected survival rate based on clinical stage, grade, and various treatment options?
- Should I follow a special diet?
Be sure to add your own questions as well.
Above content provided by The American Cancer Society in partnership with Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. For advice about your medical care, consult your doctor.
