© 2005-2012 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO). All rights reserved worldwide.
This section has been reviewed and approved by the Cancer.Net Editorial Board, 10/2012
Questions to Ask the Doctor Talking often with the doctor is important to make informed decisions about your child’s health care. These suggested questions are a starting point to help you learn more about your cancer care and treatment. You are also encouraged to ask additional questions that are important to you.
Before a biopsy:
- How experienced is the surgeon in doing this type of biopsy?
- If the diagnosis is bone cancer, is the surgeon part of a team that is experienced in treating people with bone cancer? If not, can you or the surgeon refer me to a team?
After a biopsy:
- Is the pathologist experienced in the diagnosis of osteosarcoma? And, is the diagnosis certain?
- Can you explain my child’s pathology report (laboratory test results) to me?
- What type and subtype of osteosarcoma have been diagnosed? What does this mean?
- Is the disease located only in the bone where it started?
- What are the treatment options?
- What clinical trials are open to my child?
- What treatment plan do you recommend? Why?
- Who will be part of my child’s health care team, and what does each member do?
- Who will be coordinating my child’s overall treatment and follow-up care?
- Where will treatment take place?
- Does this cancer center specialize in the treatment of children, adolescents, and young adults with cancer?
- What are the possible side effects of this treatment, both in the short term and the long term?
- How will this treatment affect my child’s daily life? Will he or she be able to go to school and perform his or her usual activities?
- Do we need to consider options to preserve my child’s fertility prior to starting treatment, such as sperm storage for boys? Should we talk to a fertility specialist before treatment begins?
- If I’m worried about managing the costs related to my child’s cancer care, who can help me with these concerns?
- What follow-up tests will my child need, and how often will he or she need them?
- What support services are available to my child? To my family?
- Whom do I call for questions or problems?