Pancreatic Cancer: Questions to Ask the Health Care Team

Approved by the Cancer.Net Editorial Board, 09/2023

ON THIS PAGE: You will find some questions to ask your doctor or other members of the health care team to help you better understand your diagnosis, treatment plan, and overall care. Use the menu to see other pages.

Talking often with the health care team is important to make informed decisions about your 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. As you think about the available time you have with your health care team, you will want to prioritize what questions are most important to you in the event there is not enough time to get to all your questions during an appointment. You may want to print this list and bring it to your next appointment. It may also be helpful to ask a family member or friend to come with you to appointments to help take notes. You may also want to keep a journal or notebook where you have all of your questions, notes, calendars, and other resources together.

Questions to ask after getting a diagnosis

  • What type of pancreatic cancer do I have?

  • Is my cancer located only in the pancreas?

  • What is the stage of the disease? What does this mean?

  • Can you explain my pathology report (laboratory test results) to me? Could I have a copy of the results?

  • Can you explain my imaging results to me? How can I get a copy of these results?

  • What is my prognosis (chance of recovery)?

  • Can my biopsy sample be used for genetic testing?

  • Can I donate tumor samples, blood samples, or body tissues to research for pancreatic cancer?

  • Is there a hereditary component to my cancer? Are my family members at increased risk? 

Questions to ask about choosing a treatment and managing side effects

  • What are my treatment options?

  • What types of research are being done for pancreatic cancer in clinical trials? Do clinical trials offer additional treatment options for me?

  • What treatment plan do you recommend? Why?

  • What research studies support your recommendation for this treatment?

  • How do I understand in advance the costs of the recommended treatment?

  • What is the goal of each treatment? Is it to eliminate the cancer, help me feel better, or both?

  • Who will be part of my health care team, and what does each member do? Do they have experience treating pancreatic cancer?

  • Who will be leading my overall treatment?

  • What is the goal of each treatment?

  • What are the side effects of this treatment, both in the short term and the long term?

  • How will this treatment affect my daily life? Will I be able to work, exercise, and perform my usual activities?

  • Could this treatment affect my sex life? If so, how and for how long?

  • Could this treatment affect my ability to become pregnant or have children? If so, should I talk with a fertility specialist?

  • If I’m worried about managing the costs of cancer care, who can help me?

  • What support services are available to me? To my family?

  • If I have questions or problems, who should I call?

Questions to ask about having surgery

  • Is surgery a possibility to remove the cancer? If so, what type is recommended?

  • How experienced is my surgeon in performing this type of operation?

  • How often are there complications after this type of surgery, and what are the most common types of complications?

  • How long will the operation take?

  • What will I need to do to prepare for this surgery?

  • Will my surgery require a drain to be placed? How will the drain be monitored?

  • What type of anesthesia will I be given for this surgery?

  • What are the side effects of that anesthesia?

  • How long will I be in the hospital?

  • Can you describe what my recovery from surgery will be like?

  • Who should I contact about any side effects I experience? And how soon?

  • What are the possible long-term or late effects of having surgery?

  • If surgery is not a possibility, what are my other treatment options?

  • Can the surgeon use part of the tumor removed during surgery to conduct genetic tests on it?

  • How do I understand the possible out-of-pocket costs for my surgery and recovery?

  • Who will direct and oversee my follow-up care plan after surgery?

  • If I live far away from where my surgery took place, how will my care transition back to my local health care team?

Questions to ask about having radiation therapy

  • Should I receive radiation therapy? Why or why not?

  • What is the goal of this treatment?

  • What do I need to do to prepare for this treatment? Can I eat and drink beforehand?

  • How long will it take to give each treatment?

  • How many treatments will I receive?

  • What side effects can I expect during treatment?

  • Who should I contact about any side effects I experience? And how soon?

  • What are the possible long-term or late effects of having this treatment?

  • What can be done to prevent or relieve the side effects?

  • How will you evaluate the effects of the treatment on my tumor?

Questions to ask about having chemotherapy, targeted therapy, or immunotherapy

  • What is the goal of this treatment? Will this treatment help control the cancer?

  • How long will it take to give this treatment?

  • What do I need to do to prepare for this treatment?

  • Will I receive this treatment at a hospital or clinic? Or will I take it at home?

  • What side effects can I expect during treatment?

  • Who should I contact about any side effects I experience? And how soon?

  • What are the possible long-term or late effects of having this treatment?

  • What can be done to prevent or relieve the side effects?

  • What are the research studies that support this treatment? And how similar were the study participants to me in terms of their age, gender, ethnic background, and/or stage of disease?

Questions to ask about planning follow-up care

  • What is the chance that the cancer will come back? Should I watch for specific signs or symptoms?

  • What long-term side effects or late effects are possible based on the cancer treatment I received?

  • What follow-up tests will I need, and how often will those tests be needed?

  • How do I get a treatment summary and survivorship care plan to keep in my personal records?

  • When should I return to my primary care doctor for regular medical care?

  • Who will be leading my follow-up care?

  • What survivorship support services are available to me? To my family?

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