Talking often with the doctor 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.

• 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?
• What are my treatment options?
• What clinical trials are open to me?
• What treatment plan do you recommend? Why?
• 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 coordinating my overall treatment and follow-up care?
• What is the goal of each treatment? What is my prognosis (chance of recovery)?
• 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 surgery?
• If surgery is not a possibility, what are my other treatment options?
• Can chemotherapy control my cancer?
• Should I receive radiation therapy? Why or why not?
• 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 related to my cancer care, who can help me with these concerns?
• What follow-up tests will I need, and how often will I need them?
• What support services are available to me? To my family?
• Whom do I call for questions or problems?