Questions to Ask the Doctor

Regular communication with your doctor is important in making informed decisions about your health care. Consider asking the following questions of your doctor:

• What type of brain tumor do I have?
  
  
• Is the tumor benign or cancerous?
  
  
• What is the tumor’s grade? What does this mean?
  
  
• Can you explain my pathology report (laboratory test results) to me?
  
  
• Will an experienced neuropathologist review my pathology slides?
  
  
• What are my treatment options?
  
  
• What clinical trials are open to me?
  
  
• How many brain tumors do you treat each year?
  
  
• What treatment do you recommend? Why?
  
  
• What is the goal of this treatment plan?
  
  
• When should I start treatment?
  
  
• Should I get a second opinion?
  
  
• Do you attend expert meetings to discuss complicated tumor cases?
  
  
• Are there brain tumor centers of excellence that you recommend I contact?
  
  
• Does your practice include multidisciplinary care? What does this mean?
  
  
• Who will be part of my health care team, and what is each person’s role?
  
  
• What are the possible side effects of each 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?
  
  
• If I’m worried about managing the costs related to my cancer care, who can help me with these concerns?
  
  
• What support services are available to me? To my family?
  
  
• Do you know of a local support group for people with brain tumors?
  
  
• Do you have reading material that would help me understand my disease?
  
  
• After treatment, what follow-up tests will I need, and how often will I need them?
  
  
• What are the chances that the tumor will recur?
  
  
• Who answers medical questions at your office when you are unavailable?