Questions to Ask the Doctor

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

• What is the exact type of T-cell leukemia that I have?
  
  
• Can you explain my pathology report to me?
  
  
• How aggressive is my disease? Is it curable?
  
  
• Is it possible to stop its development?
  
  
• How can my symptoms be controlled?
  
  
• What are my treatment options?
  
  
• What clinical trials are available to me?
  
  
• What treatment do you recommend? Why?
  
  
• What are the possible 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?
  
  
• How can I keep myself as healthy as possible during and after treatment?
  
  
• What follow-up tests will I need, and how often will I need them?
  
  
• What support services are available to me? To my family?