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 thyroid cancer do I have?
  
  
• What is the stage of the cancer? What does this mean?
  
  
• What are my treatment options?
  
  
• What clinical trials are open to me?
  
  
• What treatment plan do you recommend? Why?
  
  
• Where can I get a second opinion?
  
  
• Who will be part of my health care team, and what does each member do?
  
  
• Is surgery recommended? If so, how much of my thyroid gland will be removed? Will lymph nodes be removed as well? What type of scar can I expect?
  
  
• Do I need other tests, such as an ultrasound, before surgery to determine the extent of the cancer?
  
  
• Is radioactive iodine treatment recommended? Why or why not? If so, can you describe this procedure to me?
  
  
• Will I need to follow a low-iodine diet? If so, when and for how long?
  
  
• Will any of these treatments cause hypothyroidism? If so, what can I expect during this time?
  
  
• What are the short-term and long-term side effects of my treatment?
  
  
• 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 the costs related to my cancer care, who can help me with these concerns?
  
  
• If MTC is diagnosed, do I need a genetic test? Why or why not? Should family members be tested?
  
  
• What are the chances the cancer will recur?
  
  
• What follow-up tests will I need, and how often will I need them?
  
  
• Will I need to stop taking thyroid hormone replacement for these tests? If so, for how long and what can I expect during this time?
  
  
• What support services are available to me? To my family?