Talking often with the doctor is important [2] to make informed decisions about your child’s 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 cancer has been diagnosed?
• What stage is the cancer? What does this mean?
• Can you explain my child’s pathology report (laboratory test results) to me?
• What treatment options are available?
• What clinical trials are open to my child?
• What treatment plan do you recommend? Why?
• What is the goal of this treatment?
• Will this treatment take place at a pediatric cancer center? Why or why not?
• Who will be part of my child’s health care team, and what does each member do?
• Who will be coordinating my child’s overall treatment and follow-up care?
• How much experience does my child’s health care team have in treating this specific type of childhood cancer?
• What are the possible side effects of this treatment, both in the short term and the long term?
• How will this treatment affect my child’s daily life? Will he or she be able to go to school and perform his or her usual activities?
• Could this treatment affect my child’s ability to have a child (fertility) in the future?
• If I’m worried about managing the costs related to my child’s cancer care, who can help me with these concerns?
• What are the chances that the cancer will recur?
• What follow-up tests will my child need, and how often will he or she need them?
• What support services are available to my child? To my family?
• Whom do I call for questions or problems?