It is important to have honest, open discussions with your cancer care team. They want to answer all of your questions, no matter how trivial they might seem to you.
For instance, consider these questions:
- What kind of stomach cancer do I have?
- Where is the cancer in my stomach?
- What is the stage of my cancer and what does that mean in my case?
- What treatment choices do I have?
- What do you recommend and why?
- Are there any clinical trials I should think about now?
- What risks or side effects are there to the treatments you suggest? How would treatment affect my daily life?
- How long will treatment last? What will it involve? Where will it be done?
- What are the chances of recurrence of my cancer with these treatment plans?
- What should I do to be ready for treatment?
- Based on what you've learned about my cancer, what is my prognosis (outlook)?
- What is the goal of my treatment? To cure or to ease symptoms?
- If I am to have surgery, what is your experience in this type of surgery for stomach cancer?
- If I am to have surgery, what is the experience of the hospital in this type of surgery for stomach cancer?
- What type of follow-up will I need after treatment?
In addition to these sample questions, be sure to write down some of your own. For instance, you might want more information about recovery times, or you might want to ask about getting a second opinion.
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