What questions should I ask my doctor before transplant?

BEFORE you agree to a transplant, you might want to ask your doctor the following questions. For some of these, your doctor may refer you to the transplant team or people who work with insurance and payments for the doctor’s office and/or the hospital:

• Is a transplant the best option for me? Why? Are there other options I should consider?
• What type of stem cell transplant will I have? Why?
• What is the chance of finding a good match?
• What are the chances that the transplant will work?
• What is the plan if the transplant doesn’t work?
• Is stem cell transplant considered experimental for my disease? Why?
• What are the risks to me?
• What type of conditioning treatment will I need?
• What is the estimated cost?
• What costs, if any, will be covered by my insurance? How much will I have to pay?
• What side effects might I expect? How bad will they be? How long will they last?
• Will I be able to have children after the transplant? What are my options if I want to have children later?
• What types of medicine or self-care will be used to control side effects?
• Will I be able to have visitors?
• When will I be able to return to work?
• What vaccines will I need and when?
• What type of follow-up will be needed after I am discharged? How often?
• What are the chances that my cancer will come back after treatment?