After Diagnosis: A Guidefor Patients and Families

Finding out you have cancer presents many changes for you and your loved ones. You probably have lots of questions:

• Can my disease be cured?
• What are the best treatment options?
• Will treatment hurt?
• How long will treatment take?
• Will I have to stay in a hospital?
• How much will it cost?

Simply having some answers can help you feel more in control and less worried about what lies ahead. Here, we offer answers to many of your questions about cancer and cancer treatment. We also tell you what you can expect from the people and services that are there to help you cope with cancer. To help you feel more prepared for visits with your health care team, we offer suggestions about questions you may want to ask them. We hope this information will help you and your family as you work through your fears and concerns about cancer and cancer treatment.

Please keep in mind that this information is not meant to replace the advice of your doctor or nurse. Talking with them is the best way to understand what is going on with your body and how treatment will work to control the disease.