Kidney Cancer Questions: An Introduction
Many people with
kidney cancer want to take an active part in making decisions about their medical care and their
kidney cancer treatment. However, the shock and stress after a
kidney cancer diagnosis can make it hard to think of everything to ask the doctor. Some patients find that it is helpful to make a list of kidney cancer questions before their appointment.
Kidney Cancer Questions to Ask Before a Biopsy
Questions to ask the doctor the doctor prior to a biopsy include the following:
- What type of biopsy will I have? Why?
- How long will it take? Will I be awake? Will it hurt?
- How soon will I know the results?
- Are there any risks? What is the chance of infection or bleeding afterward?
- If I do have cancer, who will talk with me about treatment? When?
Kidney Cancer Questions to Ask Before Treatment
Consider asking your doctor the following questions before undergoing kidney cancer treatment:
- What is the kidney cancer stage? Has the cancer spread? If so, where?
- What are my kidney cancer treatment choices? Which do you recommend for me?
- Will I have more than one kind of treatment?
- What are the expected benefits of each kind of treatment?
- Will it cure or control the disease?
- What are the risks and possible side effects of each treatment?
- Will I be given anything to control side effects?
- How long will treatment for kidney cancer last?
- Will I have to stay in the hospital?
- What is the treatment likely to cost? Is this treatment covered by my insurance plan?
- How will treatment affect my normal activities?
- How often should I have checkups?
- Would a kidney cancer clinical trial (research study) be appropriate for me?
