| Questions to Ask Your Doctor
Before biopsy:
- Where will the biopsy take place?
- Will I have to go to the hospital?
- How long will it take?
- Will I be awake?
- Will it hurt?
- What are the risks?
- What are the chances of infection or bleeding after the biopsy?
- How long will it take me to recover?
- How soon will I know the results?
- If I do have cancer, who will talk to me about the next steps?
- When?
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Before treatment:
- What is the stage of the disease?
- Do any lymph nodes show signs of cancer?
- Has the cancer spread?
- What is the grade of the tumor?
- What is the goal of treatment?
- What are my treatment choices?
- Which do you recommend for me?
- Why?
- What are the expected benefits of each kind of treatment?
- What are the risks and possible side effects of each treatment?
- How can side effects be managed?
- What can I do to prepare for treatment?
- Will I need to stay in the hospital?
- If so, for how long?
- How will treatment affect my normal activities?
- Will it affect my sex life?
- Will I have urinary problems?
- Will I have bowel problems?
- What will the treatment cost?
- Will my insurance cover it?
- Would a clinical trial (research study) be appropriate for me?
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Before choosing surgery:
- What kinds of surgery can I consider?
- Is nerve-sparing surgery an option for me?
- Which operation do you recommend for me?
- Why?
- How will I feel after the operation?
- If I have pain, how can we control it?
- Will I have any lasting side effects?
- Is there someone I can talk with who has had the same surgery I’ll be having?
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Before choosing radiation therapy:
- How will radiation be given?
- When will treatment start?
- When will it end?
- How often will I have treatments?
- What can I do to take care of myself before, during and after treatment?
- How will I feel during treatment?
- Will I be able to drive myself to and from treatment?
- How will we know the treatment is working?
- How will I feel after the radiation?
- Are there any lasting effects?
- What is the chance that the cancer will come back in my prostate?
- How often will I need checkups?
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Before choosing hormone therapy:
- What kind of hormone therapy will I have?
- Would you recommend drugs or surgery?
- Why?
- When will treatment start?
- How often will I have treatments?
- When will it end?
- Where will I go for treatment?
- Will I be able to drive home afterward?
- If I have surgery, how long will I need to stay in the hospital?
- How will I feel during treatment?
- What can I do to take care of myself during treatment?
- How will we know the treatment is working?
- Which side effects should I tell you about?
- Will there be lasting side effects?
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Before choosing watchful waiting:
- If I choose watchful waiting, can I change my mind later on?
- Will the cancer be harder to treat later?
- How often will I have checkups?
- Between checkups, what problems should I report?
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