Questions to Ask your Breast Team

Page Contents

• Diagnosis: If you are diagnosed with breast cancer, ask your specialist doctor or breast care nurse...
• Treatment: When discussing treatment options such as radiotherapy , chemotherapy, drugs and/or surgery, ask...
• Surgery: If you need a surgical procedure such as lumpectomy, local excisions or mastectomy, ask...
• After surgery, ask...
• Before chemotherapy or radiotherapy treatment, ask...
• After treatment, ask...

Diagnosis Questions

• What is the type and extent of the breast cancer?
• What’s my prognosis?
• What are my treatment options and how soon can they start?
• Should I continue taking HRT or the Pill?
• Are there any changes I should make to make to my lifestyle (diet, exercise, smoking)?
• Will I be able to carry on working?
• Are my female relatives at a higher than average breast cancer risk?
• Can I have tests to find out if the cancer has spread to other parts of my body?
• Are there any clinical trials that I might be able to participate in?
• What services does this hospital provide to help me through this?
• Who can I telephone later if I’m worried about diagnosis and treatment?
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Treatment Questions

When discussing treatment options such as radiotherapy, chemotherapy, drugs and/or surgery, ask

• What is the best treatment for me and why?
• Can you tell me how I can expect to benefit from the chosen treatments?
• What will it involve and how long will it take?
• What are the short-term and long-term side effects of the treatment(s)?
• Can I take steps to minimise side effects?
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If you need a surgical procedure such as lumpectomy, local excisions or mastectomy, ask

• How much tissue will you remove and will you remove lymph nodes to see if my cancer has spread?
• Can I have a breast reconstruction at the same time as surgery?
• What complications could arise after surgery?
• How soon can I be operated on and how long will I be in hospital?
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After surgery Questions

• Do I need further treatment(s) such as radiotherapy, chemotherapy, tamoxifen etc and why?
• What exercise should I do to prevent lymphoedema (arm swelling) and ease general movement, and for how long should I do them?
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Before chemotherapy or radiotherapy treatment, ask

• How will I benefit from treatment?
• How many courses will I need, and how long will they take?
• What will be the short-term and long-term side effects (i.e. hair loss, loss of fertility, skin irritation)?
• What can I do to minimise these side effects?
• During chemotherapy, will the nurses on have the appropriate training?
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After treatment, ask

• How often will I need check-ups and how often should I check my breasts?
• What is the chance of the cancer returning?
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