Preparing for treatment

Preparing for treatment

Be prepared and informed

Before you begin treatment, you might want to make sure you understand what will happen. Gather information and ask your clinical team as many questions as you need to. Take a family or a friend to the meetings. There is often a lot of information which can be difficult to process on the spot let alone remember afterwards. Other people often think of questions that you might have overlooked. You might also prefer to write down your concerns before your appointment, so you feel more prepared.

It is not unusual to find it difficult to take in information when anxious or upset. Much of the terminology will be new or unfamiliar and there may be a lot of it.  If you are unsure about what you have been told, ask for another appointment so that you can go through the information again.

You may have heard from someone or read somewhere that another treatment is better than the one planned for you. It is important to remember that even if you have the same type of cancer as someone else, the same treatment may not be suitable for you. Your doctor should be able to explain why they have recommended a particular treatment for you.

Be specific and ask

• What are my treatment choices and is there anything available elsewhere that isn’t available here? Why not and can I access it?
• Why are you recommending this treatment? What are its benefits? Are there any downsides? What are the risks and side effects? Can you explain how it works?
• Is there anything I can do to prepare for treatment?
• Will I go to the hospital? If so, for how long? Can I have visitors? Is there anything I should take?
• How will treatment affect my normal activities?
• Would a clinical trial be appropriate for me? If it isn’t, why not?