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Lung cancer

Questions to ask your doctor

If you've been diagnosed with lung cancer, you may want to talk to your doctor to find out more.

Here are some questions that you might want to ask. We have included questions to ask early on, and some further questions that you might want to ask if you have been advised to have surgery, radiation treatment or chemotherapy.

For more information, see What treatments work for lung cancer?

Early on

What type of lung cancer do I have?
How far has it spread?
Do I need more tests? What about an

MRI scan
The magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machine uses a magnetic field to create detailed pictures of the inside of the body. These pictures allow doctors to look at parts of the body in three-dimensional images.

MRI scan? (This is a special type of scan that can pick up cancer cells in the brain.)
What are my treatment options?
What treatment do you recommend?
What does the treatment aim to do?
Will it help my symptoms?
Will it try to get rid of my cancer?
What side effects does the treatment have?
What will happen if I decide not to have treatment?
Are there any

clinical trials
Clinical trials are studies that are done to see if a treatment works. They generally involve comparisons between groups of patients who do and do not receive the treatment, to see if those receiving the treatment do better.

clinical trials that I might benefit from? (Clinical trials are studies carried out with patients in hospitals. They are designed to test whether a treatment works and how well it works.)
Would you mind if I sought a second opinion? (If the answer is yes, you should consider talking to another doctor.)

If you are advised to have surgery

Why do you want to operate?
What will you do during the operation?
Will it help my symptoms?
How will I feel after the surgery?
How long will I be in the hospital, and what treatment will I need after surgery?
What could go wrong, and how likely is that?
What happens if the surgery doesn't work?
How many operations like mine have you performed?
Would you mind if I sought a second opinion? (If the answer is yes, you should consider talking to another doctor.)

If you are advised to have radiation treatment

Why are you recommending radiation treatment?
What does it aim to do?
Will it help my symptoms?
How will I feel during the treatment?
What side effects can I expect in the weeks after my treatment?
What can you do to prevent or relieve them?
What side effects can I expect months or years after my treatment, and will any of them be permanent?
What happens if radiation treatment doesn't work?
Would you mind if I sought a second opinion? (If the answer is yes, you should consider talking to another doctor.)

If you are advised to have chemotherapy

Why do you recommend

chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is the use of chemicals or drugs to treat or prevent disease, usually cancer.

chemotherapy?
What does it aim to do?
Will it help my symptoms?
How will I feel during and after treatment?
What are the side effects of treatment?
What can you do to prevent or relieve them?
If a side effect is nausea and vomiting, can you prescribe me something for this beforehand?
What do I need to do if my

white cell count
The white cell count is an estimate of how many white blood cells are in your blood. As white blood cells are involved in fighting infection, a rising white cell count can be a sign that your body is infected or inflamed.

white cell count is low? (Chemotherapy can lower your white cell count in your blood. This makes you more prone to

infection
You get an infection when viruses, bacteria, fungi or other tiny organisms get into your body. These bugs are so tiny that you can't see them without a microscope. For example, an infection in your airways causes the common cold. And an infection in your skin can cause rashes such as athlete's foot.

infection.) Should I avoid crowded places? What should I do if a family member is ill?
Will any of the side effects be permanent?
What happens if the chemotherapy doesn't work?
Would you mind if I sought a second opinion? (If the answer is yes, you should consider talking to another doctor.)

This information was last updated on Mar 10, 2009

This information is for educational use only, and is not a substitute for prompt professional medical advice. Readers should always consult a physician or other professional for advice and treatment.
© BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2009. All rights reserved.

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