Walking into your first oncology appointment can feel like walking into a storm. You don’t know what’s coming, and half the time your brain can’t process what’s being said anyway. I wish I had gone in with a list of questions in hand — because sometimes, when you’re overwhelmed, your voice feels too small.
Here are questions worth asking (and bringing with you every time):
About Your Diagnosis
What stage and type of cancer do I have, and what does that actually mean?
Has it spread, or do we need more tests to know?
What’s the prognosis — and what factors could change that?
About Treatment
What treatment options are available to me?
What are the goals of treatment (cure, control, symptom relief)?
What side effects should I expect in the short term and the long term?
How will treatment affect my daily life — work, family, fertility, etc.?
About Care and Support
Who do I contact if I have questions between visits?
Are there clinical trials I qualify for? What supportive care (nutrition, pain management, mental health) is available?
How can I get help with the financial side of treatment?
About Next Steps
What should I do before treatment starts?
How will we measure if treatment is working?
What happens if this treatment doesn’t work?
Bring someone with you, if you can. A partner, a parent, a friend — someone to take notes, to remind you what to ask, to catch the things your fogged brain misses.
And please remember: there are no “stupid” questions when it comes to your life.
👉 If you’ve been through this and have a question that really helped you, share it in the comments — you never know who might need it.
Leave a comment