Talking openly with your health care provider is one of the best ways to feel good about your breast cancer treatment decisions. When meeting with your provider, bring a friend or loved one (co-survivor) with you who can help ask questions and recall the answers later. If it is not possible for someone to go with you, a small tape recorder can record what was said.
Whether you go alone or with someone, preparing a list of questions ahead of time (to bring with you) is important (see "Questions for Your Provider" throughout Understanding Breast Cancer or view the complete list below). This can help you remember all of the questions you want to ask and keep the discussion focused on the issues that are most important.
Our Questions to Ask the Doctor series provides you with questions on a many breast cancer issues. Each card (14 total) has questions to discuss with your provider about a specific breast cancer topic. You can download and print the cards and take them with you to your next appointment. Plenty of space is provided to jot down answers to the questions. These topic cards are a helpful tool if you have been recently diagnosed with breast cancer or feel too overwhelmed to know where to begin gathering information.
Talking with a health care provider can be hard for some people. It often occurs in an unfamiliar and stressful situation, and some providers may be hurried or unskilled at answering questions. There are many resources to help make these discussions easier. We have outlined a series of steps to help you talk more effectively with your providers in our fact sheet “Talking with Your Doctor”. The National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship and American Cancer Society also have tips on talking with providers.
Below is a complete list of the “Questions for Your Provider” found throughout Understanding Breast Cancer. The questions are arranged by topic to help you find the questions that relate to your situation.
Questions for your provider
Choosing a physician
- What is your medical specialty? Are you board certified in that specialty?
- What percent of your practice is devoted to breast cancer treatment?
- Will my health care team meet as a group to discuss my care?
- What is the accreditation status of the medical facility where you practice?
- Does your medical center accept my health insurance plan?
- For surgeons: How many times a year do you perform the procedure you are recommending for me? How many times a year is the procedure done at the hospital where you practice?
- Which diagnosis and treatment guidelines do you use as the basis of your breast cancer care?
- Which diagnosis and treatment guidelines does the medical facility use as the basis of its breast cancer care?
Risk factors and prevention
For those at average risk of breast cancer
- What steps can I take to lower my risk of breast cancer? What factors may increase my risk?
- How can I estimate my risk of breast cancer? How accurate are the methods?
- What type of breast cancer screening should I have and when should I start?
- How do I find out if I have dense breasts?
- I have been told I have dense breasts.
- How does having dense breasts increase my risk of breast cancer?
- What type of breast cancer screening should I have? Can you discuss the benefits of digital vs. standard mammograms for me? Do I need a screening MRI?
- What is the best way for me to manage my menopausal symptoms? Are postmenopausal hormones a safe way to manage them? Are there other options?
For those at high risk of breast cancer
- I've been told I'm at high risk for getting breast cancer. What should I do?
- Should I take tamoxifen or raloxifene? Do the benefits of these drugs outweigh the risks for me?
- What about prophylactic mastectomy or oophorectomy?
- When should I start breast cancer screening? How often should I get screened?
- What type of screening should I have? Can you discuss some of the options (such as MRI) and when would you recommend them for me?
- What is the best way for me to manage my menopausal symptoms? Are postmenopausal hormones a safe way to manage them? Are there other options?
For those with lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS)
- Is LCIS breast cancer?
- What are my treatment options? Which therapies are you recommending for me and why?
- Should I take tamoxifen or raloxifene? Do the benefits of these drugs outweigh the risks for me?
- Is there a clinical trial that is enrolling people with LCIS? If so, how can I learn more?
- What will my long-term follow-up care include? Who will oversee that care?
- What are my chances of developing non-invasive or invasive breast cancer?
- What is the best way for me to manage my menopausal symptoms? Are postmenopausal hormones a safe way to manage them? Are there other options?
For those with breast cancer
- Are there healthy behaviors I can adopt that may prolong my survival or reduce the chance of breast cancer recurrence?
- How does my having breast cancer affect the risk of my family members?
- What behaviors can my family members adopt to lower their risk of breast cancer?
- Should my family and I consider genetic testing?
- What issues should my family and I think about when considering genetic testing?
- Can you recommend a genetic counselor to help my family and me decide if genetic testing is right for us?
- How much does genetic testing cost? Does my insurance cover it?
- What is the best way for me to manage my menopausal symptoms? Are postmenopausal hormones a safe way to manage them? What are other options?
Early detection and screening
- If your health care provider does not perform a clinical breast exam: Would you perform a clinical breast exam today?
- When should I begin mammography screening?
- If you are 40 or older and your health care provider does not recommend a mammogram: Why do you not recommend yearly screening mammography for me?
- What are the risks and benefits of mammography for me?
- Is my mammogram scheduled at an FDA Certified Mammography Facility? (This can also be checked at http://www.fda.gov/cdrh/mammography/certified.html.)
- Does the radiologist specialize in mammography?
- What is the false positive rate for the radiologist or mammography center? (This should be no more than 10 percent to meet U.S. guidelines.)
- Did my mammogram show if I have dense breasts?
- If at higher risk: What screening tests do you recommend for me?
- If you are disabled: Can the mammography center accommodate women with physical disabilities?
- If you are pregnant: What type of screening is safe for my developing baby?
- If you are breastfeeding: What type of screening should I get?
- If you have breast implants: Can you recommend a mammography center with experience in mammography for women with breast implants?
- If you have an abnormal finding from a clinical breast exam or a mammogram: What follow-up tests will I have? What do they involve?
- If you have an abnormal clinical breast exam, and the mammogram is reported as normal: Should I have a biopsy or other follow-up tests?
Diagnosis of breast cancer
Preparing for a biopsy
- What type of biopsy will I have? Why? How reliable are the results of this type of biopsy?
- Will I have a core needle biopsy prior to a surgical biopsy? If not, why not?
- Will the lymph nodes be sampled?
- Will a sentinel node biopsy be done? If not, why not?
- How often does the radiologist or surgeon perform the type of biopsy I will have? Do they specialize in breast cancer?
- How long will the biopsy take?
- Will I be awake during the biopsy? Can it be done in your office or will I need to go to the hospital?
- If I have a needle biopsy, who will evaluate the samples? How much experience does that person have with breast cancer? Will a cytopathologist be needed?
- Will estrogen and progesterone receptor tests be done? Her2/neu? Others?
- When will I get the pathology results?
- Where will the biopsy scar be?
- Are there any after effects of the biopsy? If so, what are they?
- What medicines should I avoid before the biopsy and for how long? When can I resume my usual medicines?
- When will I be able to return to my normal routine?
- If cancer is found, who will talk with me about my treatment options? How much time can I take to decide what type of treatment to have? How long will it be before treatment begins?
- Will the tissue removed during my biopsy be X-rayed to make sure that all of the suspicious tissue was removed?
- Will my tumor be saved? Where will it be stored? For how long? How can it be accessed in the future? To learn more about breast pathology practices, read our report.
Getting biopsy results and understanding the diagnosis
- What did my biopsy show?
- What kind of breast cancer do I have? What are the size, grade and stage of the cancer?
- How many lymph nodes were removed? Were any positive for cancer? If so, how many?
- What are the estrogen and progesterone receptor status of my tumor? What is the HER2/neu status? What are the results of other tests?
- Will other special tests (such as Oncotype Dx or proliferation rate) be done on the tissue?
- Was the entire tumor removed? Were the margins close or positive? If they were close, do I need more surgery?
- What other tests should I have to see if the cancer has spread to other organs (such as liver, lungs and bones)?
- Who will discuss my treatment options with me? How much time can I take to decide what type of treatment to have? How long will it be before treatment begins?
- What do I need to consider now if I would like to have a child after my treatment ends?
- Will my tumor be saved? Where will it be stored? For how long? How can it be accessed in the future? To learn more about breast pathology practices, read our report.
Cancer stages
- How does the stage of my cancer affect my treatment options?
- How does the stage of my cancer affect my chances for survival?
- Besides my cancer stage, what other factors should I know about that affect my treatment and prognosis?
Treatment-Surgery
Before surgery
- Will you do a sentinel node biopsy? What is your experience with this procedure?
- Will I need to have additional lymph nodes removed? How will that decision be made?
- If my sentinel lymph nodes are positive, will I require an axillary dissection?
- Am I a candidate for a lumpectomy (breast conserving surgery) plus radiation? Will chemotherapy or hormone therapy before surgery improve my chances of being able to have a lumpectomy?
- If I have lumpectomy, will you refer me to a radiation oncologist to discuss radiation treatment?
- How long will I be in the hospital?
- Will I need someone to help me when I return home from the hospital?
- How should I expect to feel after the surgery?
- What limits will I have on my normal activities?
- Where will the surgical scar(s) be?
- Will I have any numbness after the surgery?
- Will I have a surgical drain in place when I go home? If so, how will I care for it? When will it be removed?
- What side effects might I expect after surgery? What problems should I report to you right away?
- How does the removal of lymph nodes affect my chances of getting lymphedema?
- What are the long-term risks of problems or side effects from surgery?
- When should I return for follow-up?
- Who will discuss the findings of my final pathology report with me? Can I get a copy of the report for my records?
- Will I need other treatments? If so, which one(s)? How long after surgery will I begin the other treatment(s)? Who will coordinate my care?
- How does my surgery affect my risk of having a recurrence, metastasis or a new breast cancer? Please explain the differences to me.
- Tell me about breast reconstruction. If I decide I want reconstruction, when can I have it (at the same time as mastectomy or at a later date)? What are the risks? What about prosthesis options? Who else should I see to discuss/plan for reconstruction or prosthesis?
- What do I need to consider before treatment begins if I would like to have a child after I have been treated for breast cancer?
- Does my insurance cover this surgery?
- Will my tumor be saved? Where will it be stored? For how long? How can it be accessed in the future? To learn more about breast pathology practices, read our report.
After surgery
- When will I be able to get back to my normal routine? When can I go back to work? (Ask about specific jobs or activities that you do.)
- Are there any precautions I should take?
- Are there special exercises I should be doing? Which ones? When should I start? How long should I do them? Should I see a physical therapist?
- When can I start exercising again? Are there any exercises I should avoid?
- What problems should I report to you right away?
- Where can I find a support group for people with breast cancer (or cancer in general)?
- Do I need to meet with a medical and radiation oncologist? If not, why not?
- Should I continue to see my regular physician and gynecologist during my treatment?
- How often will I have check-ups and follow-up tests after treatment ends?
- Will a follow-up care plan be prepared for me?
- Which health care provider is in charge of my follow-up care?
- What do I need to consider if I would like to have a child after I have been treated for breast cancer?
- Will my tumor be saved? Where will it be stored? For how long? How can it be accessed in the future? To learn more about breast pathology practices, read our report.
Breast reconstruction (questions for your plastic surgeon)
- What are the types of breast reconstruction surgery?
- Which type is best for me and why?
- If I need to have radiation therapy after my mastectomy, will that affect my reconstruction choices?
- How many of these procedures have you performed? Would you please show me photos of both your best and your more typical results?
- What are the chances of infection and rejection with my reconstructive surgery? Are there any other risks or side effects to consider?
- What are the short- and long-term results with implant versus natural tissue reconstruction?
- Is there much pain after surgery? What body changes may I have after surgery, and for how long?
- When is the best time for me to have breast reconstruction — at the time of the mastectomy or later? Is there a time limit for having reconstruction done?
- How many procedures are involved in the type of reconstruction I am having?
- How many hospital stays are needed? How long will each hospital stay be?
- Will my insurance cover breast reconstruction?
- How can I expect the reconstructed breast to look and feel? How will it look compared to my healthy breast?
- Will I be able to detect a possible return of cancer after reconstructive surgery? Is a mammogram still recommended for me?
Treatment-Radiation therapy
- Why are you recommending radiation therapy for me?
- Is there a clinical trial that I am eligible to join? Would you recommend I consider joining that trial?
- How will radiation therapy affect my risk of having a recurrence,metastasis or a new breast cancer? Please explain the differences to me.
- How long will each treatment session take? How many sessions will I have?
- Can I come alone, or should a friend or relative come with me?
- What clothes should I wear to the treatment sessions?
- Can I wear deodorant?
- Can I wear a bra during the course of treatment?
- What side effects should I expect? How long might they last? What symptoms need medical care?
- Who do I contact if I have problems or questions about my treatment? What about on holidays or during the weekend?
- What are the long-term risks of this treatment?
- What precautions should I take during treatment?
- What lotion, soaps or other skincare products should I use or avoid?
- What problems should I report to you right away?
- Can I continue normal activities? Are there any activities I should avoid?
- Where can I find a support group for people with breast cancer (or cancer in general)?
- Should I continue to see my regular physician and gynecologist during my treatment?
- How often will I have check-ups and follow-up tests after treatment ends?
- Will a follow-up care plan be prepared for me?
- Which health care provider is in charge of my follow-up care?
- Will insurance cover my treatment?
- What do I need to consider before treatment begins if I would like to have a child after I have been treated for breast cancer?
Treatment-Chemotherapy
- Why are you recommending chemotherapy for me?
- What chemotherapy drugs do you recommend? Why have you chosen these drugs for me?
- Is there a clinical trial that I am eligible to join? Would you recommend I consider joining that trial?
- How will chemotherapy affect my risk of having a recurrence, metastasis or a new breast cancer? What are my changes of survival? Please explain the differences to me.
- What were the estrogen receptor status and progesterone receptor status of my tumor? How do these affect my treatment plan?
- What was the HER2/neu status of my tumor? How does this affect my treatment plan?
- Was cancer found in my lymph nodes? How many nodes had cancer? How does this affect my treatment plan?
- Should I have chemotherapy even if my lymph nodes do not have cancer?
- Are there other tests that could or should be done on my tumor to decide whether I should have chemotherapy?
- In what form and how often will the treatment be given? Will I need someone to come with me to the treatment sessions? Will someone need to drive me home?
- How long will each treatment take? How many treatments will I have?
- What are the side effects and long-term risks of chemotherapy?
- Which side effects should I report to you right away?
- What medicines will you give me to help reduce the side effects of chemotherapy? How and when should I take them?
- Can I continue to work, exercise and do other routine activities while on chemotherapy? Are there special precautions I should take while on chemotherapy or afterwards?
- Can I have sex while on chemotherapy?
- Are there any other medications or complementary therapies I should avoid during my treatment?
- Should I continue to see my regular physician and gynecologist during my treatment?
- Where can I find a support group for people living with breast cancer (or cancer in general)?
- How often will I have check-ups and follow-up tests after treatment ends?
- Will a follow-up care plan be prepared for me?
- Which health care provider is in charge of my follow-up care?
- Will the cost of treatment be covered by my health insurance?
- If I lose my hair during chemotherapy, where can I buy a wig? When should I do this? How do I get reimbursed from my insurance company?
- What do I need to consider before treatment begins if I would like to have a child after I have been treated for breast cancer?
Treatment-Hormone therapy
- Do I need hormone therapy? Why?
- What tests were done on my tumor? What were the estrogen receptor status and progesterone receptor status of my tumor? How do these affect my treatment plan?
- Which hormone therapy are you recommending for me and why? How does this therapy treat my breast cancer?
- Is there a clinical trial that I am eligible to join? Would you recommend I consider joining that trial?
- How will hormone therapy affect my risk of having a recurrence, metastasis or a new breast cancer? Please explain the differences to me.
- What are the short- and long-term side effects of this hormone therapy?
- Are there any medications I should avoid while using hormone therapy?
- Is there a generic form of this hormone therapy? Is it as effective as the name brand?
- How soon after surgery will I begin hormone therapy?
- In what form and how often will the hormone therapy be given? How long will I be on it?
- Will I be given the hormone therapy along with other types of treatment?
- Will I need extra tests or exams? If so, which tests and how often will they be needed?
- Will I be given a baseline bone density test if I am to use aromatase inhibitors? How will you follow my bone density status? What can be done to help reduce bone loss if it happens while taking aromatase inhibitors?
- What signs and symptoms should I report to you?
- Should I continue to see my regular physician and gynecologist during my treatment?
- How often should I return for an exam, X-rays or other tests?
- Will a follow-up care plan be prepared for me?
- Which health care provider is in charge of my follow-up care?
- Are the costs of the hormone therapy covered by my health insurance? If not, are there financial assistance programs that will help cover the costs?
- Where can I find a support group for people living with breast cancer (or cancer in general)?
- What do I need to consider before treatment if I would like to have a child after I have been treated for breast cancer?
- Will my tumor be saved? Where will it be stored? For how long? How can it be accessed in the future? To learn more about breast pathology practices, read our report.
Treatment options for ductal carcinoma in situ DCIS
- Is ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) breast cancer? How does DCIS differ from invasive breast cancer?
- What are my treatment options? Which therapies are you recommending for me and why?
- What are my chances for recurrence? For developing invasive breast cancer?
- Am I a candidate for lumpectomy (breast conserving surgery)?
- Will I need radiation therapy after my surgery? If I have radiation therapy, when will the radiation oncologist discuss my radiation treatment with me?
- Is my DCIS estrogen receptor-positive or -negative? Will tamoxifen therapy be recommended for me? What is the latest news about alternatives to tamoxifen?
- Were my surgical margins clean? If not, what more will be done?
- If I am having a mastectomy, can breast reconstruction be done at the time of surgery, as well as later? How much later can it be done? Can you refer me to a reconstructive surgeon?
- If I choose not to have reconstruction, where can I get a prosthesis? Will my insurance cover the cost?
- Will a follow-up care plan be prepared for me?
- Which health care provider is in charge of my follow-up care?
- What procedures will my insurance cover? (If your health care provider does not have this information, ask your insurance company directly.)
- Is there a clinical trial that is enrolling people with DCIS? If so, how can I learn more?
- Will the tissue removed during surgery be saved? Where will it be stored? For how long? How can it be accessed it in the future? To learn more about breast pathology practices, read our report.
Treatment options for early breast cancer
- Will a sentinel node biopsy be done?
- Is my tumor estrogen/progesterone receptor-positive or -negative? How does this affect my treatment plan?
- Is my tumor HER2/neu-positive or -negative? How does this affect my treatment plan?
- What are my treatment options? Which treatments are you recommending for me and why?
- What is my prognosis with treatment?
- How long do I have to make a treatment decision?
- Am I a candidate for a lumpectomy (breast conserving surgery) plus radiation? Will chemotherapy or hormone therapy before surgery improve my chances of being able to have a lumpectomy?
- If I have lumpectomy, will you refer me to a radiation oncologist to discuss radiation treatment?
- Can breast reconstruction be done at the time of the surgery, as well as later? How much later can it be done? Can you refer me to a reconstructive surgeon?
- If I choose not to have reconstruction, what types of prostheses are available? Where can I find them?
- Were my tumor margins clean? If not, what more will be done?
- Will I need more treatment after my surgery?
- Will a follow-up care plan be prepared for me?
- Which health care provider is in charge of my follow-up care?
- What procedures will my insurance cover?
- Is there a clinical trial that is enrolling people with my type of breast cancer? If so, how can I learn more?
- What do I need to consider before treatment begins if I would like to have a child after I have been treated for breast cancer?
- Will my tumor be saved? Where will it be stored? For how long? How can it be accessed in the future? To learn more about breast pathology practices, read our report.
Treatment options for locally advanced breast cancer (including inflammatory breast cancer)
- Will a sentinel node biopsy be done?
- Is my tumor estrogen/progesterone receptor-positive or -negative? How does this affect my treatment plan?
- Is my tumor HER2/neu-positive or -negative? How does this affect my treatment plan?
- What are my treatment options? Which treatments are you recommending for me and why?
- Should I get chemotherapy or hormone therapy prior to breast surgery?
- Am I a candidate for a lumpectomy (breast conserving surgery) plus radiation?
- When will I meet with a radiation oncologist to discuss radiation treatment?
- Can breast reconstruction be done at the time of the surgery, as well as later? How much later can it be done? Can you refer me to a reconstructive surgeon?
- If I choose not to have reconstruction, where can I find prostheses?
- Will I need other treatment after my surgery?
- How long do I have to make a treatment decision?
- What procedures will my insurance cover?
- Is there a clinical trial enrolling people with my type of breast cancer? If so, how can I learn more?
- Will a follow-up care plan be prepared for me?
- Which health care provider is in charge of my follow-up care?
- What do I need to consider before treatment begins if I would like to have a child after I have been treated for breast cancer?
- Will my tumor be saved? Where will it be stored? For how long? How can it be accessed in the future? To learn more about breast pathology practices, read our report.
Integrative and complementary therapies
(Questions to ask your health care provider if you are currently using or considering using integrative and complementary therapies.)
- How do you feel about complementary therapies?
- Have you ever referred a patient to a complementary therapy practitioner?
- What’s the best way to find a licensed complementary therapy practitioner?
- I am using these complementary therapies (name therapies). Should I stop them during and/or after my breast cancer treatment?
- Should I let you know before I start a complementary therapy? Which therapies should I be sure to avoid?
- Is this complementary therapy (name therapy) safe? Is there research that shows it is safe? Will it interfere with my breast cancer treatment?
- Are there side effects with this complementary therapy (name therapy)?
- Is there a clinical trial studying this complementary therapy (name therapy)?
After treatment
- Can you suggest a counselor or support group that can help me adjust to life after treatment?
- Can you suggest ways my spouse/partner and I can address issues related to our post-treatment sexual relationship or refer me to a psychologist or counselor who specializes in these issues?
- What do I need to consider if I would like to have a child after I have been treated for breast cancer?
- What is the best way for me to treat my menopausal symptoms after breast cancer?
- Tell me about lymphedema and my chances for getting it. What signs or symptoms of lymphedema should I watch for and tell you about?
- Will a follow-up care plan be prepared for me?
- Which health care provider is in charge of my follow-up care?
- What is the schedule of follow-up visits?
- What symptoms, possibly related to my treatment or to my cancer, should I be aware of and discuss with you?
- Should my relatives or I consider being tested for a BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutation?
- What are the issues my family needs to think about when considering genetic testing?
- Can you recommend a genetic counselor that can help me and my family decide if genetic testing is right for us?
Updated 10/28/11
