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Preparing for Treatment
People with melanoma often want to take an active part in making decisions
about their medical care. They want to learn all they can about their disease
and their treatment choices. However, shock and stress after a diagnosis of a
melanoma can make it hard to think of everything to ask the doctor. It often
helps to make a list of questions before an appointment. To help remember
what the doctor says, patients may take notes or ask whether they may use a
tape recorder. Some also want to have a family member or friend with them
when they talk to the doctor—to take part in the discussion, to take
notes, or just to listen.
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These
are some questions a person may want to ask the doctor before treatment
begins:
What is
my diagnosis?
What is the stage of my
disease?
What
are my treatment choices? Which do
you recommend for me? Why?
What
are the benefits of each kind of treatment?
What
are the risks and possible
side effects
of each treatment?
How
will I feel after surgery?
If I
have pain, how will it be controlled?
Will I
need more treatment after surgery?
Will there be a scar? Will I need a
skin graft or
plastic surgery?
What is the treatment likely to cost?
Will treatment affect my normal activities?
If so, for how long?
How often will I need checkups?
Would a
clinical trial (research study)
be appropriate for me? Can you help
me find one?
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People do not need to ask all of their questions or understand all of the
answers at one time. They will have other chances to ask the doctor to explain
things that are not clear and to ask for more information.
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