bfdboston Posted September 3, 2007 Posted September 3, 2007 Bring someone with you to ask the questions (here's listing of what I had asked about my friend's diagnsosis). Take notes!! Type the notes when you get home. They came in handy quite often when we could not remember exactly what was said. Don't forget, it's a lot of information being thrown at you at once, and a lot to digest mentally. 01. What type of nonsmall cell lung cancer do I have? 02. What was the TNM used in determining my Stage IIIB or Stage IV lung cancer? 03. Was the fluid from the pleura cancerous? If so, what type? 04. What specifically did the MRI indicate? 05. What specifically did the PET scan indicate? 06. What do my blood tests indicate about my cancer? For instance, the increases in phosphorus? 07. How many of these surgeries have you done in the last year? 08. How many patients have you seen with (insert your other complicating illness such as diabetes, etc) and lung cancer? 09. What does this surgery involve? 10. What are the risks of this surgery? 11. Are you performing a mediastinoscopy? Thoracotomy? Exploratory? 12. Why do you recommend this surgery? 13. How long will I be in hospital? 14. Given my (other illness) and cancer, is my body able to handle the stress and recover quickly enough after to start radiation? 15. Why do you not recommend non-surgical method, such as a bone scan, for possible metastases to the bone(s), additional MRI and/or PET scan? 16. The PET scan indicated there were many 1 cm or less inguinal lymph nodes (and many other areas as the report indicates), how come you do not recommend a MRI, PET scan for comparison? 17. Given I’ve been diagnosed as Stage IIIB or IV lung, and recommended treatment guidelines for those stages do not include surgery,, why are you recommending this surgery? 18. What can be done in order to minimize my symptoms of pain? Are there additional medications or could my current medication be increased in strength? 19. Are there any medications which you recommend for anxiety related issues which seem to increase my pain at times? Quote
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