You finally get into the exam room. The visit moves fast: scan results, lab numbers, the next round of treatment. Then you’re back in the car, and the question you lay awake thinking about last night never got asked. Or it got asked, and you’re still not sure what the answer meant.
If that sounds familiar, you’re not alone. It’s the number one thing I hear from people who come to me for help. I’ve cared for people with cancer for 20 years, at Dana-Farber, Mass General, UC Davis and Cedars-Sinai, and I’ve seen it happen over and over.
Oncology visits are often just 10 to 15 minutes. That’s not because your care team doesn’t care. There’s simply a lot to cover. But it means the questions that matter most to you can easily get lost.
The good news is that a little preparation changes how much you get out of every visit. Here is how I coach my clients to prepare, along with the questions worth asking at each stage.
How to prepare for an oncology appointment
1. Write your questions down and put the most important ones first. Bring a list on paper or on your phone, and star your top three. If time runs short, you’ll still have covered what matters most.
2. Bring a second set of ears. A family member or friend can take notes while you listen. If no one can come in person, ask whether they can join by phone. Some clinics also let you record the conversation. Just ask first.
3. Track your symptoms between visits. Note the date, what you felt, how severe it was on a scale of 0 to 10, and what helped. Specific details give your team something to act on. “I’ve been nauseous” is hard to work with. “I’ve been nauseous for three days after each infusion, about a 6 out of 10, and the medication only helps a little” is much easier.
Questions to ask your oncologist about your diagnosis
- What type of cancer do I have, and what stage is it? What does that mean for me?
- Did my biopsy show any biomarkers or genetic changes that affect my treatment options?
- Can I have copies of my pathology report and scan results? Or can you make sure they have been released to my patient portal?
With your own copies of your reports, you can review them calmly at home, share them with a second-opinion physician and keep track of your own care.
Questions to ask about your treatment plan
- What is the goal of this treatment: to cure the cancer, to control it, or to relieve symptoms?
- What are my options, and why do you recommend this one for me?
- How long will treatment last, and how often will I need to come in?
- How will we know if it’s working?
- Is there a clinical trial I should consider?
- Would a second opinion be helpful? (Most oncologists welcome this. It’s a normal part of cancer care.)
The goal of treatment is one of the most important things you can know. It shapes every decision that follows, from how you weigh side effects to how you plan your work and family life.
Questions to ask about chemotherapy and side effects
- Which side effects are most common with my treatment, and when do they usually start?
- Which side effects can I manage at home, and which mean I should call you right away?
- Are there medications I should have on hand before I need them, such as for nausea?
- Is it OK to keep working, exercising and eating normally?
Many side effects are easier to manage when you get ahead of them. Knowing what to expect, and what’s normal versus what needs a call, takes a lot of the fear out of the weeks between visits.
Questions about who to call between visits
- Who do I contact with questions between visits?
- What’s the number for evenings, weekends and holidays?
- What temperature counts as a fever I should call you about?
- Which symptoms mean I should go to the emergency room?
- How quickly are patient portal messages answered?
Save the after-hours number in your phone today. A fever during treatment can be serious, so know exactly what your team wants you to do before you need it.
Questions about supplements, diet and complementary therapies
- Is it safe to keep taking my vitamins and supplements during treatment?
- Are there foods or drinks I should avoid?
- Are complementary therapies like acupuncture, massage or exercise safe for me right now?
Bring a list of everything you take, or bring the bottles. Some supplements can interact with cancer treatment, so your care team needs to know about all of them.
Questions to ask after treatment ends
If you’re nearing the end of treatment or have already finished, your questions change:
- What follow-up appointments and scans will I need, and how often?
- What long-term or late side effects should I watch for?
- Who coordinates my care now, my oncologist or my primary care provider?
- Can I get a written survivorship care plan?
How to make a 15-minute visit count
- Lead with your priority. Try: “I have three questions today, and the most important one is…”
- Repeat back what you heard. Saying “So what I’m hearing is…” helps catch misunderstandings before you leave.
- Ask what to watch for. “What should I look out for before my next visit?” is one of the most useful questions you can ask.
- If you run out of time, ask how to follow up. A nurse call, a patient portal message or a nurse navigator can often answer what the visit couldn’t.
After the visit
Review your notes the same day, while the conversation is fresh, and check your patient portal for an after-visit summary. New questions will come up, so add them to your list for next time. If you find yourself searching online at 2 a.m., write the question down instead. You’ll get a better answer from someone who knows your situation.
You don’t have to figure this out alone
Even with great preparation, many people still walk out unsure what they were told, or what to do next. That’s exactly why I started Functional Cancer Care.
As an oncology nurse practitioner and integrative health practitioner, I work alongside your oncology team. I help you understand what you’ve been told, turn it into a clear plan, prepare the right questions for your next visit, and know what to expect along the way. You may have just been diagnosed, be in the middle of treatment, or be finished and wondering “now what?” At any of those stages, an experienced guide in your corner brings real peace of mind.
This article is for educational purposes only and isn’t a substitute for medical advice from your own care team. If you have a fever or other urgent symptoms during treatment, contact your oncology team right away.
