Questions to Ask Your Doctor

Here are a few questions you can ask your doctor on your next visit.  It’s easy to forget the questions you have thought of before your visit, so it may help to print this page.  Write down some of your own questions too.  Make sure you take notes on your doctor’s answers, because it’s a lot of new information to absorb.  It usually helps to bring someone along to your doctor’s office – a spouse, relative, or friend – who can help you ask questions and keep track of the answers.
 

 Questions to ask your doctor:

1. What are my risks for breast cancer?
2. What should I do if I have a family history of breast cancer or ovarian cancer?
3. Should I be tested for breast cancer genes?
4. For my situation, what are the risks and benefits of hormone replacement therapy in menopause?
5. What can I do in terms of diet, alcohol consumption, and exercise to reduce my risk of breast cancer?
6. If I have had benign breast conditions, what are they?  What follow-up is appropriate?
7. When should I begin regular mammograms and how often should I get them?
8. Is my breast tissue dense? (know your density number)
9. What were the results of my mammogram?

 If you do have an abnormality:

1. Will I need an ultrasound (sonogram) as a follow-up?  What about an MRI? If a biopsy is recommended, what kind will it be and why?
2. If no biopsy is planned, why not? [You might consider a second opinion if you have a detectable abnormality or lump and your doctor does not think a biopsy is necessary.]
3. What were the results of my biopsy? [You should know this regardless of whether the results are malignant (cancerous) or not (benign).]
4. Am I a candidate for a breast cancer chemoprevention trial or program?
5. If I am a candidate for a trial or program, what are the risks and benefits of taking these drugs?
6. If I am at extremely high risk for breast cancer, should I consider prophylactic surgery? 
7. You can ask your doctor for a copy of your pathology report for your records.

 The most important thing is to communicate with your doctor and your entire treatment team.