Keep in mind that all treatments come with risks and benefits. Talk about these with your doctor. To decide whether the treatment is right for your parent, consider your parent's medical history, current condition and the chance that it will put the cancer into remission. Here are some questions to ask:
- What are the treatment options?
- What is the goal of each treatment?
- What treatment do you recommend? Why?
- How much experience do you have treating this type of cancer?
- How will this treatment benefit my parent?
- Will my parent need to be hospitalized for treatment, or is this treatment done in an outpatient clinic?
- What is the expected timeline for the treatment plan? Does he/she need to be treated right away?
- How will this treatment affect daily life?
- What are the short-term side effects of this treatment?
- What long-term side effects may be associated with this cancer treatment?
- Besides treating cancer, what can be done to treat the symptoms?
- What clinical trials (research studies involving people) are there?
- How can I help keep my parent as healthy as possible during treatment?
The National Cancer Institute conducts and supports research, training, health information dissemination, and other programs with respect to the cause, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of cancer, rehabilitation from cancer, and the continuing care of cancer patients and the families of cancer patients.