Talking with Your Doctor
Talking openly with your doctor is one of the best ways to feel good about your breast cancer treatment decisions and your care.
Bring a family member or friend to your appointments
When meeting with your doctor, it’s a good idea to bring a family member or friend who can help ask questions and discuss the answers later. You’re likely to hear a lot of new information and you may feel overwhelmed.
Having an extra pair of ears may help recall and understand the information given.
If someone can’t be with you in person, ask if they can be there virtually, over the computer or phone.
Recording the discussion on a cell phone, small tape recorder or other device can be helpful, even if someone is with you at the appointment. Check with the doctor before you record the discussion.
Interpreter (translator) services
All hospitals and medical centers should provide medical interpreters for people who are limited-English speakers or non-English speakers.
Medical interpreters should be available for most languages and are free-of-charge to the patient. These services may be in person, virtual (on a tablet for example) or over the telephone.
Use a trained medical interpreter
It’s best to use a trained medical interpreter rather than a family member or friend. Trained interpreters can explain complex medical terms and procedures that may not be familiar to non-medical people, even if they are fluent in a language.
Friends and loved ones may also have an emotional response to the information given by a health care provider. This may affect how they give the information to the patient.
When talking with doctors is hard
Talking with doctors can be hard for some people. These can be unfamiliar and stressful situations, and some doctors may be hurried or unskilled at answering questions.
There are many resources to help make these discussions easier. We have tips to help you talk with your doctors more effectively in our Talking with Your Doctor resource.
The National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship and the American Cancer Society also have tips on talking with doctors.
Questions for your doctor
Whether you go to your appointment alone or with someone, preparing a list of questions ahead of time is important. Take the questions with you to your appointment. This can help you remember everything you want to ask and keep the discussion focused on the issues most important to you.
There may also be new cancer terms and medical words you haven’t heard before. Ask your doctor to explain anything you don’t understand.
Watch our video of Former Komen Chief Scientific Advisor Dr. George Sledge as he shares some things to think about when getting breast cancer treatment.
We have lists of questions related to many topics in the “Questions for Your Provider” sections below.
Getting high-quality care
Risk factors and risk reduction
- For those at average risk of breast cancer
- For those at high risk of breast cancer
- For those with lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS)
- For those who’ve had breast cancer
Early detection and screening
Diagnosis of breast cancer
Treatment
Types of treatment
- Before surgery
- After surgery
- Breast reconstruction (questions for your plastic surgeon)
- Radiation therapy
- Chemotherapy
- Hormone therapy
Treatment options for breast cancer
- Treatments for ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS)
- Treatments for early breast cancer
- Treatments for inflammatory breast cancer
- Treatments for metastatic breast cancer
Complementary and integrative therapies
Survivorship topics
Questions to Ask Your Doctor resources
Susan G. Komen® has a series of Questions to Ask Your Doctor resources that may be helpful if you’ve been diagnosed with breast cancer or if you have concerns about breast cancer screening or your risk of breast cancer.
You can download and print them to take with you to your next doctor’s appointment or you can save them on your computer, tablet or phone using an app such as Adobe. Plenty of space and a notes section is provided to write or type the answers to the questions.
There are other Questions to Ask Your Doctor resources on many different breast cancer topics you may wish to download.
Talking with your doctor about your treatment plan
Your breast cancer treatment plan is based on both medical and personal choices. Together, you and your health care provider make treatment decisions to fit the goals of your care. This is called shared decision-making.
After you get a recommended treatment plan from your health care provider, take time to study your treatment options. Talk to those closest to you. Consider getting a second opinion.
Make thoughtful, informed decisions that are best for you. Each treatment option has benefits and risks to consider along with your own values and lifestyle.
Because of the differences between tumors and between people, your treatment plan may differ from someone else’s, even though you both have breast cancer.
Learn about treatment for ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS).
Learn about treatment for early breast cancer.
Learn about treatment for metastatic breast cancer.
Talking about family health history with your doctor
Your family history of breast cancer and other cancers is important to discuss with your doctor. This information helps your doctor understand your risk of breast cancer (and for those diagnosed with breast cancer, your risk of breast cancer returning).
My Family Health History Tool |
| My Family Health History tool is a web-based tool that makes it easy for you to record and organize your family health history. It can help you gather information that’s useful as you talk with your family members, doctor or genetic counselor. |
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The National Academy of Sciences released the report, Delivering High-Quality Cancer Care: Charting a New Course for a System in Crisis. Susan G. Komen® was one of 13 organizations that sponsored this study. The report identified key ways to improve quality of care:
Read the full report. |
Updated 04/04/24
