Breast Cancer Questions to Ask Your Doctor

If you have recently been diagnosed with breast cancer, here are some questions to ask your doctor to better understand your diagnosis.

• What type of breast cancer do I have?
• What is the grade of the tumor (how aggressive it looks under a microscope)?
• What is my receptor status (prognostic indicators such as ER, PR, Her-2-neu)?
• What is the stage of the tumor?
• Has the tumor spread outside of my breast?
• What is my risk of the cancer coming back with each treatment (recurrence)?
• Can you check my Oncotype DX score?
• What is my risk of swelling in my arm (lymphedema)?
• Do I need chemotherapy?
• Do I need radiation therapy?
• Am I a candidate for the shortened course of radiation therapy (APBI - Accelerated Partial breast irradiation)?
• What can I do to decrease the risk of my cancer returning?
• Do I have the breast cancer gene?
• Am I a candidate for clinical trials?
• Should I get a second opinion?
• What are the current treatment options for breast cancer?