Questions to ask about Brain Tumor

Questions to ask after getting a diagnosis of Brain Tumor

  • What type of Brain tumor do I have?
  • What is the position of a Brain tumor in my brain?
  • Is the tumor cancerous?
  • What does a grade mean? And what is the grade of my tumor?
  • Can you explain my pathology report?
  • Should I get a second opinion?
  • Are there brain tumor Centres of excellence that you recommend I contact?
  • Does your practice include multidisciplinary care? What does this mean?
  • Should we seek genetic testing or counselling?
  • What is your familiarity with the tumor I have?

Questions to ask about treatment options for Brain Tumor

  • What are my child’s treatment options?
  • Which treatment option do you recommend?
  • What is the goal of treatment? Is it to eliminate cancer, help me feel better, or both?
  • What are the chances for success with the planned treatments?
  • What are the side effects of treatment, both short term and long term?
  • Can I change our minds after we start the treatment?
  • What will be the effects of the treatment on my daily life?
  • Can I work, exercise and perform his daily activities?
  • What about the cost of the treatment?

Questions about Radiotherapy or Chemotherapy

  • What kind of therapy do you recommend and why? 
  • How long will it take for a treatment?
  • What side effects are expected during and after the treatment?
  • What are the long term effects of the treatment?
  • How can you prevent or reduce these effects? 

Questions to ask about surgery for Brain Tumor

  • What type of surgery will I have?
  • How many procedures of this type has the surgeon done?
  • How long will the operation last?
  • Is the surgery safe?
  • How long do I need to stay in the hospital?
  • What are the short-term and long-term effects of the surgery?

Taking part in a clinical trial

  • Is there any clinical trial available currently I can take part in? 
  • How does being a part of the trial change my treatment option for Brain Tumor?
  • What is the aim and background of this trial?

Choosing not to have treatment

  • Can we opt not to have any treatment for Brain Tumor?
  • What are the possibilities if we decide not to take any treatment?
  • If I avoid treatment now, can he have it later?
  • Would the aim and result be the same if I took the treatment later?

Question about after treatment

  • What happens after treatment finishes?
  • How long will it take to live everyday life?

Questions about cancer recurrence

  • How will we know that a Brain Tumor has come back?
  • What can be the symptoms and signs of a cancer recurrence?
  • How can we reduce the risk of cancer coming back?
  • What is an approach to staying healthy after treatment?

Questions about follow-up care

  • What are the follow-up tests?
  • How regularly do my child need to visit the oncologist?
  • Who will have my child’s treatment summary, and how can I take them and a survivorship care plan to keep in my records?
  • Which survivorship support services for Brain Tumor are available to my child? To my family?