You are a key part of your healthcare team. Asking good questions can help ensure the care you are getting is best suited to your unique situation.

Potential questions to ask your medical team:

1. What type and stage of cancer do I have?
2. What is the prognosis for my specific cancer?

3. What tests will be done to analyze my cancer type and determine the best treatment options? For some cancers, this may include biomarker testing, which helps finds genes, proteins and other substances in the cancer tumour to identify its exact type and help determine what treatment is likely to work best.

4. What treatment options are available to me and what are their potential benefits, risks and side effects?

5. If I need a treatment, is it an infusion or is it taken orally? How often do I have to take the treatment? How long will I be on treatment?

6. How will the treatment affect my daily life, including work, family, and personal responsibilities? Also, if something is especially important to you (like a special trip or attending a graduation or a wedding), let your medical team know in case one or more treatments might not be an ideal fit for you.

7. What do I do if I feel unwell during or after a treatment?
8. Are there any clinical trials or research studies that I might be eligible for?
9. How will we monitor the progress of the treatment?

10. Are there any support services or resources available to help me during treatment?

These questions were taken from the Life-Saving Therapies Network booklet, which can be downloaded at lifesavingtherapies.com/early- detection-booklet.