Questions to Ask Your Oncologist About Thyroid Cancer Treatment

Whether you’re leaning toward an approved thyroid cancer treatment or a clinical trial treatment, it’s paramount to get all of the relevant information from your oncologist. Ultimately, your decision will be based on which thyroid cancer treatment option seems to offer the most potential benefits with the least drawbacks.

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  • Where do I receive the thyroid cancer treatment?

  • Is it an outpatients clinic or will I need to stay in the clinic?

  • How many thyroid cancer treatment cycles will I receive?

  • How is the thyroid cancer drug delivered?

  • What are the known side effects of the thyroid cancer treatment?

  • Are there short or long term side effects from the thyroid cancer treatment?

  • How long will the side effects stay after the thyroid cancer treatment is done?

  • How can the side effects of the thyroid cancer treatment be overcome?

  • How will the thyroid cancer treatment affect my daily life?

  • Will I be able to work during the thyroid cancer treatment?

  • Will I be able to take care of myself or will I need help?

  • Will I be able to take care of my family?

  • What is the expected outcome of the treatment?

  • What is the thyroid cancer treatment’s success rate?

  • What is the likelihood that the thyroid cancer will come back?

  • If a clinical trial is using new drugs, were they previously tested on a different type of cancer?

  • What were the outcomes of previous thyroid cancer clinical trials?

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Download this questionnaire, print it out, and bring it to your first oncologist appointment. There’s space for you to write the answers to each question on the pdf print-out.