by Sarah Cannon Cancer Institute

Being diagnosed with breast cancer can be overwhelming and emotional. Here are some questions to help you prepare for your first appointment.

Six questions to ask your breast cancer specialist

Being diagnosed with breast cancer can be overwhelming and emotional. Here are some questions to prepare you for your first appointment:

  1. What kind of breast cancer do I have? Where exactly is it located?
  2. Is the tumor considered slow-growing or aggressive, invasive or non-invasive?
  3. Has it spread? This is determined by a sentinel lymph node biopsy - a surgical procedure that helps detect cancer in the lymph nodes and determines how many are affected.
  4. What stage is it?
  5. What other tests may be performed?
    • CT scan of these chest and abdomen
    • MRI scan of the breast, chest, abdomen, and pelvis (hip area)
    • Bone scan to see if cancer has spread to the bones
    • Positron emission tomography - CT (PET/CT) - to help detect distant spread of tumor, especially for locally advanced disease
  6. What are my treatment options?
    • Surgery
    • Radiation therapy
    • Chemotherapy
    • Hormonal therapy
    • Biological therapy

what questions should I ask my doctor about breast cancer prevention? infographic

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