This checklist may be helpful when thinking about questions to ask your doctor.
- Which bones has the cancer spread to?
- What treatment do you recommend and why?
- What is the aim of the treatment?
- If I don’t have treatment, what can I expect?
- What is the expected outcome of this cancer?
- How will I know if the treatment is working?
- Can I do my normal activities while having this treatment?
- Will I have a lot of bone pain? What will be done about this?
- What can I do to prevent broken bones?
- What will you do if a bone breaks?
- Are there any clinical trials or research studies I can join?
- How can I access palliative care?
Dr Craig Lewis, Conjoint Associate Professor UNSW, Senior Staff Specialist, Department of Medical Oncology, Prince of Wales Hospital, NSW; Dr Katherine Allsopp, Staff Specialist, Palliative Medicine, Westmead Hospital, NSW; Michael Coulson, Consumer; Caitriona Nienaber, 13 11 20 Consultant, Cancer Council WA; David Phelps, Consumer; Juliane Samara, Nurse Practitioner Specialist Palliative Care, Clare Holland House, Calvary Public Hospital Bruce, ACT; A/Prof Robert Smee, Radiation Oncologist, Nelune Cancer Centre, Prince of Wales Hospital, NSW.
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