If You Are Having Radiation Therapy

Questions for the healthcare provider

• What's the goal of this treatment?

• How will the radiation be given? Internal or external radiation?

• Will I also need other treatment, like chemotherapy or surgery?

• If so, in what order will the different treatments be given?

• How many radiation treatments will I get? Over what period of time?

• What happens if I have to miss a treatment?

• Where will I get treatment?

• When will radiation start? When will it end?

• How will I feel during radiation?

• How long will radiation take each day?

• Will I be able to carry on my normal activities?

• Will there be limits on what I can do, such as working or exercising?

• How long does it take after the simulation scan to start treatment?

• Do I need to be on a skin care regimen during treatment?

• Can I drive myself to treatments or do I need someone to bring me?

• What are the possible short-term and long-term side effects I should watch for? What side effects should I report? 

• Are there late side effects I need to know about?

• How long will it take me to recover from the side effects of treatment?

• What are the chances treatment will work?

• How will we know if it's working?

• Are there any other treatment choices we should talk about? 

• What can I do to get ready for treatment and to take care of myself during treatment?

• Are there any clinical trials that I should think about?

• Does my insurance cover the treatments? Do I have a copay?

• Can I be near children or pets while getting radiation? 

• Are there other types of radiation therapy that may work for my cancer? 

• Does this center offer the latest technology or methods for radiation treatment? 

• Have you and your team treated my kind of cancer before?

• Should I get a second opinion?

• May I use complementary or alternative therapies during radiation?

• Can I take all my usual medicines during treatment?

• Should I change my diet during radiation therapy?

• Where can I learn more about radiation therapy?