Questions to ask at a cancer appointment

Write questions down as they come to you

Questions don’t always arrive conveniently when you’re sitting in front of your care team. They can come to you later that evening, during a conversation or just as you’re trying to sleep.

Keeping them together gives you somewhere to put each thought without having to remember it until the appointment.

That was one of the reasons I created the Questions section in Sarah Treatment Support. It gives you a place to collect questions beforehand, with optional prompts to help you get started.

If you have invited a trusted supporter, they can help add questions where their permissions allow.

You can also print your questions before you go, so you have a paper copy to hand if that feels easier or the hospital’s Wi-Fi isn’t cooperating!

What could you ask?

Every appointment is different, and you don’t need to work through a long checklist. You might choose a few questions that matter most to you, such as:

• What is the main thing I need to understand from today?
• Could you explain that again in simpler language?
• What happens next, and roughly when?
• Is there anything I need to do before my next appointment?
• Who should I contact if I have questions afterwards?
• How and when will I receive any results?
• Could I have that information in writing?
• Where can I find support with the practical things I’m finding difficult?

These are starting points. Your own concerns belong on the list too, even if they feel small or difficult to put into words.

Put your most important questions first

Before the appointment, look through your list and pick out the things you most want to discuss.

You can let the person seeing you know that you have written some questions down. Having them on your phone or on paper means you can refer back to them when the conversation moves on.

You don’t have to remember everything perfectly to make good use of an appointment.

Make room for the answers

Once I had somewhere to organise my questions, the next thing I wanted was somewhere to record the answers. I know, I’ve thought about this a lot!

Sarah’s Appointment Notes section gives you somewhere to type information during or after your appointment. You can also import your saved questions into the notes, making it easier to refer to them and record the answers together in one place.

You could record what was discussed, what happens next, who to contact and anything you want explained further. If someone comes with you, you might find it helpful to ask them to take notes while you listen.

You may receive a clinic letter afterwards, but your own notes can help you remember the conversation while you’re waiting.

And if you still forget something?

It happens. Even with a list, an appointment can take an unexpected turn or leave you with questions you hadn’t thought of beforehand.

Write them down and use the contact arrangements your care team has given you. Knowing teams are busy shouldn’t make you feel that your questions don’t matter.

A little organisation in a difficult moment

I created Sarah because I wanted somewhere to bring together the questions, notes and practical details that can otherwise end up scattered everywhere.

My hope is that it offers a little more calm and helps you feel prepared for the conversations that matter to you.

You can explore Sarah and its free tools at sarahtreatmentsupport.com.