Gathered and put this together from a couple different sites right after I was diagnosed. I have added a few that weren’t needed for me, but you might need to ask.
Questions to ask after getting a diagnosis
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Do you have enough information to recommend a treatment plan for me? If not, what tests or procedures will be needed?
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Who would you recommend for a second opinion?
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When do I need to make a treatment decision?
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Who will be part of my health care team, and what does each member do?
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Who will lead my overall treatment?
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What can I do to get ready for treatment?
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If I am worried about managing the costs of cancer care, who can help me? Who can help me understand what aspects of my care are covered by my insurance?
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Who can I call if I have a problem or question about my treatment?
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Who do I call if I experience side effects?
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Do you communicate with your patients by phone, email or with an electronic health record system?
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If I have a strong family history of cancer; what is my chance of getting another cancer?
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How does that change my treatment options?
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Should I see a genetic counselor?
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Do you have a social worker I can speak with?
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What should I tell my employer, if anything, and what laws protect my rights as an employee?
Questions to ask your breast surgeon before your first surgery
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Are you board-certified?
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Do you specialize in this type of surgery?
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How many operations like the one I am considering have you performed?
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Do I need any other tests before this surgery?
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Am I a candidate for a lumpectomy?
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Do I need a mastectomy?
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Is reconstruction (plastic surgery) an option for me?
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What are the advantages and disadvantages?
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Is it possible to avoid removing my nipple and areola?
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Do the lymph nodes in my underarm need to be removed?
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What is a sentinel lymph node biopsy? What are the benefits and risks? Would you recommend it for me?
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What is the risk of lymphedema with a sentinel lymph node biopsy? With axillary lymph node dissection?
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Should I consider chemotherapy before surgery?
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Will I need radiation therapy after surgery? Does this affect my reconstruction options?
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When do I need to make a decision about surgery?
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What should I do to get ready for the operation?
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Do you have recommendations on how to help me relax before surgery?
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What medications and supplements should I stop taking?
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Should I stop taking hormone replacement therapy?
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If I take birth control pills, do I need to stop?
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Will you describe exactly what you will do during this operation, and why?
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What are the potential risks and side effects of this operation?
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What can be done to ease side effects following surgery?
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Does the hospital offer programs that help aid healing?
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What can I expect regarding the operation?
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Will I need to be admitted to a hospital for this operation? If so, how long will I stay in the hospital?
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How long will my surgery take?
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What type of anesthesia will I need for this operation?
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How long do I have to wait for my preoperative test results? Do I call you, or does your office call me?
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Will my tumor be saved? If so, where will it be stored? For how long? How can it be accessed in the future?
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Will a pathologist examine the tissue and write a report? Who will explain that report to me?
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What are the possible complications for this type of surgery?
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How would I know if there is a problem?
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How long will it take me to recover after the surgery?
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When can I return to work and other daily activities?
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Will I have stitches, staples, and/or bandages?
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Will there be permanent effects from the surgery?
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Where will the scar be, and what will it look like?
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What type of clothes should I bring to go home it?
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Will I need a special type of bra?
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Are there instructions or post-operative care pamphlets I can take home with me?
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When can I shower or bathe?
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Will I need to have surgical drains? What does this mean?
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How long will the surgical drains be in?
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Do I need a nurse to visit my home after surgery? How is this arranged?
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When will I need to return for a follow-up appointment?
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Will I need help at home after the surgery?
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What kind of pain will I be in afterwards?
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Can you help me manage my pain?
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When should I call your office if I experience any side effects?
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Questions to ask your breast surgeon after your first surgery
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What type of breast cancer do I have?
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What is the size of the tumor?
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What is the grade and stage of this disease?
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What are my biomarkers? What do these mean?
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What are the chances that the breast cancer will return?
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Can you explain my pathology report (laboratory test results) to me?
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Can I get a copy of my pathology report? How and when can I get these results?
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What is the hormone receptor status of my cancer? What does it mean?
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What is the HER2 status of my cancer? What does it mean?
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How do these factors affect my treatment options and long-term outlook/prognosis?
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Was all of the cancer removed during the surgery?
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How many lymph nodes were removed?
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Has the cancer spread to any of the lymph nodes? If so, how many?
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Has the cancer spread to anywhere else in my body?
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Do I need additional surgery?
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If I have a mastectomy without reconstruction, where can I get a prosthesis? Is this covered by my insurance?
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Will my arm be affected by surgery? For how long?
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Will I need physical therapy for my arm?
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When will I be able to work and/or return to my normal routine?
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Are there any activities I should avoid?
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Will my surgeon communicate with my medical oncologist or radiation oncologist?
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Do you recommend any genetic testing of the tumor?
Questions to ask your medical oncologist
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How much experience do you have in treating breast cancer?
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What type of breast cancer do I have?
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What is the size of my tumor?
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What is the grade and stage of this disease? What does this mean?
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What is the hormone status of my tumor? What does this mean?
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What is my HER2 status? What does this mean?
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Do you recommend any genomic testing of the tumor?
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What about tests to predict the risk of recurrence?
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Do you share electronic records with my surgeon?
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Do I need more tests to find out if there is cancer anywhere else in my body?
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Do you recommend genetic testing and seeing a genetic counselor?
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Do I need other treatment, such as chemotherapy or hormonal therapy?
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What is chemotherapy?
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What is hormonal (endocrine) therapy?
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What is targeted therapy?
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What are my treatment options?
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What clinical trials are available for me? Where are they located, and how do I find out more about them?
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How will each treatment option benefit me? What are the risks?
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What is the expected timeline for each treatment option?
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What treatment plan do you recommend for me? Why?
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When do I need to make a decision about starting additional treatment?
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Should I consider my family’s history of breast cancer in making my decision about treatment?
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How does having reached (or not reached) menopause affect my treatment options?
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What is my prognosis?
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What can I do to get ready for this treatment?
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Should I bring someone with me to my chemotherapy treatment?
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Is chemotherapy given through the vein or as a pill, and will I need anti-nausea medications?
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What are the potential side effects of each treatment?
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Will I lose my hair, and can I do anything to prevent hair loss?
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What can be done to ease side effects?
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How will this treatment affect my daily life?
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Will I be able to work, exercise, and perform my usual activities?
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Will this treatment affect my sex life? If so, how and for how long? Is there anything I can do to prevent or treat these effects?
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Will this treatment affect my ability to have children (fertility)?
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Should I talk with a fertility specialist before treatment begins?
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Are there other treatments available that do not pose as high a risk to my fertility but are equally effective?
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How much time do I have before I have to start additional treatment?
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Can I become pregnant while receiving chemotherapy or radiation therapy?
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What happens if I become pregnant during treatment?
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Is there a risk of birth defects and/or harm to the fetus and/or to me?
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How long should I wait after cancer treatment before trying to have a child?
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What lifestyle changes should I consider making during my treatment?
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Do you recommend any nutritional supplements or changes to my diet?
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Can I take herbal supplements during my treatment? Is there any risk?
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If I have a strong family history of cancer, what is my chance of getting another cancer?
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Do I need to have my ovaries removed, also?
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Can you suggest a mental health professional I can see if I start to feel overwhelmed, depressed, or distressed?
Questions to ask your radiation oncologist
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What is the goal of this treatment? Is it to eliminate the cancer?
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What are the chances that this treatment will prevent the cancer from coming back?
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If the cancer comes back, can I get radiation therapy again?
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How often will I receive radiation therapy?
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Are there alternatives to the recommended treatment?
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How much time will each treatment take?
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Can I bring someone with me to treatment?
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Will each treatment be the same?
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Does the radiation dose or area treated change throughout the period of treatment?
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What can I do to get ready for this treatment?
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Are there recommendations on what clothes to wear or leave behind?
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How will this treatment affect my daily life?
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Will I be able to work, exercise, and perform my usual activities?
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Will you describe what I will experience when I receive radiation therapy?
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Will it hurt or cause me discomfort during the treatment?
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What are the potential side effects of this treatment?
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How can I ease side effects?
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How will my skin be affected during radiation therapy?
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What skin products can I use each day?
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Do I need to be concerned about sun exposure?
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Should I avoid certain foods, vitamins, or supplements?
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Should I avoid using deodorant or antiperspirant during treatment?
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What are the possible long-term effects of this treatment?
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If I decide to have reconstructive surgery, how would that affect my treatment plan?
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Will this treatment affect my fertility?
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Are there special services for patients receiving radiation therapy, such as certain parking spaces or parking rates?
Questions to ask your plastic surgeon
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Are you board-certified?
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Is breast reconstruction your specialty?
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How many breast reconstruction surgeries do you perform in a year?
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What should I consider before deciding to have breast reconstruction?
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What types of breast reconstruction options are available to me?
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What are the advantages and disadvantages of each type?
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When can I have my reconstruction?
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Will I need surgery to the non-reconstructed breast to make the breasts match?
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Will I need to coordinate this with my breast surgeon?
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If I have radiation therapy, does that change my options for reconstruction?
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What are tissue expanders, and will I need them?
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What are the advantages and disadvantages of each reconstruction option?
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Does it matter if I sleep on my stomach? Will it be uncomfortable?
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Which type of implants do you recommend (saline or silicone), and why? What size?
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If you use tissue from another part of my body to rebuild my breast(s), where do you recommend it be taken from, and why?
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If I have a mastectomy with implant reconstruction, can I also have a nipple reconstruction? If so, when?
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What are the costs involved with breast reconstruction?
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What is covered by my insurance?
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Is surgery on the non-reconstructed breast covered by insurance?
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How long will the surgery take?
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What do I need to do to prepare for the surgery?
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What type of anesthesia will I need for this operation?
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What can I expect after the operation?
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How long will I stay in the hospital?
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What are the possible complications for this type of surgery?
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How long will it take me to recover?
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When can I resume my normal activities, including exercise?
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Will I need to have surgical drains? What does this mean?
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Will I have stitches, staples, and/or bandages?
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Will there be a scar or other permanent effects from the surgery?
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Are there instructions or post-operative care pamphlets I can take home with me?
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When will I need to return for a follow-up appointment?
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What type of results can I expect?
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Are there photographs of reconstructed breasts that I can view?
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How will the reconstructed breast feel to the touch?
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What type of sensation (feeling) will the reconstructed breast have?
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What changes to the reconstructed breast can I expect over time?
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Will I need to have surgery again in the future (for example, to replace implants over time)?
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Do I need mammograms or MRI tests after a breast reconstruction?
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What can I expect if my weight changes?
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What if I become pregnant in the future?
After treatment
- Will I need a special diet after treatment?
- Are there any limits on what I can do?
- Am I at risk for lymphedema?
- What can I do to reduce my risk for lymphedema?
- What should I do if I notice swelling in my arm?
- What other symptoms should I watch for?
- What kind of exercise should I do now?
- What type of follow-up will I need after treatment?
- How often will I need to have follow-up exams, blood test or imaging test?
- How will we know if the cancer has come back? What should I watch for?
- What will my options be if the cancer comes back?