kidney doctor Kidney cancer: Questions to ask the doctor

Kidney cancer: Questions to ask the doctor







Approved by the Editorial Board of Cancer.Net, 08/2017

ON THIS PAGE: You will find some questions to ask the doctor or other members of the health care team to help you better understand your diagnosis, treatment plan, and general care. Use the menu to see other pages.

Talking frequently with the health care team is important in making informed decisions about medical care. The questions suggested here are a starting point to help you get more information about cancer care and treatment. It is also advised that you ask additional questions that are important to you. We recommend that you print out this list and take it to your next appointment or download the free Cancer.Net mobile application, in order to obtain a digital list and other interactive tools to manage your care.
Questions to ask after receiving a diagnosis

    What type of kidney cancer do I have?

    What type of cells make up the tumor?

    Can you explain the pathology report (results of laboratory tests)?

    At what stage is the cancer? What does this mean?

    What is my prognosis?

    What are my treatment options?

Questions to ask about how to choose a treatment and manage side effects

    What are my treatment options?

    In what clinical trials can I participate? Where are they located and how do I find out more about them?

    What treatment plan do you recommend? Why?

    What is the objective of each treatment? Is it used to eliminate cancer, help me feel better or both?

    Who will be part of my health care team and what is the role of each member?

    Who will coordinate my general treatment?

    How will this treatment affect my daily life? Will I be able to work, exercise and perform my usual activities?

    Could this treatment affect my sex life? If so, how and for how long?

    Could this treatment affect my ability to get pregnant or have children in the future? If so, should I talk to a fertility specialist before the start of cancer treatment?

    If I am worried about how to deal with the costs related to cancer treatment, who can help me?

    What support services do I have at my disposal? And at the disposal of my family?

    Who should I call if I have questions or problems arise?

    Is there anything else I should ask?

Questions to ask about performing surgery

    What kind of surgery will I have? Will the lymph nodes be removed?

    Can I have a partial nephrectomy? If not, why?

    If I first receive a type of treatment other than surgery, can surgery be done later, if necessary?

    Who will operate me? How much experience does this surgeon have with this type of cancer?

    How long will the operation last?

    How long will I be hospitalized?

    Can you describe how my recovery from surgery will be?


What are the possible long-term effects of performing this surgery?

    Will I need treatment after surgery? What kind of treatment?

Questions to ask about conducting targeted therapy or immunotherapy

    What role, if any, will the targeted therapy or immunotherapy have in my treatment plan?

    What is the purpose of this treatment?

    Does this center have experience in the use of high doses of IL-2, should they recommend it to me? If not, what is the closest center that has experience?

    How long will it take to administer this treatment?

    What side effects can I expect during treatment?

    What are the possible long-term effects of performing this treatment?

    What can I do to relieve the side effects?

    How can I stay as healthy as possible during treatment?

Questions to ask about how to plan follow-up care

    What is the probability that the cancer will reappear? Should I pay attention to the appearance of specific signs or symptoms?

    What long-term side effects or late effects are possible depending on the cancer treatment I received?

    What follow-up tests will I need and how often?

    How do I get a summary of the treatment and a survival care plan to keep in my personal records?

    Who will be in charge of my follow-up care?

    What survival support services are available to me? And at the disposal of my family?

The next section of this guide is Additional resources. It offers some additional resources on the website, in addition to this guide, which may be useful. You can use the menu to choose a different section to read in this guide.