At Your Appointment

Advanced Lung Cancer Appointment Guide

Ask the right questions at your next doctor’s appointment. Answer two questions below to personalize your appointment guide.

• Has your doctor diagnosed you or your loved one with advanced lung cancer?

  1. Yes, diagnosed
  2. No, undiagnosed
• Will this appointment be an in-office visit or an online/telehealth appointment?

  1. In-office visit
  2. Online/telehealth appointment
Submit

Top Questions Your Doctor May Ask You About Advanced Lung Cancer If you’re having a telehealth appointment, it's helpful to keep these things in mind. Test your computer or smartphone to make sure you can log in without difficulties. Since the doctor can’t examine you in person, be very specific about your symptoms. Print this appointment guide or write down your questions so you remember what to ask, and consider having someone sit with you to listen in. Have your medicines with you so you can show the doctor the labels and doses, and if you are interested in a specific treatment, be sure to ask about it.

• Please describe the symptoms and issues you’re having that led you to schedule this online appointment. Start at the beginning of this current episode and tell me how and when things have changed and progressed.
• What are your goals with your stage 3 or stage 4 lung cancer treatment?
• What other health conditions do you have? How are you treating and managing them?
• Are you experiencing any side effects from the cancer treatments?
• Are you having any pain or other symptoms?
• Are you interested in getting a second opinion about stage 3 or 4 lung cancer?
• Would you like to learn more about current clinical trials for stage 3 lung cancer treatments?
• What kind of emotional and social support do you have to help you cope with stage 3 or stage 4 lung cancer?
• Have you had a lung abnormality or lung cancer in the past?
• Are you a smoker? Tell me about your smoking history (years x packs). Were you exposed to secondhand smoke?
• Are you having any lung symptoms, such as shortness of breath or coughing or spitting up blood?
• Do you have any symptoms outside the lungs, such as headaches, swollen lymph nodes, or pain?
• Do you have a family history of lung cancer or other cancers?
• Have you had a chest X-ray?

Top Questions To Ask Your Doctor About Advanced Lung Cancer Many people forget to ask important questions at their doctor's appointments. You may want to print or write these questions down before your appointment so you remember to get the answers you need.

• What does having stage 3 or stage 4 lung cancer mean for me?
• What tests do I need to find out how far the cancer has spread?
• Has my stage 3 or stage 4 lung cancer been tested genetically to see which treatments may be best for me? Which tests have been done?
• What is the goal of stage 3 lung cancer treatment? Is the goal for stage 4 lung cancer different?
• What are the possible side effects of the treatment you are recommending?
• What are my options if I no longer want to pursue active treatment for stage 4 lung cancer?
• Am I a candidate for a clinical trial of stage 3 lung cancer treatments?
• Do my symptoms mean I have stage 3 or stage 4 lung cancer?
• Could my symptoms be caused by another medical condition or noncancerous tumor?
• What tests do I need to find out whether it is cancer and how advanced it is?
• How long will it take to get the results of the diagnostic tests?
• How do you treat stage 3 lung cancer? Is treatment for stage 4 lung cancer different?

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