Answering "yes" to the following questions will help to ensure that a patient has taken the necessary steps to understand her treatment options and gather the information she needs to arrive at an informed treatment decision.

1. Do you know how much time you can take to make your decision?

2. Did your doctor present you with your treatment options?

3. Do you understand the various treatment options?

   Do you understand:

   a) The advantages and disadvantages of each treatment option?

   b) The side effects (short-term and long-term) of each treatment option?

   c) Why certain options may not be medically appropriate for you?

4. Do you need additional information to make your decision?

   Do you know:

   a) What additional information you need?

   b) How and where to get the information you need?

5. Have you discussed your decision with your partner, family or a close friend?

6. Have you considered how you would react to having each type of treatment?

7. Are you having difficulty making your decision?

   Do you know:

   a) What else you need to do to make your decision?

8. Are you ready to make your decision?

9. Are you comfortable with your decision and can you live with your decision?

General Questions to Help Patients Learn More about Follow-up Care and Breast Cancer "Risk Management".

1. After I have completed my treatment, who will be in charge of my medical care and how often will I be seen for follow-up visits?

2. Will I be monitored to see how I am doing? What other kinds of tests will I have and how often?

3. Are there do's and don'ts that I should follow after treatment and for how long?

4. Are any of my relatives at an increased risk for breast cancer? If so, what is the risk?

5. What are your recommendations for breast cancer screening (breast examinations by a health care professional, mammograms) and how often should I be screened?

6. How often and at what time of the month should breast self-exams be done? Can you teach me how to do a proper breast self-examination (including reconstructed breast(s)/mastectomy scar examination?

7. At what age should breast examinations begin? Do you have instructional materials on breast self-exams and healthy lifestyles (nutrition, etc.) that I can use and give to my relatives and friends?

The reliable medical information given on the pages of this site have all been thoroughly reviewed by a team of health educators, medical physicians, surgeons, pathologists, oncologists and nursing staff.

Adapted from the Breast Buddy Volunteer Training Curriculum.

Last Updated: 06/01/2004

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