Will My Colorectal Cancer Return?

Understanding Staging

Previstage GCC Overview

How the Test Works

Reading the Test Results

Talking With Your Doctor

Insurance & Payment Information

Customer Service

Talking With Your Doctor

Preparing in advance for your doctor’s appointment can help you get the most out of the appointment. It may be helpful to:

• Organize or update your medical information binder as needed. (Keeping a three-ring binder with copies of your medical information can help as you talk with the various healthcare professionals who will be involved with your care.)

• Write down anything you want to be sure to share with your doctor about your physical or mental well being.

• Make a list of your questions to ensure nothing is forgotten. (See the suggestions below as a starting point.)

• Think about how much information you want your doctor to share about your disease, prognosis and treatment options so you can let your doctor know how to best communicate with you.

• Consider asking someone to join you at the appointment to take notes and help ask questions.

Below are questions that patients tend to ask their doctors when discussing their colorectal cancer surgery and/or treatment.  They were compiled in collaboration with the Colon Cancer Alliance. 

Before Surgery
After Surgery — For Your Surgeon
After Surgery — For Your Onocologist

Before the Surgery

Understanding the surgery:

1. What do you know about my cancer? Where exactly is it located? Has it spread?
   
   
2. What tests will be run prior to my surgery?
   
   
3. How many of these surgeries have you done?
   
   
4. What happens during the surgery? What part of my colon (or rectum) will you take out?
   
   
5. What are the potential complications of the surgery?

Post-surgery needs:

1. Will I have normal bowel movements after my surgery? Will I need a permanent or temporary colostomy? Who can help me if I have questions or problems with it?
   
   
2. How long will I be hospitalized?
   
   
3. Will I need assistance when I go home from the hospital?
   
   
4. Do I need to eat differently after surgery?
   
   
5. How long will it take before I fully recover?
   

Tests and treatments:

1. Should I have surgery before or after chemotherapy and/or radiation? (It is not unusual to have chemotherapy and/or radiation before rectal cancer surgery.)
   
   
2. Will I be cured after the surgery, or will I need chemotherapy and/or radiation?  When/how will I know if further treatment is required?
   
   
3. How will you determine the stage of my cancer?
   
   
4. What can you tell me about lymph nodes?  What are they, where are they, and why is analyzing them important?
   
   
5. I’ve heard it is important to have at least 12 lymph nodes removed and sampled to help determine the stage of my cancer.  Will this be done for me?

After Surgery

Questions for the surgeon:

1. Were you able to remove the entire tumor?
   
   
2. How large was my tumor?
   
   
3. What does the pathology report say about my cancer?
   
   
4. What is the stage of my cancer and my risk of recurrence?
   
   
5. What are my chances of recovering and living a normal life?

Questions for the oncologist:

1. For stage I or II colorectal cancer:
   
   • I understand studies have shown that up to 30% of patients with stage
     or II have disease recurrence. What is my risk of being one of them?
   
   • I have heard of a new molecular test, Previstage GCC, that can better
     identify the presence of cancer metastases in my lymph nodes. Can we
     test my lymph nodes? Bring the Information for my doctor sheet (PDF) in
     case your doctor doesn’t know the test.
   
   
2. What treatments do you recommend?
   
   • What are the benefits of the treatment? How much does it reduce the risk
     of recurrence?
   
   • How long does the treatment last?
   
   • How is it given (mouth, injection, other)?
   
   • What are the risks and side effects of this treatment in the short term and
     the long term?
   
   • How much will the treatment cost?
   
   • How long will I have to undergo treatment?
   
   • How will we know if the treatment is working?
   
   • When will I be able to return to work?
   
   • Are there any factors related to my health or medical situation that might
     influence the decision for or against this treatment?
   
   • Is there a difference in methods and treatment from one physician to the
     other? From one hospital to the other? How should I choose?
   
   
3. Are there clinical trials that I could participate in? Certain clinical trials can be found on the U.S. National Cancer Institute website.
   
   
4. How will we know if I develop disease recurrence? What symptoms should I look for? And how will I be followed?
   
   
5. Are there support groups in this hospital/community?
   
   
6. How did I develop this cancer?
   
   
7. Is it possible that other members of my family may be at risk of developing the same disease?  Is there a hereditary link?
   
   
8. Who can answer my questions after this appointment and how do I reach them?