What to ask the doctor... - Cancer Message Board

tinamarie0914 · 05-10-2009, 01:48 PM

My mother was just told that an MRI has shown that cancer has metastasized to her upper and lower spine. She will see an oncologist tomorrow to begin the process of determining the primary cancer as well as prognosis and treatment options. I'm wondering if anyone who has been through this can recommend specific questions to make sure we ask the doctor. My mom and dad are both still in a bit of shock and I know won't have their wits about them. My brother will be going with them, but I just want to make sure he asks all of the right questions and this is new to all of us so we're just not completely sure what to ask.

Thank you so much for your help!!

SamQKitty · 05-11-2009, 01:03 PM

Oh gosh, there are so many questions...and some will depend on what treatment they're recommending, but for starters:

What treatment are you recommending? What are the potential side effects? What can we expect of this treatment, both from the standpoint of side effects and effectiveness of treatment. How long will the treatment be? If you don't expect a cure, is this manageable? (Sometimes cancer can be managed quite well for several years, even though it may not be curable.) Of the side effects of treatment, which are considered "normal" side effects, and which might be considered rare, but of an emergency nature; in other words, for which side effects should we call you immediately or go to the ER.

Good luck, and keep us posted. Feel free to ask any other questions you may have. Also...sometimes it's a good idea to bring a tape recorder to these meetings...most doctors won't mind if you tape the appointment so that you can remember everything.

Ruth

tinamarie0914 · 05-17-2009, 10:47 PM

Thank you so much for your help with the questions. I'm hoping you can help me understand the MRI report language. The thoracic spine report says there are multiple thoracic spine metastases most prevalent involving the T5 vertebral body. The lumbar spine report says there are multiple intramedullary bone lesions consistent with metastatic disease. A biopsy was done and came back negative for cancer which just doesn't make any sense to me. The oncologist didn't seem to be questioning whether or not there is cancer, he's just concerned with finding the primary cancer.

Anyway, I would be grateful if someone could help me understand the language in the MRI report. I'm not always able to attend the appointments with my mom and am not sure I'm getting a straight story on what all of this means from my dad.

Thank you so much for your help!

SamQKitty · 05-20-2009, 02:45 PM

Hi Tinamarie,
I'm sorry I haven't replied to this sooner but I was out of town for several days.

I don't understand them either, and I don't understand why the oncologist can't point you in the right direction. And I'm wondering...where did he do the biopsy? If he didn't actually get bone or tissue from a lesion, then it wouldn't show as cancerous...he'd have to actually get it from one of the lesions.

On the other hand, I guess it's possible that these are not actually cancer, but some other sort of disease process that's affecting her spine. I'm wondering if the next step should possibly be to see an orthopedic surgeon?

Ruth