If you receive a diagnosis of non-small cell lung cancer, consider having an in-depth discussion with your doctor about your treatment. Questions to discuss include treatment goals, options, and side effects.

When you have non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), good communication with your doctor can be a top priority. Having an open discussion may help you get the right treatment and manage your symptoms and side effects.

Writing your questions in advance is a good idea so you don’t forget. You can also bring someone with you to your appointment to take notes and ask follow-up questions.

Your questions can be specific to your situation, but here are some general questions about treatment to get you started.

Before choosing your treatment therapies, you need to decide on your goals. Ensure your doctor understands these goals and can tell you whether they’re realistic.

Before starting treatment, ensure you and your doctor agree on goals and expectations.

Ask whether your treatment may help:

  • treat, manage, or cure the cancer
  • address specific symptoms to improve overall quality of life
  • lengthen life span
  • some combination of these

Whatever your goal, treatment may include:

Ask your doctor:

  • What treatments do you recommend and why?
  • Are they short- or long-term treatments?
  • What side effects can I expect?

Do not forget to ask about treatment side effects

That last question is important because each treatment type has its own side effects. These may include:

  • fatigue
  • nausea, vomiting
  • loss of appetite, weight changes
  • hair loss
  • flu-like symptoms

Before deciding on treatment, you may want to know how it might affect you daily and whether the pros outweigh the cons. Questions to ask your doctor include:

  • What are the most common side effects?
  • What are the most severe side effects?
  • Is it possible to manage the side effects? How?
  • How will treatment affect my daily activities, including my ability to participate in and enjoy family, friends, and work

Some treatments may require follow-up testing to determine whether they’re working or causing negative effects. This testing may require more frequent trips to your treatment center.

Ask your doctor how they may monitor your treatment. You may want to know what’s involved so you can prepare transportation and anything else you might need.

Certain lifestyle changes may be necessary because of cancer symptoms or treatment side effects. Some lifestyle changes can help you feel better and complement your treatment.

Here are a few issues you can address:

  • How might the cancer and treatment affect my ability to continue working?
  • Can they affect my sex life?
  • Should I increase or decrease my physical activity? Are there particular exercises that are beneficial?
  • Do I need to make changes to my diet?

If you smoke and need help quitting, ask your doctor to recommend a smoking cessation program.

The American Cancer Society also has great resources for smoking cessation.

You can research the general outlook for NSCLC, but it’s just that: a general outlook.

While you may go into remission, NSCLC can be manageable for a time, but experts don’t consider it curable. Still, your individual outlook depends on factors such as:

  • age
  • overall health, such as coexisting conditions
  • choice of treatment
  • following the treatment plan
  • your body’s response to treatment

Your doctor can give you some idea of what you can expect based on your medical information.

You can get innovative treatments you can’t get anywhere else through a clinical trial. At the same time, you can help advance research on safe and effective treatments for lung cancer.

Clinical trials may have strict criteria. Your oncologist can check to see whether there’s a good match for you. Other questions to ask are:

  • Where is the trial’s location?
  • What treatment is the trial designed to test?
  • What are the risks?
  • What’s the time commitment?
  • Will there be any cost to me?

Palliative care is a specialty with a focus on symptom management and quality of life. You can have palliative care alone or with other treatments. The care involves access to a multidisciplinary team, which could include:

  • doctors
  • nurses
  • nutritionists
  • social workers
  • spiritual advisors

Hospice care is an option that you and your doctor can discuss once treatments don’t appear to be working and you have a limited life span.

You can get hospice care at your home, a hospital, or a specific hospice setting. It provides you and your family with the care, resources, and support you need to focus on your quality of life.

A hospice care team resembles a palliative care team and may include trained volunteers to support you, your loved ones, and caregivers. Under hospice care, you and your family can have 24/7 access to support.

Your oncologist or treatment center can recommend credible sources of information. They probably maintain a list of local groups that provide practical, everyday help and support groups.

When you have advanced NSCLC, it’s not unusual to have more questions pop up along the way. Oncologists know this and have the preparation to answer them. The same goes for all the healthcare professionals on your team.

Encourage your family and caregivers to join the conversation. Remember, you’re not in this alone.