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What To Ask Your Doctor

Be sure you understand what type of colon cancer you have, because it has a direct bearing on the treatment options your doctor will consider for you.

Here are some questions to guide you as you collect information regarding your treatment:

  • How do I obtain a copy of my pathology report and testing information?
  • How large and at what stage is my tumor?
  • Is there a way to tell how quickly my cancer is growing or if it is invasive?
  • How likely is my cancer to spread?
  • Am I a candidate for the Oncotype DX® 1 2 test, or other tumor specific tests?
  • Am I going to need radiation or chemotherapy and if so, what can I expect during that period of time?
  • Has my cancer metastasized?
  • How quickly can I expect to recover?
  • What is my risk of having the cancer come back (recurrence)?
  • What can I do to help prevent the return of my cancer?
  • How often do you recommend I be screened for recurrent cancer?
  • Do you have any recommendations for support groups?

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  1. Oncotype DX is a registered trademark of Genomic Health, Inc.
  2. At present, the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN®) has not described the utility of the application of multi-gene assay panels for prognostic or predictive application to colon cancer care. NCCN is a registered trademark of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network. NCCN does not endorse any product or therapy.