Questions to ask about treatment
Chordoma is a complex disease to treat. Patients often wonder what types of questions they should ask their doctors to help them make the most informed decisions about their care. We developed the list of questions to ask about treatment, below, with input from chordoma patients, caregivers, and the members of our Community Advisory Board on questions they found important to ask their doctors. You may not need to ask all the questions on these lists, and there may be questions you want to ask that are not listed.
Some helpful tips to consider:
- Print out the questions to ask about treatment so you can take them with you to your appointments.
- Take notes to help you remember important information discussed during your appointment.
- Bring someone with you to your doctors’ visits to help take notes, process the information discussed, and clarify any questions or concerns.
Please request help from a Chordoma Foundation Patient Navigator if there is any way we can assist you.
Question lists
New or suspected diagnosis
- including questions about the doctor’s experience with chordoma, diagnosis, surgery, and radiation
Recurrent chordoma
- including questions about the doctor’s experience with recurrent chordoma, surgery, re-irradiation, and other options
Advanced or metastatic disease
- including questions about systemic therapy and clinical trials
Palliative and supportive care
- including questions about pain management, physical therapy, rehabilitation, and mental health counseling
Pain management
- including questions on causes of pain and pain management options
Integrative medicine
- including questions about complementary and alternative medicine
Insurance and disability coverage
- including questions about treatment costs and disability benefits in the United States
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