10 Questions to ask your oncologist before considering chemo

After a cancer diagnosis, everything can begin to move very quickly: Appointments are scheduled, treatment plans are introduced, and decisions may feel as though they need to be made immediately. In that pace, it is easy to forget something essential: this is still your body, your life, and your decision.

Being proactive means understanding what is being proposed, why it is being recommended, and how it aligns with your long-term vision for your health. True informed consent is not a signature on a form – it is a conversation where you feel clear, and respected by your care team.

Unfortunately, in today’s conventional medical care system, chemotherapy and radiation are the quick go-to answers for many cancers – yet they are not the only options, so it’s worthwhile to consider various modalities before committing to a single one. 

At Ezra Healing, we believe no treatment should be entered into without thoughtful consideration. Asking the right questions creates space – which means it gives you enough room mentally and practically to respond rather than react. This space slows the process just enough for you to gather information, explore options, and make decisions from a place of awareness rather than urgency.

This means:

• taking time to fully understand what’s being recommended, in plain language

• asking for your reports, scans, and written summaries so you can review them yourself; after all, this is your body and it’s important to learn what is being said about it

• bringing in a second opinion or another wellness practitioner you trust

• discussing options with family or support systems

• checking in with your own intuition and values before agreeing to any plan

Your oncologist may see this as passive response or avoidance on your part, but this deliberate pause to ask and inquire further allows your decisions to be informed and aligned, rather than rushed. 

Before you start, prepare to record

Bringing a trusted companion into your appointment (a spouse, parent, sibling), and advising them you will be recording the conversation (on a phone or recording device), can make a meaningful difference in how you process and retain information. These discussions are quite dense, technical, and emotionally charged, which makes it difficult to absorb everything in real time or recall it accurately later. 

A second set of ears can help catch details you might miss, ask thoughtful follow-up questions, and provide support in the moment. It also creates a shared reference point for further discussions with family or other practitioners, helping ensure that your next steps are based on accurate understanding.

10 questions to ask your oncologist and radiologist before considering chemotherapy and/or radiation:

1)  I understand that I’ve been diagnosed with (insert type of cancer) – is the treatment you’re recommending intended to cure the cancer, or manage it?

2)  What causes this type of cancer? What stage and type do I have? 

3) If this treatment does not cure the type of cancer I have, what outcomes should I realistically expect? What has your research shown for others with a similar diagnosis (cancer type, stage, age, overall health)?

4) What are the short-term and long-term side effects of this treatment? Does this treatment cause secondary cancers? 

5) How will side effects be managed if they occur, and what supportive care systems are available to me to help reduce/manage them? Are they paid for or included in my care? 

6) How will this treatment impact my quality of life – physically, mentally, and emotionally? And how will we monitor whether the treatment is working? (ie: what markers, scans, timelines will be used / how often). 

7) What are all of my options, including choosing no treatment or delaying treatment? 

8) Can you connect me with other patients similar to me (age, stage, condition) who have undergone this treatment so that I can ask them questions about their experience with this treatment? 

9) Are there integrative or supportive therapies I can safely use alongside this treatment to improve outcomes and reduce side effects?

Specifically, I’d like your guidance on:

• Nutrition and dietary changes

• Exercise recommendations

• Reducing environmental toxins

• Therapies such as hyperbaric oxygen treatment or vitamin C IVs?

10) Would you be open to collaborating with an integrative or alternative care team to support my treatment (ie: wellness company, naturopath, acupuncturist, etc.) should I choose to have added care?

Download a copy of these 10 questions by clicking the document below:

Closing statement to doctors

After these questions have been answered, it’s good practice to close the conversation in a way that is both respectful and grounded in your autonomy, such as:

“I want to make an informed decision. I appreciate your expertise, and I also want to fully understand all outcomes before moving forward. I’m going to take some time to reflect on what we’ve discussed, review everything carefully, and speak with my family before making a decision. I may come back with a few more questions once I’ve had that space, and I value your support as I move through this process.”

This keeps the tone collaborative, while clearly setting a boundary that the decision will be made on your timeline, not under pressure – which is extremely important for your mindset and decision-making process.

Remember: A thoughtful decision is not a delayed decision – it’s an informed one.

Final guidance 

You do not need to make a decision while you are sitting in the doctor’s office.  

Download and print off this list, and bring it with you so you can read directly from it –this ensures you don’t miss anything important in the moment.

Take your time and let the information settle. Go home, listen to the recording, and talk it through with people you trust: your family, your friends, your support system.

This is your body; your life; your decision. This is where your autonomy lives – not in opposition to your medical team, but in embracing the space and time you need for knowledge gathering. 

Should you feel you need to have a conversation with our Ezra Healing team prior to your oncologist’s appointment, please book a consultation so we can assist you and your family with added support and guidance.