Questions you may want to ask

Getting a diagnosis

• Will I be referred quickly to a medical team that specialises in diagnosing and treating gynaecological cancers? 

• Will medical professionals discuss the surgery and chemotherapy with me before my treatment? 

• How will I be followed up and for how long? 

• What further investigations may be done? 

• Who can I contact between appointments? 

• How long will I take to recover? 

• Can I use HRT (Hormone Replacement Therapy)? 

• What local support is available for me? 

Speak to our support line.

Do you have questions about ovarian cancer or your diagnosis?
Our support line is here:

Monday - Friday 10am-5pm.

Call 0808 008 7054 or email support@ovacome.org.uk

• What are my treatment options? 

• What is the team’s recommendation for my treatment? 

• What are the risks and benefits of the treatment? 

• How long will it go on for? 

• How often will I need to attend hospital? 

• What will happen if I don’t have treatment? 

• Will my treatment have side effects? How do I get support to manage these? 

Surgery

• If I need surgery what will be removed? 

• Do i need other tests before my surgery? 

• Will the surgery be done by a gynaecologist trained in managing gynaecological cancers? 

• Can all the cancer be taken away? 

• What are the risks? 

• Can my fertility be preserved? 

• Will the surgery cause an early menopause? 

• What will happen after the operation? 

• How long will I be in hospital? 

• Can my friends and family visit me? 

• How long will I take to recover? 

• How soon can I get back to my usual activities? 

• When will I get the results of my surgery? 

• Who can I ask if I have questions before I go into hospital? 

Chemotherapy

• What choices do I have for my chemotherapy treatment? 

• Will my chemotherapy be carried out by staff with a special interest in gynaecological cancers? 

• How will I know it is working? 

• Will I get side effects, and how long will they last? 

• What help can I have to manage side effects?  

• Will I lose my hair? 

• Will I have to shield or self- isolate during my treatment?  

• Who do I contact if I feel unwell at home?  

• How often will I have to visit the hospital?  

• How long does each chemotherapy session take?  

• Can someone come with me to the appointments? 

• How can I help myself during treatment? 

• Can I carry on working? 

• Who can I ask if I have any questions? 

Follow up appointments

• How long am I being followed up for?  

• How will I know if the cancer comes back?  

• Can I have CA125 tests and CT scans?  

• Who can I contact when I am at home? 

If your care needs increase

• Is my treatment still intended to cure the cancer? 

• Is my cancer now being managed rather than cured 

• If I stop having active anti-cancer treatment can my symptoms be controlled? 

• I am feeling very anxious, is there support available? 

• Where can I find more information? 

• Can I see a specialist nurse or counsellor and a symptom-control team? 

• Can I and my family get information on support services? 

• Will I get information on any ongoing clinical trials? 

Clinical trials

• Why is the trial being done? 

• What are the possible risks and benefits for me taking part? 

• Could you tell me what you know about the side effects of the new treatment? 

• How long will the trial last and how long will I have treatment on the trial? 

• How far and how often will I have to travel? 

• Will I have to spend more time in hospital having scans and tests? 

• What information will be kept about me and who will see it? 

• How likely am I to benefit from taking part in the trial? Do you know how much benefit I will gain? 

• How will I find out the results of the trial? 

• Can I claim expenses? 

• If anything goes wrong will I be covered by insurance? 

Getting a second opinion

• If the second opinion differs from the original one, why? 

• Are there other treatments I could have? 

• What are the side effects of these other treatments? 

• What impact might the treatments have on my life? 

• How long will I need to be treated for? 

• Will I need to have my treatment at another hospital? 

Did you find this page helpful?

We welcome your feedback. If you have any comments or suggestions, please email r.grigg@ovacome.org.uk or call 0207 299 6653.