Oral Cancer: Questions to Ask Your ENT Doctor

Oral cancer is a type of cancer that affects the mouth. It can also develop inside your mouth on your tongue, gums, lips, and other parts of your mouth. Spreading to other parts of the body, oral cancers can be life-threatening.

You should see the ENT doctor for further diagnosis when there are some signs and symptoms of oral cancer. But what should I ask the Doctor about oral cancer?

Here list some common questions to be asked. Not all of these questions may apply to you, but asking the ones that do may be helpful.

When informed to have oral cancer:

• What kind of oral cancer do I have?
• Where is my cancer located?
• Has my cancer spread beyond where it started?
• What is the stage of my cancer and what does that mean?
• Will I need other tests before we can decide on treatment?

When deciding on a treatment plan:

• How much experience do you have treating this type of cancer?
• What are my treatment options and why do you recommend to me?
• What is the goal of the treatment?
• Will this treatment affect the way I look?
• Should I get a second opinion and how?
• What are the chances I can be cured of this cancer with these treatment options?
• How quickly do I need to decide on treatment?
• What should I do to be ready for treatment?
• How long will treatment last?
• Will treatment affect my work?
• What risks and side effects can I expect from the treatments?
• What are my options if the treatment doesn’t work or if the cancer recurs?

During treatment

• Is there anything I can do to help manage side effects?
• What symptoms or side effects should I tell you about right away?
• How can I reach you on nights or holidays?
• Do I need to change what I eat during treatment?
• Can I exercise during treatment and what kind?

After treatment:

• Will I need a special diet?
• Are there any limits on what I can do?
• What symptoms should I watch for?
• What kind of exercise should I do?
• What type of follow-up will I need?
• How often will I need to have follow-up exams and imaging tests?
• How will I know if the cancer has come back?
• What will my options be if the cancer recurs?
• How can I reach you in an emergency?

Did you find the information useful? If so, continue reading our posts.

For details of our ENT services, diagnosis, and treatment, please consult our ENT specialist.

Source:

HK ENT Specialist Ltd.

Hong Kong based ENT clinic centre

For ENT Services, Audiology & Speech Therapy,

Sleep Disordered Breathing Management,

Hearing Aid Prescription & Medical Cosmetic Services

https://www.hkentspecialist.hk