Guiding questions to ask your surgeon

Knowing what to ask your surgeon when discussing your treatment is crucial to ensuring you have all the information you need to understand your options, the cost of treatment, any potential complications, and what their level of experience is.

We’ve developed a set of guiding questions for both reconstruction and non-reconstruction, with PDF downloads for you to take with you to your appointment.

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Guiding questions: reconstruction

Reconstruction choice

  • Given the treatments recommended for my particular breast cancer and stage of cancer what reconstruction options are available to me?

  • Which reconstruction would you recommend and why?

  • Can I have an immediate reconstruction? If not, why not?

  • How long does it take to perform the surgery?

  • Does the sensation of the breast return after reconstruction?

  • Is there a better chance of an increase in breast sensation returning after different types of reconstructions? For example, implants versus tissue flat.

Cost of treatment

  • What is the cost of surgery, including single versus bilateral mastectomy?

  • What are the out-of-pocket costs for the surgery, anesthetist, and hospital stay?

Recovery

  • What are the recovery times with different reconstructions?

  • When will I be able to resume my normal workload?

  • Do I have physiotherapy pre and post-operation?

  • When can I exercise again?

Complications

  • How many of this type of breast reconstruction have you performed in the past 12 months?

  • What percentage complication risk have you observed in the past 12 months?

  • What are the possible complications?

  • How are these complications treated and the success rate of resolving the complications?

  • If radiation is part of my treatment plan are implants at a higher risk of failing verses another form of reconstruction? (because of skin and muscle damage from radiation treatment)

  • If so, what is the percentage that implants increase the risk of failure?

Genetic testing

  • Do you recommend Genetic testing? (Or is this a question for an Oncologist)

Guiding questions: non-reconstruction

The mastectomy

  • How long does it take to perform the mastectomy?

  • Do I have physiotherapy pre and post-operation?

Cost of treatment

  • What is the cost of the mastectomy?

  • What are the out-of-pocket costs for the surgery, anesthetist, and hospital stay?

Recovery

  • What is the recovery time after a mastectomy?

  • When will I be able to resume my normal workload?

  • When can I exercise again?

Complications

  • How many mastectomies have you performed in the past 12 months?

  • What percentage complication risk have you observed in the past 12 months?

  • What are the possible complications?

  • How are these complications treated and the success rate of resolving the complications?

Delayed reconstruction as an option

  • Given the treatments recommended for my particular breast cancer and stage of cancer what reconstruction options are available to me should I decide to have a delayed reconstruction?

  • Which type of reconstruction would you recommend for a delayed reconstruction and why?

  • If radiation is part of my treatment plan are implants at a higher risk of failing versus another form of delayed reconstruction? (because of skin and muscle damage from radiation treatment)

  • If so, what is the percentage that implants increase the risk of failure?

Genetic testing

  • Do you recommend Genetic testing? (Or is this a question for an Oncologist)