It is important to have a clear understanding of your surgical options before deciding on the best treatment plan for you. At Methodist Healthcare, we find that many patients do not know what types of questions to ask.

We want to make sure you have all of the information you need, so we have put together a list of questions for you!

We encourage you to download these questions in our easy-to-use form and bring this questionnaire to your office visit.

  1. What type of cancer do I have and how serious is it?
  2. What are my surgical options, and why?
  3. Am I a candidate for Hidden Scar nipple sparing mastectomy or Hidden Scar lumpectomy? Are you trained in Hidden Scar procedures?
  4. Is the cancer recurrence rate the same with skin sparing or nipple sparing mastectomy compared to a simple mastectomy? After reconstruction will both of my breasts look the same?
  5. What will my scars look like?
  1. What type of cancer do I have?
  2. How big is it?
  3. Has it spread?
  1. Do I need a 2nd opinion?
  2. What kind of treatment do I need?
  3. Should I have a breast MRI?
  4. Is my cancer genetic?
  5. Do I need to be tested for breast cancer genes?
  6. How quickly do I need surgery?
  1. If I have a lumpectomy, can the cancer come back in my breast?
  2. Is lumpectomy as good as mastectomy?
  3. Am I a candidate for a Hidden Scar lumpectomy?
  4. Will I need lymph node surgery if I have a lumpectomy?
  5. Will I get a big swollen arm if you take out my lymph nodes?
  6. Are you trained in Hidden Scar Lumpectomy techniques?
  1. Are there different kinds of mastectomies?
  2. Can you save my nipple?
  3. Am I a candidate for skin-sparing or nipple-sparing mastectomy?
  4. Am I a candidate for Hidden Scar nipple-sparing mastectomy?
  5. Are you trained in Hidden Scar techniques?
  6. Can the cancer come back after mastectomy?
  1. Is surgery all I need, or do I also need radiation and/or chemotherapy?
  2. I have heard sometimes I need a 2nd operation. When would that happen to me?
  3. Will I need plastic surgery?
  4. Can I have reconstruction?
  5. Who does the reconstruction?
  6. What are the different types of reconstructions?
  7. After the reconstruction will both of my breasts look the same?
  8. What will my scars look like?
  1. How long will I be in the hospital?
  2. What do I do with my other breast? Is my other breast at risk of cancer?
  3. When can I go back to work?
  4. How often do I have to come back and have a follow-up?
  5. Will I still need mammography every year?
  6. When people look at me will they know I have had a mastectomy?
  7. What will my scars look like?