Making decisions about cancer treatments

Doctors and other healthcare staff can give you detailed advice about individual treatments, but the final decision on which treatment to have, or whether to have treatment, is yours.

Be informed Back to top

It is important to find out as much as possible about the type of cancer you have and the treatments that are planned, so that you can work closely with your doctors and make informed choices if you wish. You can discuss the benefits and possible risks of each treatment with the health professionals looking after you. Some of the questions that you may want to ask your doctors are listed below.

Questions you may want to ask your doctors Back to top

• What type of cancer is it?
• Has it spread?
• What treatments are available for this type of cancer?
• How effective is the treatment likely to be?
• Which treatment is the best for me?
• How long will each treatment take and what does it involve?
• What are the possible side effects of treatment?
• How much is the treatment likely to affect my day-to-day life?

Once you have the answers to these questions, you may need time to think through your choices, and discuss them with family or friends.

If you make it clear to your specialists that you want to take part in decisions about your treatment, they will be able to discuss your treatment programme with you. You have a right to expect honesty and as much information as you feel you need at each point in your illness.

It is important to remember that you can always refuse to have a particular treatment if, after considering your options, you decide for any reason that you do not want to go ahead with it.

Finding out about treatments Back to top

If you find it difficult to decide between the treatment options, it may help to talk to people who have already had those treatments. Your doctor may be able to put you in touch with other patients, and many cancer organisations and support groups can also help you to find someone who has had a particular treatment.

Details of support organisations| are listed in our database. Some websites have video clips of patients talking about their experiences of treatment.

It is often possible to find information about cancer and its treatment on the Internet; however, there is also a lot of misleading or inaccurate information. If you look on the Internet it is important to know which sites you are looking at - here is a list of sites| with accurate and up-to-date information.

Many websites are trying to sell you something such as a particular drug or health treatment. Often these are not helpful and could cause you harm, so if you are thinking of trying out a treatment advertised on the Internet it is very important to check it out first with your doctor.

Some people prefer to leave treatment decisions completely to their doctors, as they find this easier and less stressful. However, even if you choose this option, it is helpful to take the time to understand what your treatment will involve.

Other health problems Back to top

It is possible that you may have at least one other health problem when your cancer is diagnosed and you may already be taking particular medicines. This may influence the doctors when choosing which treatments to offer you.

Family involvement Back to top

Some people find there is disagreement between their close family members about how actively their cancer should be treated. Remember it is your body, and you who will have to have the treatment, so although you may want to discuss the options with your family and close friends, you must choose the treatment that feels most right for you.

Making a living will (advance directive) Back to top

It may be helpful to write down which treatments you will accept and which you would not like to have, so that if you become unable to discuss this with the doctors they will know what your wishes are.

A living will or advance directive allows you to leave instructions about your possible medical treatment in case there comes a time when you are no longer able to make decisions or communicate what you want.

A living will allows you to say no to a particular treatment, but cannot be used to force your medical team to give you a particular treatment.

It can be a way of letting your family know your wishes, so that they can also do what you would want.

You can get a model living will to use or adapt from the book Dying Well by Richard Reoch (1997), or from www.clickdocs.co.uk/living-wills.htm| (for a small charge).