Nine things to check or ask this week, in three stages. Each comes from the National Cancer Institute or another trusted source, linked under it.
0 of 9 done. Tick each one as you go; it stays on this phone.
The diagnosis, your reports and the tests
A biopsy (a small tissue sample checked under a microscope) is usually how doctors are sure it is cancer. Ask for the name and stage of your cancer in writing. Stage means how large it is and whether it has spread. Ask which tests are still to come.
NCI: How cancer is diagnosed · NCI: Talking with your health care team · NCI: Cancer stagingYou have a right under federal law (HIPAA) to see and get a copy of your medical records and billing records. Ask each clinic, lab and hospital for your pathology, scan and lab reports. A provider can charge a fair copying fee. Keep your own set.
HHS: Your medical records · American Cancer Society: Seeking a second opinionBiomarker testing (also called tumor gene testing) looks for changes in your cancer that can help choose a treatment. Ask your doctor whether it should be done before treatment starts, and who will order it.
NCI: Biomarker testing for cancer treatment · NCI: Precision medicine in cancer treatmentA team review, a second look, and the cost
Cancer care is often planned by several kinds of specialists working together. Ask who is on your team and whether they will look at your case together. Ask who to call with questions.
American Cancer Society: Preparing for cancer treatment · NCI: Talking with your health care teamAsking for a second opinion is common and fair. Many families go to an NCI-designated cancer center, which you can search for online. Call your insurance first to learn what it covers. Send your reports ahead.
American Cancer Society: Seeking a second opinion · NCI: NCI-designated cancer centers · NCI: Pathology reportsCall your plan and ask what needs prior authorization, which is approval before a service or medicine is covered. Ask if your doctors and hospital are in network. Then ask the hospital for a financial counselor or patient navigator.
HealthCare.gov: Prior authorization · NCI: Managing cancer costsFertility, work and trials
Some treatments can affect your ability to have children. If this matters to you, say so now. Options such as banking sperm or eggs usually need to happen before treatment begins.
American Cancer Society: Preserving fertility in women · American Cancer Society: Preserving fertility in menThe Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) can give eligible workers unpaid, job-protected leave for a serious health condition, or to care for a spouse, child or parent. Ask your HR office what you qualify for and what forms your doctor must fill out.
U.S. Department of Labor: FMLAA clinical trial is a research study of a new way to treat cancer. Ask your doctor whether one might fit your cancer, now or later. Your team can help check and contact the trial for you.
NCI: Steps to find a clinical trialBring a one-page plan of your reports to your oncologist. Add photos of the reports, in any order; it is free.
Information to discuss with your doctor, not advice. Sources checked October 22, 2026.