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Preparing for Treatment
The doctor can
describe your treatment choices and the results you can expect for each
treatment option. You will want to
consider how treatment may change the way you look, breathe, and talk. You and your doctor can work together to
develop a treatment plan that meets your needs and personal values.
The
choice of treatment depends on a number of factors, including your general health,
where in the larynx the cancer began, the size of the tumor, and whether the
cancer has spread.
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If you smoke, a good way to prepare for
treatment is to stop smoking.
Studies show that treatment is more likely to be successful for
people who don’t smoke. Your doctor
or the Cancer Information Service (1-800-4-CANCER) may be
able to suggest
ways to help you stop smoking.
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You
may want to talk with the doctor about taking part in a clinical trial, a research study of new treatment
methods. Clinical trials are an
important option. Patients who join
trials have the first chance to benefit from new treatments that have shown
promise in earlier research. The
section on “The Promise of Cancer Research” has more
information about research in progress.
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These are questions you may want to ask your
doctor before treatment begins:
Where
is my cancer and has it spread?
What
are my treatment choices? Which do
you recommend for me? Why?
What
are the benefits of each treatment?
What are the risks and possible
side effects
of each treatment?
How will I look after treatment?
How will I speak after treatment? Will I need to work with a speech therapist?
Will I have problems eating?
Will I
need to change my daily activities?
When
can I return to work?
What is the treatment likely to cost? Is this treatment covered by my
insurance plan?
Would a clinical
trial (research study) be right for me? Can you help me find one?
How often will I need checkups?
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You do
not need to ask all your questions or understand all the answers at once. You will have many chances to ask the doctor
and the rest of the health care team to explain things that are not clear and
to ask for more information.
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