Original guide

Questions to ask your surgeon

A family-facing guide for understanding the surgical part of a cancer care plan.

Written by MatchMedi editorial team

Published 2026-05-20. Last checked 2026-05-20.

Surgery conversations can move quickly. These questions help slow the conversation down enough to understand the plan.

Before surgery

  • What are you trying to remove?
  • How wide will the excision be, and why?
  • Is sentinel lymph node biopsy being considered?
  • What are the risks of waiting for a second opinion?

After surgery

  • What pathology findings would change the plan?
  • Who explains the final pathology report?
  • When should we see medical oncology?
  • What signs after surgery should prompt a call?