It’s important to advocate for yourself and your care throughout your journey with melanoma. There will be many points during your melanoma treatment when you’ll need to provide your input, and you should always feel comfortable voicing any thoughts, opinions, or concerns to your doctor.

When it comes to your skin cancer care, there are no dumb questions. Additionally, doctors may be busy and might not explain everything about your treatment unless you ask. While your oncologist (cancer doctor), dermatologist, and other health care specialists will be the drivers of your melanoma treatment decisions, consider yourself an active passenger whose voice matters.

Read on to learn about six ways to better advocate for your care with melanoma.

1. Prepare for Medical Appointments

One way to take a more active role in melanoma care involves preparing for doctors’ appointments. During these visits, you’ll receive a lot of information. Digesting new information about your condition can be overwhelming and difficult. This is why preparing ahead of time is so important.

Before appointments, sit down and think about how you’ve been feeling. Note your questions regarding your medications, diet, possible side effects, and what you can and can’t do during treatment.

Better yet, keep a running list of questions on paper or use an app on your phone. This way you’re less likely to forget questions as they cross your mind. Bring your list of questions with you to your next appointment, and discuss them with your doctor.

2. Bring Support to Your Medical Appointments

Living with melanoma and undergoing treatment can affect your energy levels, concentration, and ability to think clearly. You may want to bring a trusted friend or family member to support you during your appointments. This person can help advocate for you, make sure your questions are heard, and record important information from your doctor.

Asking a loved one for support with medical visits may be intimidating, but more often than not, people are happy to help their friends in times of need. Just think, would you support a friend in this way if they asked you for the same type of help?

3. Be Honest With Your Oncologist

Be honest with yourself and your oncologist throughout your cancer treatment. The goals of melanoma treatment typically include killing or surgically removing cancer cells, slowing or preventing the spread of cancer to other parts of the body, and preventing it from coming back.

If you have different goals or want a different outcome from your cancer treatment, tell your doctor. Some treatments may have side effects that can interfere with your ability to do activities you enjoy, so make sure your doctor knows what’s important to you.

Help your doctor put your treatment goals into perspective, whether that’s improving your quality of life, decreasing fatigue, or reducing pain or other symptoms. Sometimes, they can suggest additional or different treatments if your goals change or if unbearable side effects crop up.

4. Ask About Melanoma Care Resources

Cancer centers often have resources for people going through treatment. Resources may include financial support, as well as social and emotional assistance. Different nonprofits like CancerCare and the AIM at Melanoma Foundation offer and provide links to melanoma support resources like counseling, financial assistance, and support groups.

The cancer center where you receive treatment may also have a variety of resources. Not all resources are publicized, and your doctor might not mention them unless you ask. Ask about different resources for people with melanoma to find support that can help you.

5. Explain Your Barriers to Care

Do you have difficulty sticking with your prescribed treatment plan? If so, you may be nervous to share this information with your doctor. However, if you tell them why you’re having trouble, they’ll likely offer support and suggest ways to help overcome hurdles.

Barriers to care include:

• Being unable to afford medication or treatment
• Being unable to get transportation or drive yourself to medical appointments
• Living far away from a pharmacy or cancer treatment center
• Lacking health insurance
• Lacking social support (such as friends or family)
• Having a language barrier

Let your oncology doctor know if these or other obstacles keep you from following your melanoma treatment plan. These factors can weigh into your treatment options and decisions. Being aware of these issues can help your doctor determine a treatment plan that may be easier for you to follow.

6. Find Out About Clinical Trials for Melanoma

Clinical trials are research studies that test new medical treatments in people to see if they are safe and effective. Sometimes, participating in clinical trials gives you access to treatment you wouldn’t have otherwise.

Doctors might not always tell you about current clinical trials. If you’re interested in learning about clinical trials or participating in one for melanoma, ask your oncologist. Add this topic to your list of questions to bring up at appointments.

Talk With Others Who Understand

MyMelanomaTeam is the social network for people with melanoma and their loved ones. On MyMelanomaTeam, members come together to ask questions, give advice, and share their stories with others who understand life with melanoma.

Do you have melanoma and want to better advocate for your care? Do you have any tips about advocating for your care with melanoma? Share your experience in the comments below, or start a conversation by posting on your Activities page.