From a doctor who’s been the patient
Newly Diagnosed: What Are the Next Steps?
A cancer diagnosis comes with a lot of waiting, a lot of new words, and a lot of feelings, often all at once. Built from lived experience and clinical expertise, this free toolkit helps you get through the wait, walk into your first appointment prepared, and ask for the support you deserve.
Not knowing your stage right away is common.
Biopsy results often take one to two weeks, and final staging may not be known until surgery or later. The wait is part of the process, not a sign something is wrong.
Bring backup to your first appointment.
Under stress, it’s easy to miss what the doctor says. A second set of ears can take notes, catch details, and help you remember later.
Walk into your first appointment prepared
A free 5-page printable toolkit with the questions to ask, what to bring, and trackers that keep every answer in one place.
Robyn Stacy-Humphries, MD
Board-Certified Radiologist 3-time cancer patient
“I’ve been a cancer patient three times… So when I speak on these videos, it’s partly as a doctor, but even more as a patient.”
After chemotherapy and a bone marrow transplant, Dr. Robyn was one of the first patients in the U.S. to receive CAR T-cell therapy. Her advice throughout this toolkit comes from both sides of the exam table.
This toolkit is for general education only and is not medical advice. Every diagnosis is different. Talk with your care team about your individual care.
What’s inside
Eight tools for your first weeks, in five printable pages
- 01My diagnosis at a glanceTests, biopsy dates, stage, and care team contacts.
- 02Getting through the waitWhy results take time, plus a plan for hard days.
- 03Ask before your biopsyThe procedure, recovery, and when results come.
- 04What to bring with youA checklist for your first oncology visit.
- 05Questions for your oncologistAbout your cancer, treatment, and your life.
- 06Your question trackerLog questions, symptoms, and side effects between visits.
- 07Your medication listDoses, schedules, and supplements in one place.
- 08Build your support teamHow to ask for help, and who can fill each role.
“Unfortunately, when you are under stress, you have selective hearing and you may miss something that the doctor says. It’s not intentional.”Dr. Robyn Stacy-Humphries