I was just diagnosed with cancer. What should I do first?
The short answer
In the first two weeks, focus on five things: confirm the exact diagnosis and stage, gather all your records in one place, make sure biomarker testing is ordered, decide whether to get a second opinion, and prepare questions. Getting these right early is what prevents missed options later.
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Who this applies to
Anyone recently diagnosed, or a caregiver helping someone who was. The goal here is not to do everything at once. It is to do the few high-leverage things that set up good decisions.
The first two weeks, in order
1. Confirm the diagnosis and stage. Make sure you know your exact cancer type, subtype, and stage. These are the foundation everything else rests on. 2. Gather your records. Get your pathology report, imaging, and lab results together in one place; you will need them for every appointment and any second opinion. 3. Make sure testing is ordered. Confirm that biomarker and genomic testing appropriate for your cancer has been requested, because it drives treatment and trial options. 4. Consider a second opinion. Especially for a rare, advanced, or ambiguous diagnosis, a specialist review early is worth the days it takes. 5. Prepare your questions. Walk into your first treatment-planning appointment with written questions and someone to take notes.
On the timeline
A new diagnosis feels like an emergency. For most cancers, taking one to two weeks to confirm the diagnosis, complete testing, and get a second opinion does not harm outcomes and often improves the plan. Some situations do need urgent care rather than a measured workup: severe shortness of breath, new weakness, numbness, or trouble walking, a very high white blood cell count or suspected acute leukemia, or signs of spinal cord compression such as new back pain with leg weakness or loss of bladder control. If any of those apply, treat it as urgent and contact your team now. Otherwise, ask them directly how much time you safely have. The honest answer is usually more than it feels like.
Questions to ask your oncologist
- What exactly is my diagnosis: type, subtype, and stage?
- What biomarker or genomic testing should be done, and has it been ordered?
- How much time do I safely have to get organized and, if I want, a second opinion?
- What are the next steps and the timeline you recommend?
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Written by OpenCancer’s science team and grounded in NCCN and NCI guidance. Independent medical review by our clinical team is in progress.
For informational purposes only. This page is grounded in published guidelines and is not medical advice. Always consult your oncologist or care team before making treatment decisions.