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After your diagnosis

The First 14 Days — After a Cancer Diagnosis

The days between a diagnosis and the start of treatment feel like waiting. They are not. Your team is building the complete picture your treatment plan depends on, and you have a clear set of tasks to help that happen.

Medically reviewed by Dr. Mohammed Imaduddin, Surgical Oncologist, MBBS · MS (General Surgery) · M.Ch (Surgical Oncology) · Last reviewed September 2026

  • The gap is deliberate — The period between diagnosis and treatment start is for staging — finding out exactly what you are dealing with before decisions are made.
  • Scans come before decisions — Your oncologist cannot finalise a treatment plan until imaging confirms the stage and whether the cancer has spread.
  • A group reviews your case — Most cancers are discussed at a tumour board — a meeting of several specialists — before treatment is recommended.
  • A second opinion is expected — Asking for one before treatment starts is reasonable, and most oncologists expect it.
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The first two weeks are for staging, not final decisions. Your team is ordering and interpreting scans, reviewing pathology, and preparing a treatment recommendation. You will have a detailed treatment discussion, usually in the second week. The task right now is attending every appointment your team books and gathering the reports you already have.

Why does it feel like nothing is happening yet?

The gap between a cancer diagnosis and the start of treatment is a deliberate medical step, not a delay. Your oncologist cannot plan treatment until they know the full picture: the exact type, the stage, and whether there is spread elsewhere in the body.

That picture comes from pathology and from staging scans that take days to arrange, perform, and interpret. Starting treatment before it is complete would mean treating something that is not fully understood yet.

The work that feels invisible right now — reports, imaging, multidisciplinary review — is the foundation of everything that comes after.

What happens, and when, in the first two weeks?

Days 1–4Days 5–9Days 10–14
What your team is doingReviewing biopsy results, ordering staging scans, writing referralsReceiving scan images, interpreting results, presenting to tumour boardFinalising the treatment plan, booking your treatment discussion
Appointments to expectFirst oncologist consultation, imaging referrals issuedStaging scans — CT, MRI, PET-CT, or bone scan as relevant to your caseTreatment planning consultation with your oncologist
What you can doGather all existing reports, scans, and referral lettersAttend scan appointments, follow any preparation instructions givenWrite down your questions and bring someone to the consultation

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Dr. Naresh Gundu
Medical Oncologist

Dr. Naresh Gundu

MBBS, DNB (Internal Medicine), DM (Medical Oncology)

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Dr. C. Raghavendra Reddy
Medical Oncologist

Dr. C. Raghavendra Reddy

MBBS(Gold Medal), DNB(General Medicine), DM(Medical Oncology)(Gold Medal)

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Dr. Bharati Devi Gorantla
Medical Oncologist

Dr. Bharati Devi Gorantla

MBBS, MD(General Medicine), DM(Medical Oncology)(Adyar,Chennai), ECMO, MRCP SCE(UK)

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Dr. Owais Mohammed
Medical Oncologist

Dr. Owais Mohammed

MBBS, MD (General Medicine), DrNB (Medical Oncology), ECMO, MRCP SCE (Medical Oncology) (UK)

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Dr. T. Raghavender Reddy
Medical Oncologist

Dr. T. Raghavender Reddy

MBBS, DM (Medical Oncology), MD (Radiation Oncology)

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Dr. N. Kiranmayee
Medical Oncologist

Dr. N. Kiranmayee

MBBS, DM (Medical Oncology), MD (Internal Medicine)

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Dr. Muralidhar Muddusetty
Surgical Oncologist

Dr. Muralidhar Muddusetty

MBBS (AIIMS), MS (Surgery) (AIIMS), DNB (Surgical Oncology), MRCS (Edinburgh)

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Dr. Raghavendra Naik
Surgical Oncologist

Dr. Raghavendra Naik

MBBS, MS (General Surgery), M.Ch (Surgical Oncology)

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Dr. Mohammed  Imaduddin
Surgical Oncologist

Dr. Mohammed Imaduddin

M.B.B.S, MS (General Surgery), M.Ch (Surgical Oncology)

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Dr. Vinay Mamidala
Surgical Oncologist

Dr. Vinay Mamidala

MBBS, MS(General Surgery), M.Ch(Surgical Oncology), FMAS, FARIS(Ongoing)

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Dr. Paila Gowri Naidu
Surgical Oncologist

Dr. Paila Gowri Naidu

MBBS, MS (General Surgery), M.Ch (Surgical Oncology), FMAS

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Dr. Venkata Sushma P
Radiation Oncologist

Dr. Venkata Sushma P

MBBS, MD (Radiation Oncology)

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Dr. Kirti Ranjan Mohanty
Radiation Oncologist

Dr. Kirti Ranjan Mohanty

MBBS, MD (Radiation Oncology)

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Dr. Gangadhar Vajrala
Radiation Oncologist

Dr. Gangadhar Vajrala

MBBS, MD (Radiation Oncology), MPH

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Dr. Basudev Pokhrel
Hematologist

Dr. Basudev Pokhrel

MBBS, M.D (Immunohematology & Blood Transfusion)

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Dr. Mohammed Imran
Interventional Radiologist

Dr. Mohammed Imran

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Dr. Vajja Sandeep Kumar
Surgical Oncologist

Dr. Vajja Sandeep Kumar

MBBS, MS (General Surgery), DrNB (Surgical Oncology), FALS Oncology

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Dr. Sridhar Kamani
Surgical Oncologist

Dr. Sridhar Kamani

MBBS, MS (General Surgery), DrNB (Surgical Oncology)

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What should you do, and in what order?

  1. Gather everything you already have

    Collect all biopsy reports, referral letters, previous scan images, and results. Bring physical copies and ask your lab or radiologist for a digital copy if possible. Your oncologist may want to review the original pathology slides.

  2. Confirm the oncologist appointment and bring someone with you

    Book the first consultation as soon as possible after the diagnosis. Bring a family member or a trusted person. Two sets of ears hear more than one, and the information in this first meeting is dense and hard to hold alone.

  3. Attend every scan your team books

    Staging scans are how your team maps the full extent of the disease. They are not optional extras. Missing or rescheduling them delays the treatment plan and every step that follows. If a time does not work, ask for the earliest alternative, not a later one.

  4. Ask when your case goes to the tumour board

    Most cancer cases are discussed at a multidisciplinary meeting before treatment is recommended. Ask your oncologist when this is scheduled and when you will hear the outcome. You do not attend the meeting, but the recommendation it produces is the basis of your plan.

  5. Write your questions before the treatment discussion

    Write them down before the appointment, not during it. Ask what treatment is being recommended, what its goal is, how it is given, and how long it is expected to last. Ask what happens if you need time to think before agreeing.

Which decisions do you actually need to make right now?

Most treatment decisions are made by your oncologist, not by you. Your decisions in the first two weeks are smaller: which hospital, whether you want a second opinion, and whether there are personal factors — such as fertility — that must be discussed before treatment starts.

If fertility preservation matters to you or the person you are caring for, raise it in the very first consultation. Some treatments affect fertility permanently, and the window to act is often before treatment begins, not after.

Do not feel pressed to agree to a treatment plan in the same meeting where it is presented. Asking for a day or two to think is reasonable. Ask your team what date they need your answer by, and hold to that.

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Common questions

Frequently asked questions

How long does it usually take before treatment starts?

Treatment typically begins two to four weeks after the initial diagnosis, though the timeline varies by cancer type and by how many investigations are needed. If your team is taking longer than you expected, it is reasonable to ask why and to ask for a specific start date. Some cancers require a faster pace, and your oncologist will tell you if yours is one of them. In most cases, the preparation period is clinically appropriate and does not put you at a disadvantage.

Should we get a second opinion before treatment starts?

A second opinion before treatment starts is reasonable, and most oncologists expect it. Ask for your pathology report, your scan reports, and the proposed treatment plan in writing before you go. The time taken for a second opinion is rarely long enough to affect your outcome, and it can significantly increase your confidence in the plan. If your oncologist discourages a second opinion, that is worth noting. Most will not — they will help you arrange it.

Why do we need so many scans when we already have a biopsy?

The biopsy confirms what type of cancer is present, but it does not show where else in the body it may have spread. Staging scans answer that question. The treatment plan depends on the stage — a cancer confined to one area is treated differently from one that has spread, even if it is the same type. Attending every scan as quickly as possible is one of the most useful things you can do in this period.

What is a tumour board and why does it matter?

A tumour board is a regular meeting where oncologists, surgeons, radiologists, and pathologists review cases together. Your case is presented to a group of specialists, not just one doctor working alone, before a treatment recommendation is made. This is standard practice in cancer care and is one of the reasons the final plan reflects more than a single opinion. Ask your oncologist when your case will be discussed and when you will hear the outcome.

Can we do anything to speed up the process?

Some parts can move faster — scan appointments can sometimes be brought forward, and urgent cases are flagged accordingly. What cannot be shortened without risk is the investigation period itself, because an incomplete picture leads to an incomplete treatment plan. The most useful question to ask your team is whether anything on their side is causing a delay, and whether there is anything you can do — such as taking an earlier scan slot — to help it move. Your oncologist will tell you if your case needs a faster pace than the standard workup.

Full index

Browse all 701 biopsy topics

Every page in this section, grouped by the part of the journey it belongs to. Pick a group to see what is in it.

What Is a Biopsy?

What Is a Biopsy? Everything You Need to Know →

Types of Biopsy Compared

Which Biopsy Will You Have? Techniques Compared →

Preparing for a Biopsy

What to Expect on the Day of Your Biopsy →

Recovery and Aftercare

After a Biopsy: Recovery, Aftercare and Warning Signs →

Biopsy by Body Part

Biopsy by Body Part: What to Expect at Each Site →

Understanding Your Report

How to Read a Biopsy Report: Terms Explained →

IHC and Molecular Markers

IHC and Molecular Markers on a Biopsy: What They Mean →

Grading and Scoring Systems

Cytology & Prostate Scoring Systems Explained →

How Accurate Is a Biopsy?

How Accurate Is a Biopsy? Errors and Second Opinions →

If Your Result Is Benign

Your Biopsy Is Benign: What It Means and What Comes Next →

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