1800 202 8726
After diagnosis

Which Doctor Do You See — After a Biopsy Result?

Most people leave a biopsy result not knowing which kind of specialist to call first. There are three types of oncologist and they do different jobs. Knowing which one you need can save you weeks of confusion and delay.

Medically reviewed by Dr. C. Raghavendra Reddy, Medical Oncologist, MBBS (Gold Medal) · DNB · DM (Medical Oncology, Gold Medal) · Last reviewed September 2026

  • Three types, different roles — Surgical, medical and radiation oncologists each treat cancer differently. Not all three are part of every plan.
  • One usually leads — For most cancers, the medical oncologist coordinates the overall plan and decides which other specialists you need.
  • You should not have to navigate alone — The first oncologist you see should make any further referrals — you are not expected to find each specialist yourself.
  • Bring the pathology report — Every specialist you see will ask for it. Have the original, not a verbal summary.
4.8 · 800+ Google reviews · 15,000+ patients treated
Limited Slots Today

Get this explained properly

₹950   Today: FREE  ·  Including free written second opinion

Reply within 2 working hours
Report reviewed by a senior oncologist
Confidential. No commitment to start treatment.
or
Call 1800 202 8726
17+
Cancer Specialists
on Panel
96.9%
Breast Cancer
Survival Rate*
15,000+
Patients
Treated
4.8★
Google Rating
(800+ reviews)

After a biopsy confirms cancer, most people should see a medical oncologist first — they coordinate overall care and decide which other specialists you need. Whether a surgeon or radiation oncologist joins your team depends on your cancer type and stage. Your treating team, not a single doctor, makes the final plan.

How do you get to the right oncologist after a biopsy?

  1. Get your pathology report in writing

    Before you call anyone, have the report in your hand. It names the cancer type, grade, and receptor status — information every specialist you see will ask for.

  2. Ask for an oncology referral the same day

    If your biopsy was done by a surgeon or a gynaecologist, ask them to refer you to an oncologist before you leave. A referral letter speeds every step that follows.

  3. See a medical oncologist first

    For most solid tumours, a medical oncologist is the right first call. They assess which treatments apply to your cancer and refer you to a surgeon or radiation oncologist if needed.

  4. Attend a tumour board review

    ASCO and ESMO guidance recommends that complex cancer cases be reviewed by a multi-disciplinary team before treatment starts — a medical oncologist, surgeon, radiation oncologist, pathologist and radiologist looking at your case together.

  5. Leave with a written plan

    Before your first appointment ends, ask what the recommended treatment is, in what order it will happen, and when it starts. A written summary prevents confusion when you are under stress.

What should you bring to your first oncology appointment?

  • The original pathology report — not a summary someone else has written.
  • All scan images and radiology reports from the past year, including the scan that found the lesion.
  • A written list of every medicine, supplement and herbal preparation you take, with the name and dose.
  • At least three questions written down before you arrive — you will forget them in the room.
  • A family member or trusted person to listen and remember alongside you.
  • Your insurance documents, or a clear sense of what you are able to spend, so the first conversation is realistic.

Still unclear?

Send your reports across and a specialist will walk you through what they mean — what is known, what is not, and what the options actually are.

Meet the Specialists

17+ senior cancer specialists. One panel for your case.

Trained at AIIMS, Tata Memorial, and leading international centres. Combined 150+ years of experience. Every complex case is reviewed by 3+ of them — together.

Dr. Naresh Gundu
Medical Oncologist

Dr. Naresh Gundu

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

View Profile
Dr. C. Raghavendra Reddy
Medical Oncologist

Dr. C. Raghavendra Reddy

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

View Profile
Dr. Bharati Devi Gorantla
Medical Oncologist

Dr. Bharati Devi Gorantla

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

View Profile
Dr. Owais Mohammed
Medical Oncologist

Dr. Owais Mohammed

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

View Profile
Dr. T. Raghavender Reddy
Medical Oncologist

Dr. T. Raghavender Reddy

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

View Profile
Dr. N. Kiranmayee
Medical Oncologist

Dr. N. Kiranmayee

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

View Profile
Dr. Muralidhar Muddusetty
Surgical Oncologist

Dr. Muralidhar Muddusetty

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

View Profile
Dr. Raghavendra Naik
Surgical Oncologist

Dr. Raghavendra Naik

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

View Profile
Dr. Mohammed  Imaduddin
Surgical Oncologist

Dr. Mohammed Imaduddin

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

View Profile
Dr. Vinay Mamidala
Surgical Oncologist

Dr. Vinay Mamidala

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

View Profile
Dr. Paila Gowri Naidu
Surgical Oncologist

Dr. Paila Gowri Naidu

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

View Profile
Dr. Venkata Sushma P
Radiation Oncologist

Dr. Venkata Sushma P

MBBS, MD (Radiation Oncology)

View Profile
Dr. Kirti Ranjan Mohanty
Radiation Oncologist

Dr. Kirti Ranjan Mohanty

MBBS, MD (Radiation Oncology)

View Profile
Dr. Gangadhar Vajrala
Radiation Oncologist

Dr. Gangadhar Vajrala

MBBS, MD (Radiation Oncology), MPH

View Profile
Dr. Basudev Pokhrel
Hematologist

Dr. Basudev Pokhrel

MBBS, M.D (Immunohematology & Blood Transfusion)

View Profile
Dr. Mohammed Imran
Interventional Radiologist

Dr. Mohammed Imran

View Profile
Dr. Vajja Sandeep Kumar
Surgical Oncologist

Dr. Vajja Sandeep Kumar

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

View Profile
Dr. Sridhar Kamani
Surgical Oncologist

Dr. Sridhar Kamani

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

View Profile

Want a specific doctor for your case? Mention them when booking.

Book Free Consultation

Get a straight answer from a specialist

45 minutes, your reports reviewed, your questions answered in plain language.

Book Free Consultation Call 1800 202 8726

What does each type of oncologist actually do?

A medical oncologist uses medicines — chemotherapy, targeted therapy, hormone therapy, and immunotherapy — to treat cancer. For most cancers, they lead the overall plan and coordinate which other specialists you need.

A surgical oncologist operates to remove tumours or take tissue for staging. They are central to your plan if surgery is recommended, but you may see them after the medical oncologist has assessed the full picture.

A radiation oncologist uses high-energy beams to treat cancer, either as the main treatment or alongside surgery and medicine. Not every patient needs radiation, and that is something the team decides together.

In complex cases, all three meet as a tumour board before treatment starts. You are not expected to find each specialist yourself — the referrals come from within the team.

Did you know?

A multi-disciplinary tumour board review — where a medical oncologist, surgeon, radiation oncologist, pathologist and radiologist look at a case together — is associated with more accurate staging and fewer treatment changes mid-course.

ASCO and ESMO both recommend it for complex cancers before a final treatment plan is agreed.

Source: ASCO / ESMO guidelines on multidisciplinary cancer care

Explore 102 more Your Result, What Comes Next and Support topics

HUB — Who Can Have a Biopsy? Special Situations

HUB — Your Biopsy Confirmed Cancer

All Your Result, What Comes Next and Support →

Next step

Still not sure what applies to you?

Send your reports across and a senior medical oncologist will go through what they mean, what is known, and what the options actually are.

Book Free Consultation Call 1800 202 8726
Common questions

Frequently asked questions

Should I see a surgeon or a medical oncologist first?

For most cancers, a medical oncologist is the better first call. A surgeon's job is to operate, and whether surgery is the right first step — or whether chemotherapy or radiation should come before it — is a question the full team needs to answer first. Seeing a surgeon first is not necessarily wrong, but in many cases they will refer you to a medical oncologist before any treatment begins. If you are unsure, ask whoever referred you why they chose that specialist.

What if my family doctor sends me to the wrong specialist?

It happens, and it is one of the main reasons people lose weeks after a diagnosis. If the specialist you are sent to tells you your cancer is outside their area, ask them directly: who should be managing this, and can you write the referral? A specialist who sub-specialises in your cancer type — such as a gynaecological surgeon for a gynaecological cancer — may be exactly right. The problem arises when a general physician sends you to a general surgeon for a blood cancer, for example. Ask about the referral at every step.

How long should it take to get the first oncology appointment after a biopsy?

Pathology results are usually available within a week to ten days of the biopsy. Most oncologists treat a confirmed cancer diagnosis as urgent, and you should expect to be seen within days of the referral being sent, not weeks. If you have been waiting more than two weeks after the referral was sent, call the clinic directly and ask for an earlier slot, or ask your referring doctor to contact the oncologist on your behalf.

Do I need to see all three types of oncologist?

Most people do not. Some cancers are treated with surgery alone, some with medicine alone, some with radiation, and many with a combination. Your medical oncologist will tell you which specialists are relevant to your case and make those referrals. You are not expected to navigate to each specialist yourself.

What is a tumour board and should I ask for one?

A tumour board is a scheduled meeting where specialists from different disciplines — oncology, surgery, radiation, pathology, radiology — review your case together and agree on a treatment plan. It is sometimes called an MDT, or multi-disciplinary team, review. ASCO and ESMO both recommend it for complex cancers. At your first appointment, ask whether your case will go to a tumour board before treatment is decided. If the answer is no, ask why.

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 →

Call now Book free consultation