Medical Oncologist
Before you start
What to ask at your chemotherapy planning appointment
Six things: what the treatment is meant to achieve, which drugs and how many cycles, what it will do to you, what it will cost, what to do when something goes wrong at night, and what happens to work, family and fertility. This is the appointment that sets up the next several months.
NG
Medically reviewed by Dr. Naresh GunduConsultant Medical Oncologist · MBBS, DNB (Internal Medicine), DM (Medical Oncology, AIIMS) · last reviewed September 2026, next review due September 2027
17+specialists on panel
15,000+patients treated
35+centres across Telangana & AP
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The short answer
What should I ask at the planning appointment?
Six things: what the treatment is meant to achieve, which drugs and how many cycles, what it will do to you, what it will cost, what to do when something goes wrong at night, and what happens to work, family and fertility. Everything else follows from those.
This is the appointment that sets up the next several months. It is also the one people leave having asked nothing, because they were frightened, the room was busy, and the questions only arrived in the car afterwards.
Write them down and hand the paper over
Do not rely on remembering. A written list means you ask the ones that matter rather than the ones that occur to you under pressure, and most doctors respond well to a patient who has clearly prepared.
Take someone, and take notes
Two people hear more than one. Ask whoever comes to write down the answers while you listen, or ask permission to record the conversation on your phone. Almost nobody recalls this appointment accurately afterwards.
Ask for the treatment plan in writing before you leave. You will need it for insurance, for leave and for your own file.The six that matter
The questions worth asking first
- What is this treatment meant to achieve?
- Ask plainly whether the aim is to clear the disease completely, to reduce the risk of it returning after surgery, to shrink something before surgery, or to control it and keep you comfortable. Families very often do not know which of these they are in.
- Which drugs, how many cycles, how often?
- The names, the number, the gap between them, and how long each treatment day will take. Ask for it written down, since this is what insurance, leave and family planning are all built on.
- What will it do to me?
- The likely side effects of your particular drugs, which are common and which are serious, when they usually appear, and which are preventable. Ask specifically about hair, sickness, tiredness and infection.
- What will it cost, and what does my cover include?
- Ask for a written estimate and for what falls outside it. Ask to be sent to the insurance desk the same day so pre-authorisation starts before cycle one rather than after.
- Who do I call at night, and for what?
- The day-time number, the out-of-hours number, and a clear list of what should make you call and what means going straight to an emergency department. Get this written down, not described.
- What about work, children and fertility?
- How much time off is realistic, whether you can keep working, and whether a fertility referral is needed before cycle one. That last one cannot be revisited later, so raise it here.
Not sure whether this applies to you?
Ask an oncologistWhat to take
What to bring to the appointment
Half an hour of preparation makes this appointment worth several later ones.
Every report, in date order
Biopsy, scans, blood tests, discharge summaries, previous prescriptions. One file, oldest at the back. Loose papers in three bags waste the first ten minutes of a twenty-minute appointment.
Also useful
- Photographs of every report on your phone
- Any earlier heart or kidney reports
Every medicine you take
The actual strips and boxes, not a list from memory. Include tablets from other doctors, anything bought without a prescription, and every ayurvedic, herbal or vitamin preparation in the house.
Your written questions
On paper, most important at the top, with space to write answers. If time runs short you will have asked the ones that matter rather than the ones you happened to remember.
Leave space for
- The date of cycle one
- The two phone numbers
The right person with you
Someone steady who can write while you listen, and who will still be available for the months ahead. If language is a barrier, bring someone who can interpret, or ask the hospital for help.
Before you leave the room
Six things to have in hand on the way out
Ask for
Why you need it
The treatment plan in writing
Insurance, leave and your own file all depend on it
The date and time of cycle one
So transport, leave and childcare can be arranged
The list of tests still to be done
Book them together rather than one at a time
The supportive medicines prescription
Collect it now, not on the morning of treatment
Both phone numbers, written
Day-time and out-of-hours; put them on the fridge
The name of who to contact
A named nurse or coordinator beats a general reception line
Leave a number, we will call you
One field. No form to fill in, and no charge for the call.
Being straight with you
What this page cannot tell you
It cannot give you the answers, only the questions. Every one of these depends on your diagnosis, your drugs and your hospital, and a list from a website is no substitute for the person who has read your reports.
It also cannot promise you an unhurried appointment. Clinics are busy and time is short, which is precisely why a written list ordered by importance is worth more than any amount of good intention. If you run out of time, ask who you can put the rest to and when.
You are allowed to ask again
If an answer was rushed, or in words you did not follow, say so at the time. "Can you explain that again more simply" is a reasonable sentence in any clinic, and asking for it in Telugu or whichever language you use at home is equally reasonable.
What to do next
Write your questions tonight, ordered with the most important first. Assemble every report in one file and every medicine in one bag. Decide who is coming with you. Ask for the plan and both phone numbers in writing before you leave. And raise fertility at this appointment if it could ever apply to you.
Commonly believed
Four reasons people leave without asking anything
"Asking questions suggests I do not trust the doctor."
It suggests you intend to follow the plan properly. Oncologists deal far more easily with a prepared patient than with one who agrees to everything in the room and then rings the ward confused three days later.
"The clinic is busy, so I should not take up time."
A written list ordered by importance takes less time than a rambling conversation, not more. If the appointment runs out, ask who you can put the remaining questions to and when. That is a reasonable request.
"I will remember what was said."
Almost nobody does. People are frightened, the vocabulary is unfamiliar and a great deal is said at once. Take someone to write it down, or ask permission to record. The difference in what families retain is dramatic.
"Money and fertility are not things to raise with an oncologist."
Both belong in this appointment. Cost determines whether a plan can actually be completed, and fertility cannot be revisited once treatment starts. Doctors expect these questions far more than patients assume.
Questions we are asked
Common questions about the planning appointment
What is the most important question to ask?
What the treatment is meant to achieve: clearing the disease completely, reducing the risk of return, shrinking before surgery, or controlling it. Everything else makes sense in the light of that answer, and many families never find out which applies.
Can I record the conversation?
Ask first, and most doctors agree. A recording lets you listen again calmly and share it with a relative who could not come. If you would rather not ask, have someone write the answers while you listen.
How long does the appointment usually take?
Often shorter than families expect, which is why preparation matters. Assume the time is limited, put your most important questions first, and ask at the end who can answer the rest and when.
Who should come with me?
Someone steady who writes well and will be involved over the coming months, ideally the person who will manage the file and the appointments. If language is a barrier, bring someone who can interpret for you.
Is it alright to ask about cost?
Yes, and it is important. Ask for a written estimate, what falls outside it, and to be sent to the insurance desk the same day. A plan that cannot be paid for is not a workable plan.
Should I ask for a second opinion?
It is a reasonable thing to seek, and good doctors are not offended by it. Ask for copies of your reports to take with you. Check first whether the delay matters in your situation, since for some plans it does.
What if I do not understand the answers?
Say so at the time. "Can you explain that again more simply" is a normal sentence in any clinic, and asking for it in Telugu or whichever language you use at home is equally normal. Repeat it back to check you have it right.
What should I do immediately afterwards?
Write up the answers while they are fresh, put both phone numbers on the fridge, collect the prescribed medicines, book the remaining tests together, and start the insurance paperwork the same week.
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.
Medical Oncologist
Dr. C. Raghavendra Reddy
MBBS(Gold Medal), DNB(General Medicine), DM(Medical Oncology)(Gold Medal)
Medical Oncologist
Dr. Bharati Devi Gorantla
MBBS, MD(General Medicine), DM(Medical Oncology)(Adyar,Chennai), ECMO, MRCP SCE(UK)
Medical Oncologist
Dr. Owais Mohammed
MBBS, MD (General Medicine), DrNB (Medical Oncology), ECMO, MRCP SCE (Medical Oncology) (UK)
Medical Oncologist
Medical Oncologist
Surgical Oncologist
Dr. Muralidhar Muddusetty
MBBS (AIIMS), MS (Surgery) (AIIMS), DNB (Surgical Oncology), MRCS (Edinburgh)
Surgical Oncologist
Surgical Oncologist
Surgical Oncologist
Dr. Vinay Mamidala
MBBS, MS(General Surgery), M.Ch(Surgical Oncology), FMAS, FARIS(Ongoing)
Surgical Oncologist
Radiation Oncologist
Radiation Oncologist
Radiation Oncologist
Hematologist
Surgical Oncologist
Dr. Vajja Sandeep Kumar
MBBS, MS (General Surgery), DrNB (Surgical Oncology), FALS Oncology
Surgical Oncologist
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Sources
- Cancer Research UK — Questions to ask your doctor
- Macmillan Cancer Support — Questions to ask about treatment
- National Cancer Institute — Questions to Ask About Your Treatment
This page is general information, not a prescription. Do not change or stop any treatment based on what you read here. If anything is worrying you, contact your own treating team — or call our helpline and we will help you reach the right specialist.
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