Medical Oncologist
CION Cancer Clinics
The tumour board: who decides your colon cancer treatment? | CION Cancer Clinics
Your colon cancer plan is usually agreed at a tumour board, a meeting where a surgeon, a medical oncologist, a radiologist and a pathologist review your case together. The board recommends; you and your oncologist decide. This page explains who sits on the board, what it looks at, which decisions it makes, and what you can ask once its recommendation is explained to you. At CION Cancer Clinics, a multidisciplinary team plans colon cancer treatment for your stage, from surgery to chemotherapy and follow-up.
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Medically reviewed by Dr. Naresh GunduConsultant Medical Oncologist · MBBS, DNB (Internal Medicine), DM (Medical Oncology, AIIMS) · last reviewed October 2026, next review due October 2027
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On this page
- What is a tumour board, and does it decide my treatment?
- Who sits on the tumour board for colon cancer?
- What happens to your case before and after the meeting?
- Which colon cancer decisions does the board make?
- What families often believe about the tumour board
- What this page cannot tell you
- Common questions about the tumour board
The short answer
What is a tumour board, and does it decide my treatment?
A tumour board is a regular meeting where the specialists who treat colon cancer look at one person's case together. They review the scans, the biopsy report and your general health, then agree one recommended plan. Your oncologist brings that plan to you, explains it, and you decide together.
Why one doctor is not enough
Colon cancer sits where surgery, drug treatment, scans and the laboratory meet. A surgeon sees whether the tumour can be removed. A medical oncologist sees whether chemotherapy should come before or after. A radiologist may notice a small spot in the liver that changes the whole plan. Together they catch what any one of them alone might miss.
What the board does not do
It does not take the decision away from you. Most patients are not in the room, and that is normal. The board makes a recommendation. You can ask why, ask what else was considered, take time, or say no. Nothing starts without your consent. Our page on how your treatment plan is decided covers the wider process.
The board recommends. You and your oncologist decide.Around the table
Who sits on the tumour board for colon cancer?
Four kinds of specialist are part of almost every colon cancer discussion. Others join when your case needs them.
Surgical oncologist
A cancer surgeon judges whether the tumour can be removed completely, which operation fits, and whether a stoma, an opening of the bowel onto the tummy, might be needed. CION's surgical oncologists plan the operation and it is carried out at an accredited partner hospital.
Medical oncologist
The doctor who plans chemotherapy, targeted therapy and immunotherapy. They judge whether drug treatment should come first, afterwards or not at all. These treatments are given at CION centres.
Radiologist and pathologist
The radiologist reads your CT scan and says how far the tumour reaches and whether any spot in the liver or lungs needs a closer look. The pathologist examined your biopsy under the microscope and reports the cancer type and its grade.
The pathologist also reports
- MMR or MSI, which show whether the tumour's repair system is faulty
- After surgery, the margins and lymph nodes
Who else may join
The board widens when your case raises a question its core members cannot answer alone.
- The gastroenterologist who did your colonoscopy
- A liver surgeon, when the cancer has reached the liver
- A genetic counsellor, when the family pattern looks inherited
- Palliative care and nutrition specialists
Not sure whether this applies to you?
Ask an oncologistYour case, step by step
What happens to your case before and after the meeting?
Your reports are gathered
The team collects your colonoscopy and biopsy reports, the CT scan and blood tests, including CEA, a marker some colon cancers release into the blood. Bring the scan images on a CD or pen drive as well as the printed reports.
Your case is presented
One doctor summarises your story: your symptoms, other illnesses and what matters to you. The radiologist shows the scan and the pathologist explains the biopsy. Your fitness counts as much as the tumour.
The board agrees a recommendation
The specialists discuss the options and agree one plan, sometimes with a second choice. If something is missing, such as a biomarker result, they ask for that test and discuss you again.
Your oncologist explains it to you
You hear the recommendation, the reasons and the alternatives. Bring a family member, and ask for the explanation in Telugu if that is easier. You can take time to think before you agree.
What gets decided
Which colon cancer decisions does the board make?
- Surgery first or treatment first
- Most colon cancers that have not spread are operated on first. The board decides when chemotherapy, a stent or a pause should come first; see does surgery always come first.
- Which operation
- How much of the colon is removed, and whether keyhole or open surgery suits you.
- Chemotherapy after surgery
- Whether adjuvant chemotherapy, given after the operation to lower the chance of the cancer returning, is needed. The final pathology report settles this.
- Biomarker-led treatment
- Tumour results such as MSI, RAS and BRAF, which are gene changes in the cancer, shape which medicines are offered. Drug details are on our colorectal chemotherapy page.
- Spread to the liver or lungs
- Whether those spots could be removed. Some liver metastases are potentially curable; read about when liver spread can be operated on.
- Going back to the board
- After surgery, after a new scan, or when treatment stops working, your case returns for the next decision.
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Commonly believed
What families often believe about the tumour board
"Being discussed at a board means the case is very serious."
It is routine. Colon cancer cases go to the board whether the tumour is small or has spread. It is a quality check on the plan, and says nothing about how serious your cancer is.
"The board decides and the family has no say."
The board recommends. Your oncologist explains the reasons, and you can ask questions, ask for time, choose another reasonable option or seek a second opinion.
"Waiting for the meeting will delay treatment."
The discussion fits into the time it already takes to collect scans and biopsy results. A blocked or torn bowel is treated as an emergency first and discussed afterwards.
"Asking for a second opinion will offend the doctors."
Second opinions are common in cancer care. A good team expects them and will hand over reports and scan images so another board can look.
Being straight with you
What this page cannot tell you
It cannot tell you what a tumour board will recommend for you. That depends on details only your scans, your biopsy and an examination can show, and on how fit you are for an operation or for chemotherapy.
Who this does not apply to
If the cancer is in the rectum, the last part of the bowel, the board looks at an MRI and often considers radiation before surgery. That pathway is on our rectal cancer pages. If you arrive with a blocked or torn bowel, emergency surgery comes first and the board reviews your case afterwards.
If you already have a plan
Ask your doctor whether your case went to a tumour board, and who was there. If it did not, or the plan does not make sense to you, a second review is a reasonable request. CION's tumour board can look at reports and scan images from any hospital.
Bring every report, including old ones. A forgotten scan can change the plan.Questions we are asked
Common questions about the tumour board
Will I be present at the tumour board meeting?
Usually not. The board is a working meeting where specialists review many cases. Your oncologist meets you before and after, explains what was discussed and answers your questions. If there is something you want the board to know, such as your wishes about surgery, tell your oncologist beforehand.
How long does a tumour board decision take?
It depends on when your scans, biopsy and blood tests are complete. Most of the wait is collecting results, not the meeting itself. Ask your team when your case will be discussed and when you will hear the outcome, so the family can plan travel from the district.
Does every colon cancer patient go to the tumour board?
Treatment guidelines recommend that every new colon cancer is discussed by a team of specialists. At CION, colon cancer cases are reviewed by the tumour board before a plan is confirmed. Emergency surgery for a blocked or torn bowel is the main exception, and is reviewed afterwards.
Can the board change its recommendation later?
Yes. Plans are reviewed when new information arrives. After surgery, the pathology report may show the cancer is more or less advanced than the scans suggested, and the advice on chemotherapy changes with it. A new scan during treatment can also bring your case back.
What if the doctors on the board disagree?
Weighing different views is the point of the meeting. The specialists look at the evidence and your health together, and usually agree one plan. Where two options are both reasonable, your oncologist should explain each one and its trade-offs so that you can choose.
Can CION's tumour board review reports from another hospital?
Yes. Send the reports and the actual scan images, ideally on a CD or pen drive, with the biopsy report. The board may ask for the biopsy slides to be looked at again. The team will tell you what else is needed before your case can be discussed.
Does the tumour board choose my chemotherapy drugs?
It decides whether drug treatment is needed and what it is aiming for. The exact medicines and schedule are set by your medical oncologist, using your biomarker results and your health. Chemotherapy, targeted therapy and immunotherapy are given at CION centres.
Who should come with me when the plan is explained?
Bring the person who will help you through treatment, often a son, daughter or spouse. Two people remember more than one. Write your questions down beforehand, ask for the explanation in Telugu if you prefer, and ask for a written summary to take home.
Your Specialists
Meet CION's colon cancer specialists. Bring your colonoscopy, scan or biopsy report.
Our surgical and medical oncologists plan colon cancer care together: which operation, whether chemotherapy is needed, and the follow-up that comes after.
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
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Sources
- NICE — Colorectal cancer
- American Cancer Society — Colon Cancer Treatment, by Stage
- National Cancer Institute — Colon Cancer Treatment
- Cancer Research UK — Treatment for bowel (colorectal) cancer
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.
Keep reading
Related pages
How your treatment plan is decidedThe full path from diagnosis to an agreed planDoes surgery always come first in colon cancer?The first decision the board usually makesGetting a second opinion on a treatment planIf you want another board to look at your caseQuestions to ask before starting treatmentWhat to ask when the plan is explained to you
Talk to us
Would you like the tumour board to look at your reports?
Share your scans, biopsy report and any operation notes, and the tumour board will review them and explain its recommendation plainly, in Telugu if you prefer. One helpline serves every CION centre.