Medical Oncologist
CION Cancer Clinics
What to ask at your colon cancer diagnosis appointment | CION Cancer Clinics
Write down a handful of questions before you go, and take one person with you. The questions that matter most at diagnosis are simple: what exactly has been found, what tests are still needed, who decides the plan and what happens next. This page lists the questions worth asking, grouped so you can pick the ones that suit you, and explains why each answer matters. At CION Cancer Clinics, our team goes through your reports with you and plans the next test or treatment step.
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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 should you ask when you are told it is colon cancer?
- Which questions matter most, and why?
- How do you get the most out of the appointment?
- What stops families asking, and what is actually true?
- Which questions are for now, and which for later?
- What this page cannot tell you
- Common questions about the diagnosis appointment
The short answer
What should you ask when you are told it is colon cancer?
Start with four questions. What exactly has been found? Has a biopsy confirmed it? What tests are still needed before a plan can be made? Who decides the plan, and when will you hear? Everything else can wait for the next appointment, and there will be one.
Why the first appointment feels so hard
Most people hear very little after the word cancer. That is normal, and doctors expect it. You do not have to understand everything or decide anything in that room. Your aim is to leave knowing what happens next, who to call and when you will be seen again.
Why the answers are often incomplete at first
At diagnosis, the doctor usually knows that there is a cancer and roughly where it is. They often do not yet know the stage, whether it has spread, or which tests on the tumour will shape the treatment. An honest "we do not know yet" is a normal answer at this point. The doctor is not hiding anything.
Ask the doctor to write down the name of the diagnosis and the next test. Those two lines are worth more than pages of notes.Questions worth asking
Which questions matter most, and why?
Pick the ones that fit you. Nobody asks all of them at once.
About the diagnosis
These pin down exactly what has been found, so the whole family hears one clear version. Ask for a copy of the biopsy report as well.
- Where in the colon is it?
- Has a biopsy confirmed it?
- Is it the colon or the rectum?
About the tests still to come
A CT scan shows whether the cancer has spread. Tumour tests such as MMR or MSI, which check how the cancer repairs its DNA, and RAS and BRAF, gene changes inside the tumour, guide the choice of drugs.
- Which scans do I need, and why?
- Will the tumour be tested for MMR, RAS and BRAF?
- When will the results be ready?
About the plan
Colon cancer treatment is usually decided by a team. Knowing who decides, and when, saves days of waiting by the phone. At CION every case goes to the tumour board.
- Is surgery likely to come first?
- Might I need chemotherapy afterwards?
- How soon should treatment start?
About family, money and daily life
These feel too practical to ask a doctor. They are not, and the answers shape the weeks ahead.
- Should my family be checked for inherited risk?
- Roughly what will tests and treatment cost?
- Do Aarogyasri, Ayushman Bharat or my insurance cover this?
- Who do I call if I feel unwell before the next visit?
Not sure whether this applies to you?
Ask an oncologistBefore and during
How do you get the most out of the appointment?
Gather every report
Put the colonoscopy report, the biopsy report, any scans on disc and recent blood tests in one folder, in date order. A doctor can answer far more when the papers are in front of them.
Write your questions down
Choose the three or four that matter most and put them at the top. Worry makes everyone forget, and a written list gives you permission to ask.
Bring one person, not five
One calm relative who takes notes is a real help. A large group makes it harder to hear the doctor, and harder for the patient to ask their own questions.
Ask in the language you think in
It is reasonable to ask the doctor to explain in Telugu or Hindi, or to repeat something slowly. If you want to record the conversation on your phone, ask first.
Leave with three things
The name of the diagnosis, the next test or appointment, and who to call. If you have those, the appointment did its job.
Commonly believed
What stops families asking, and what is actually true?
"Asking too many questions annoys the doctor."
Good doctors expect questions and leave time for them. If time runs short, ask who you can call with the rest, or bring them to the next visit.
"We should keep the diagnosis from Amma to protect her."
Many families try this out of love. But a person who does not know their diagnosis cannot ask questions, agree to tests or prepare. The doctor can help you tell her gently, at a pace she can manage.
"Asking for a second opinion will offend our doctor."
Second opinions are a normal part of cancer care, and most doctors share reports readily. A second opinion before treatment starts is far easier than one halfway through.
"Asking about the outlook means we have given up."
Asking what to expect is planning. You can also choose how much you want to hear, and tell the doctor so. Saying "not today" is allowed.
Leave a number, we will call you
One field. No form to fill in, and no charge for the call.
Side by side
Which questions are for now, and which for later?
Ask at diagnosis
Ask once the stage is known
Has a biopsy confirmed it?
What stage is it, and what does that mean?
Which tests are still needed?
Is chemotherapy needed after surgery?
Who decides the plan, and when?
What side effects should we expect?
Who do we call in the meantime?
How will follow-up work afterwards?
Being straight with you
What this page cannot tell you
It cannot give you the answers, only the questions. Your stage, the right treatment and what to expect depend on reports this page has not seen, and on a team that has examined you. No list replaces that conversation.
Who this page does not apply to
If the cancer is in the rectum, the last part of the bowel, the questions about radiation and surgery are different, and the rectal cancer pages cover them. If you were diagnosed during an emergency operation for a blocked bowel, start with being diagnosed in an emergency. If you already know your stage, move on to questions once you know your stage.
When not to wait for the appointment
Go to an emergency department today if you develop severe belly pain, repeated vomiting or heavy bleeding, or you cannot pass stool or wind.
If you have a report but no appointment yet, call the helpline. Someone will help you work out who to see first.Questions we are asked
Common questions about the diagnosis appointment
Can I bring a family member into the room?
Yes, and it usually helps. One person can take notes while the patient listens. If the patient wants part of the conversation in private, they can ask for that. The patient's own wishes about who hears what come first, even in close families.
Should I record the appointment on my phone?
Many doctors are comfortable with it if you ask first. A recording lets relatives who could not come hear the same explanation, which avoids confusion later. If recording is not allowed, ask the doctor to write down the key points for you.
What if I forget to ask something important?
That happens to almost everyone. Write it down as soon as you remember, and ask at the next appointment or call the clinic. Very few colon cancer decisions are made at the first meeting, so a forgotten question rarely changes anything.
Should I ask about survival at the first appointment?
Only if you want to. At diagnosis the stage is often not yet known, so any answer would be rough. Many people find it more useful to ask once staging is complete. See asking your doctor about prognosis.
What if I do not follow the medical English?
Ask the doctor to slow down, use simpler words, or explain in Telugu or Hindi. You can also ask a nurse or coordinator to go over it afterwards. Not understanding medical language is normal and nothing to be embarrassed about.
Do I have to decide on treatment at this appointment?
Almost never. The plan usually comes after staging tests and a tumour board review. If you feel pushed to agree to an operation on the spot, and it is not an emergency, it is fine to ask for time or a second opinion.
Should I ask whether my cancer is inherited?
Yes, it is a fair question. The MMR or MSI test on the tumour can hint at an inherited cause such as Lynch syndrome. Your doctor will say whether a referral for genetic testing makes sense for you.
Can CION help me prepare for the appointment?
Yes. Call the helpline with your reports to hand. A CION oncologist can go through what has been found, what is still missing and which questions matter most for you. If you want a second opinion on the diagnosis, that can be arranged too.
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
- NHS — Tests and next steps for bowel cancer
- Macmillan Cancer Support — Bowel cancer (including rectal cancer and colon cancer)
- NICE — Molecular testing strategies for Lynch syndrome in people with colorectal cancer
- National Cancer Institute — Cancer Prognosis
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
Questions to ask once you know your stageThe next list, for when staging is completeWhat tests will I need?What each test still to come is forThe first week after being toldGetting through the days before the plan is madeSecond opinion on a colon cancer diagnosisWhen and how to ask another team to look
Talk to us
Want help preparing for the appointment?
Tell us what your reports say so far, and an oncologist will help you see what is still missing and what to ask. If you want a second opinion, we can arrange that too. One helpline serves every CION centre.