Medical Oncologist
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Tumour board review before cancer surgery | CION Cancer Clinics
A tumour board is a meeting where surgeons, medical and radiation oncologists, radiologists and pathologists review your case together before treatment starts. Before an operation, it checks whether surgery should come first, or whether chemotherapy or radiation should come before it. The board recommends a plan. You still decide with your doctor, after hearing the reasons. CION Cancer Clinics’ surgical oncologists in Hyderabad can talk this through with you.
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Medically reviewed by Dr. Muralidhar MuddusettyConsultant Surgical Oncologist · MBBS (AIIMS), MS (Surgery, AIIMS), DNB (Surgical Oncology), MRCS (Edinburgh) · last reviewed September 2026, next review due September 2027
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On this page
- What is a tumour board review before surgery?
- Who looks at your case at a tumour board?
- How does your case move through a tumour board?
- What can a tumour board do, and what can it not?
- What do families often misunderstand about tumour boards?
- How can you make the most of a tumour board review?
- Common questions about tumour board review
The short answer
What is a tumour board review before surgery?
A tumour board is a meeting where doctors from different cancer specialities look at your case together before a treatment plan is agreed. Before surgery, it checks whether an operation is the right first step, and what should come before or after it.
Why one doctor's view is not enough
Cancer treatment often combines surgery, chemotherapy, radiation and other medicines. Each specialist sees the case through their own training. A surgeon may see a tumour that can be removed. A radiation oncologist may see one that would shrink first with radiation. Putting them in the same room means those views are weighed against each other, rather than the plan depending on which doctor you happened to meet first.
Other names you may hear
It is also called a multidisciplinary team meeting, an MDT, a tumour board discussion or a joint clinic. On your papers it may appear as "case discussed in MDT" or "tumour board recommendation". They all mean the same thing.
You are usually not in the room
Most tumour boards are meetings between doctors. You do not normally attend. Your own doctor presents your case, brings back the recommendation and discusses it with you afterwards.
A tumour board recommends. The decision to go ahead is still made by you, with your treating doctor, after you have heard the reasons.Around the table
Who looks at your case at a tumour board?
The exact mix depends on the cancer, but most boards reviewing a surgical case include these specialists.
Surgical oncologist
Judges whether the tumour can be removed safely, how much would need to come out and what the operation would involve.
Medical oncologist
Advises whether chemotherapy, targeted or immune medicines should come before or after surgery, or instead of it.
Radiation oncologist
Considers whether radiation could shrink the tumour first, treat the area afterwards, or offer another route altogether.
Radiologist
Reads the CT, MRI or PET-CT pictures closely, pointing out exactly what the tumour touches and whether anything has spread.
Pathologist
Explains the biopsy result: the type of cancer, its grade and any markers that change which treatment will work.
Sometimes also present
- Specialist nurses
- Anaesthetists
- Counsellors or palliative care doctors
Not sure whether this applies to you?
Ask an oncologistStep by step
How does your case move through a tumour board?
Your reports are gathered
Scans, the biopsy report, blood tests and your health history are collected. Reports from another hospital are added too. Missing reports are the most common reason a case is delayed, so bring everything you have.
Your doctor presents the case
Your treating doctor summarises your history, other illnesses and general fitness. The scans and slides are shown on screen so every specialist sees the same pictures at the same time.
The options are discussed
Each specialist gives their view on surgery, radiation and medicines, and on the order they should come in. They agree on a recommended plan and note any other reasonable options.
The plan is explained to you
Your doctor meets you and your family, explains the recommendation and the reasons behind it, and answers your questions. Nothing should be booked until you have understood it.
Knowing its limits
What can a tumour board do, and what can it not?
A tumour board can
A tumour board cannot
Check whether surgery should come first
Make the decision for you
Spot a missing test before the operation
See what the surgeon will find on the day
Weigh surgery against radiation or medicines
Promise how well any treatment will work
Consider your fitness and your wishes
Know your wishes unless you share them
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Commonly believed
What do families often misunderstand about tumour boards?
"A tumour board is a waste of time. We just want the operation."
The wait is usually short, and the discussion can change the order of treatment in ways that matter. Starting with chemotherapy or radiation sometimes makes the operation smaller or safer. It is better to know that before surgery than after.
"If the board is involved, the case must be very serious."
Many centres discuss every new cancer case, early or advanced. Being discussed is a routine step, not a sign of bad news.
"The board's plan cannot be questioned."
You can ask why a recommendation was made, what the other options were, and whether the doctors disagreed. You can also ask for a second opinion.
"Every hospital does this in the same way."
They do not. Some meet weekly for every case; others meet only for complex ones. It is fair to ask your centre how they do it.
Your part in it
How can you make the most of a tumour board review?
You cannot attend the meeting, but you can shape what the doctors know. Ask your doctor, before the operation date is fixed, whether your case has been or will be discussed at a tumour board. If the answer is no, ask why.
Give the team everything
Bring every scan on a disc or link, the biopsy report and any slides or tissue blocks from another hospital. Mention other illnesses, medicines and past operations. Tell your doctor what matters to you, such as keeping your voice, avoiding a stoma, or being well enough to work. The board can only weigh what it knows.
When the recommendation comes back
Ask what was recommended and why. Ask what other options were discussed and why they were not chosen. Ask whether you need more tests first. If the board suggests treatment before surgery, ask what happens if the tumour does not shrink. Ask for the recommendation in writing, so your family can read it too.
When a review may change little
For some small, early cancers the right operation is already clear, and the board mostly confirms it. For someone needing emergency surgery, such as for a blocked bowel or heavy bleeding, there may be no time to wait for a meeting. In that case the team usually discusses the case afterwards, once the pathology report is ready, to plan what comes next.
What this page cannot tell you
It cannot tell you what a board would recommend in your case, or whether surgery is right for you. It cannot tell you how long your centre's review will take, or which specialists will attend. Those answers depend on your reports, your health and how your hospital runs its meetings. Your treating doctor is the right person to ask.
Questions we are asked
Common questions about tumour board review
Will a tumour board review delay my surgery?
Usually only briefly. Most boards meet regularly, so your case can be added to the next meeting. Missing reports cause more delay than the meeting itself. If you are worried about waiting, ask your doctor when your case will be discussed and whether the timing is safe.
Can I or my family attend the tumour board meeting?
Generally not. It is a working meeting where many cases are discussed in a short time. Your treating doctor presents your case and explains the outcome to you afterwards. You are welcome to bring your family to that follow-up conversation.
Is there an extra charge for a tumour board review?
At many centres it is part of routine cancer care and not billed separately. Charges vary, so ask the billing desk. If you are covered by Aarogyasri, CGHS, ECHS, EHS or cashless insurance, the board's written plan is often useful for approval.
What if the doctors at the board disagree?
It happens, and it is healthy. The board usually agrees on a recommended plan and notes the other options. Ask your doctor whether there was disagreement and what each view was, so you understand your choices clearly.
My case was not discussed at a tumour board. Should I worry?
Not automatically, but it is a fair question to raise. Some straightforward cases are managed without a formal meeting. Ask your doctor whether other specialists have reviewed your plan. If they have not, you could request it or seek a second opinion.
Can a tumour board review reports from another hospital?
Yes. Bring all scans on a disc or link, the reports and, if possible, the biopsy slides or tissue blocks. The pathologist may re-examine the slides, and the radiologist may re-read the scans before the discussion.
Does the board decide if I get surgery?
The board recommends, and you decide with your doctor. You can accept, ask questions, take time to think or seek another opinion. Your wishes and values are an important part of that decision.
Will my case go back to the board after surgery?
Often, yes. Once the pathology report is ready, many teams discuss the case again to decide whether you need chemotherapy, radiation or follow-up only. Ask your doctor whether this is planned for you and when.
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
- National Cancer Institute — NCI Dictionary of Cancer Terms
- Cancer Research UK — Surgery for cancer
- Macmillan Cancer Support — Cancer information and support
- Cancer.Net — Navigating Cancer Care
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
Getting a Written Surgical PlanAsk for the board's recommendation on paperSurgery Before or After Chemotherapy: Which Order?The order question a board most often settlesGetting a Second Opinion Before Cancer SurgeryIf you want another team to review the planQuestions to Ask Your Surgeon Before AgreeingWhat to ask once the recommendation comes back
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