Medical Oncologist
For caregivers
Questions Every Caregiver — Should Ask at Each Visit
Oncology appointments move fast and the answers are hard to hold onto when you are frightened. Coming in with specific questions means you leave with specific answers, not just reassurance.
Medically reviewed by Dr. Bharati Devi Gorantla, Medical Oncologist, MBBS · MD · DM (Adyar, Chennai) · ECMO · MRCP SCE (UK) · Last reviewed August 2026
- Ask before the visit ends — Once you walk out, the next chance may be weeks away.
- Write the answers down — Memory is unreliable under stress. A note on your phone is enough.
- One question at a time — A focused question gets a full answer. A long list often gets a short one.
- It is your right to ask — No question is too basic. If you did not understand, say so in the room.
17+
Cancer Specialists
on Panel
on Panel
96.9%
Breast Cancer
Survival Rate*
Survival Rate*
15,000+
Patients
Treated
Treated
4.8★
Google Rating
(800+ reviews)
(800+ reviews)
Asking the right questions each visit keeps you informed and helps you spot problems early. Cover four areas every time: the goal of current treatment, side effects to watch for right now, what the test results mean, and when the next decision needs to be made.
Why do caregivers need their own list of questions?
Most oncology appointments last 15 to 20 minutes. That is not long when you are trying to absorb difficult information and think of what to ask at the same time.
Caregivers and patients often remember different things from the same appointment. The person with cancer may be focused on how they feel. You may be thinking about logistics, the next scan, or what the family needs to be told.
A written list means the most important questions get asked before the time runs out, and the answers get written down before they are forgotten.
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
Interventional Radiologist
Dr. Mohammed Imran
Surgical Oncologist
Dr. Vajja Sandeep Kumar
MBBS, MS (General Surgery), DrNB (Surgical Oncology), FALS Oncology
Surgical Oncologist
Want a specific doctor for your case? Mention them when booking.
Book Free ConsultationBook an appointment with our specialist
Share your name and number — we'll call you back within 30 minutes to schedule your consultation.
You do not have to work this out alone
A 45-minute consultation with a specialist who treats this every week.
What questions should I ask at every oncology appointment?
Start with the goal of treatment
Ask: what is this treatment intended to do? Is it intended to shrink the cancer, slow its growth, or manage symptoms? The answer shapes every decision that follows.
Ask what the last results showed
Ask whether the cancer has changed since the last scan or blood test, and whether the treatment is doing what the team expected. Ask what a good result looks like and what a concerning result would be.
Get specific about side effects
Ask which side effects are most likely over the next few weeks, what symptoms mean you should call the team the same day, and what you can safely manage at home without calling.
Ask about the plan if this stops working
This is the question caregivers most often leave unasked. Ask what the team would consider next if the current approach does not produce the response they are hoping for.
Confirm next steps before you leave
Ask when the next scan or blood test is, what it will show, and what the team will decide based on it. Leave knowing the exact next milestone.
Did you know?
ASCO patient communication guidance consistently notes that patients and caregivers recall less than half of what is said during a clinic consultation — and that written notes taken in the room significantly improve both recall and decision-making afterward.
A note on your phone, written as the doctor speaks, is enough.
Source: American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) — Patient Communication Resources
Explore 113 more Family, Fertility, Diet & Emotional Wellbeing topics
Caregiver Enablement
- Building a Care Roster When One Person Can't Do It All
- Caregiver Burnout: Recognising It Before It Breaks You
- Caregiver Red Flag Chart: When to Take Them to Hospital
- Caring for an Elderly Parent on Oral Cancer Tablets
- Cooking for Someone on Targeted Therapy: A Kitchen Guide
- Coordinating Care From Abroad: A Guide for NRI Families
- Financial Management for Caregivers: Bills, Claims and Records
- How to Get a Second Opinion Without Offending Your Doctor
- How to Track Side Effects: A Simple Daily Diary System
- Managing Medicines, Refills and Pharmacy Runs
- Questions Every Caregiver Should Ask at the Oncology Visit
- Supporting Someone Emotionally Without Saying the Wrong Thing
- The Complete Caregiver's Guide to Targeted Therapy
- What to Do When the Patient Refuses to Take Their Medicine
Diet, Nutrition & Complementary Therapy
- Ayurveda Alongside Targeted Therapy: An Honest Assessment
- Do Immunity Boosters Help During Cancer Treatment?
- Does Sugar Feed Cancer? Separating Myth From Fact
- Eating With Mouth Sores: Foods That Don't Hurt
- Eating to Control High Blood Sugar From Cancer Drugs
- Food Safety and Hygiene for Cancer Patients at Home
- Foods to Avoid on Targeted Therapy
- How Much Protein Does a Cancer Patient Actually Need?
- Hydration: How Much Water and What Counts
- Is Cow's Milk, Soya or Non-Veg Food Safe During Cancer Treatment?
- Keto and Intermittent Fasting During Cancer Treatment: Is It Safe?
- Managing Weight Loss and Muscle Wasting
- What Should You Eat While on Targeted Therapy? A Practical Indian Diet Guide
- What to Eat When You Have Diarrhoea From Cancer Tablets
- Yoga and Pranayama During Cancer Treatment
Fertility, Pregnancy & Sexual Health
- Accidental Pregnancy While on Targeted Therapy: What Now?
- Can You Breastfeed While on Targeted Therapy?
- Cancer Diagnosed During Pregnancy: Can Targeted Therapy Be Used?
- Contraception on Targeted Therapy: Which Methods Are Safe?
- Early Menopause Caused by Cancer Treatment
- Erectile Dysfunction and Sexual Changes in Men on Treatment
- Fertility After Long-Term Targeted Therapy: What the Data Shows
- Fertility Preservation Before Starting Treatment: Your Options and Timeline
- How Long Must You Wait Before Trying to Conceive?
- Sperm Banking Before Cancer Treatment: A Practical Guide
- Talking to Your Partner About Sex During Cancer Treatment
- Vaginal Dryness, Pain and Low Libido During Treatment
- Will Targeted Therapy Affect My Fertility?
Genetic Predisposition & Family Risk
- BRCA Testing in India: Cost, Process and Where to Get It Done
- Cascade Testing: Getting Your Family Members Tested
- Coping With the Anxiety of a Positive Genetic Test
- Does a BRCA Mutation Mean You Will Definitely Get Cancer?
- Family History of Cancer: Should You Get Genetic Testing?
- Genetic Counselling: What Actually Happens in the Session
- Hereditary Diffuse Gastric Cancer and the CDH1 Gene
- How to Tell Your Children and Siblings About a Genetic Risk
- I'm BRCA Positive but Have No Cancer: What Happens Now?
- IVF and Preimplantation Testing to Avoid Passing On a Mutation
- Li-Fraumeni Syndrome: Living With a TP53 Mutation
- Lynch Syndrome: Cancers, Screening and Treatment Implications
- MEN2, VHL and Other Endocrine Cancer Syndromes
- MUTYH, PALB2, ATM and CHEK2: Moderate-Risk Genes Explained
- Male BRCA Carriers: The Risks Nobody Talks About
- PARP Inhibitors: How a Genetic Mutation Becomes a Treatment Advantage
- Risk-Reducing Mastectomy: How to Decide
- Risk-Reducing Ovary and Tube Removal: Timing and Consequences
- Somatic Mutation Found on NGS: Could It Be Inherited?
- Surveillance Instead of Surgery: What Screening Looks Like
- Which Family Histories Actually Suggest a Hereditary Cancer Syndrome?
- Will a Genetic Test Result Affect Your Insurance in India?
Mental Health & Emotional Wellbeing
- Body Image When Your Skin, Nails and Hair Change
- Cancer Support Groups in India: How to Find One
- Depression During Long-Term Cancer Treatment
- Handling Unhelpful Advice and Toxic Positivity
- Living With Cancer as a Chronic Disease: A New Identity
- Sleep, Anxiety and Night-Time Fear During Treatment
- Talking to Your Children About Your Cancer Diagnosis
- Telling Friends, Relatives and Neighbours: How Much to Share
- The Fear That the Drug Will Stop Working: How to Live With It
- When Should You See a Psycho-Oncologist?
Myths, Misinformation & Verification
- Are Generic Cancer Drugs Fake or Weaker?
- Can Cancer Be Cured Without Any Modern Medicine?
- Cannabis and CBD Oil for Cancer: What the Evidence Actually Says
- Does Soursop, Apricot Seed or Alkaline Water Cure Cancer?
- Does a Biopsy Spread Cancer?
- How to Fact-Check Cancer Information You Read Online or From AI
- Miracle Cancer Cures on WhatsApp and YouTube: How to Spot a Fake
- Myth: Cancer Treatment Is Worse Than the Disease
- Myth: If the Scan Is Clear You Can Stop the Tablets
- Myth: Positive Thinking Cures Cancer
- Myth: Sugar, Milk or Non-Veg Food Feeds Cancer
- Myth: Targeted Therapy Has No Side Effects
- Myth: Targeted Therapy Is Only for the Rich
Palliative Care & End of Life
- Breathlessness and Comfort Care in Advanced Cancer
- Hospice and Home Palliative Care Services in India
- How to Have a Goals-of-Care Conversation With Your Doctor
- Pain Control at Home: What's Possible and What to Ask For
- Palliative Care Is Not Giving Up: Clearing the Biggest Myth
- Should You Ask How Long You Have Left?
- Supporting a Family Member in Their Last Months
- What 'Best Supportive Care' Actually Means
- When Is It Right to Stop Cancer Treatment?
Special Populations & Comorbidities
- Cancer Treatment After an Organ Transplant
- Cancer Treatment for Patients on Dialysis
- Cancer Treatment in Patients With Past or Active Tuberculosis
- Growth, Puberty and School During Childhood Cancer Treatment
- Hepatitis B and C Reactivation Risk During Cancer Treatment
- Managing Diabetes While on Targeted Therapy
- Obesity, Underweight and Dosing: Does Body Size Change the Dose?
- Paediatric Targeted Therapy: What Parents Need to Know
- Targeted Therapy With Autoimmune Disease
- Targeted Therapy With Chronic Kidney Disease
- Targeted Therapy With Existing Heart Disease
- Targeted Therapy With Liver Disease or Cirrhosis
- Targeted Therapy for Adolescents and Young Adults
- Targeted Therapy for Patients With Mental Illness or Dementia
- Targeted Therapy in HIV-Positive Patients
- Targeted Therapy in Patients Over 75: Is It Worth It?
- Treating Patients With Poor Performance Status
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.
Common questions
Frequently asked questions
Is it rude to bring a written list of questions to the oncology appointment?
No — it is helpful. Oncologists see many patients in a day, and a focused written question is faster to answer than a long verbal one. Most prefer a caregiver who has prepared over one who remembers everything they wanted to ask only after leaving. If your list is long, ask the doctor which questions they want to take first.
What if the doctor gives an answer I do not understand?
Say so, in the room. 'I am not sure I understood that — can you say it differently?' is not a challenge to the doctor's authority. It is the most useful thing you can do. If you leave without understanding something, write it down and call the nurse or patient coordinator the same day. Do not spend a week searching online for an explanation of something your team can answer in two minutes.
Can I record the appointment on my phone?
Ask the doctor first. Most oncologists have no objection, and ASCO notes that recordings improve how well caregivers understand and act on medical information. If the doctor says no, ask whether a nurse or patient coordinator can sit with you to help take notes instead. Either option is better than leaving with no record of what was said.
What if the doctor seems rushed and I have not asked everything?
Say: 'I have two more questions before we finish.' Most doctors will stop. If the appointment genuinely ends before you are finished, ask the nurse or coordinator who to call with the remaining questions. Do not leave the most important questions for next time if the next appointment is weeks away.
Are there questions I should not ask in front of the patient?
Sometimes, yes. Questions about what happens if the treatment stops working are sometimes better raised in a separate call to the team, rather than in front of the person who is unwell — especially if they have indicated they do not want to discuss those scenarios. Ask the nurse coordinator before the appointment whether there is a way to pass those questions through separately.