Medical Oncologist
Managing your follow-up
Follow-Up on Oral Targeted Therapy: — In Person or Teleconsult?
Oral targeted therapy is taken at home, which means many of your follow-up visits can also happen from home. The question is not whether teleconsult is safe — it is which type of visit each appointment actually needs.
Medically reviewed by Dr. Bharati Devi Gorantla, Medical Oncologist, MBBS · MD · DM (Adyar, Chennai) · ECMO · MRCP SCE (UK) · Last reviewed August 2026
- Teleconsult works for most routine check-ins — Once treatment is established and blood results are on file, most symptom reviews can happen safely by video.
- Some visits cannot be remote — A physical examination, a blood draw, or a scan cannot happen on a video call.
- New symptoms change the answer — Any side effect you have not had before needs an in-person assessment, regardless of how mild it seems.
- Your oncologist sets the schedule — CION will advise at each visit whether the next appointment can be by video or needs to be in person.
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Most oral targeted therapy follow-up visits work well by teleconsult once treatment is established and blood results are on file. Visits requiring a physical examination, a blood draw, or a scan must be in person. Any new or worsening symptom also needs in-person review, regardless of how mild it seems.
When can I do my oral therapy follow-up by video call?
Oral targeted therapies are taken at home rather than given at a clinic by infusion. This removes many of the usual reasons to travel — receiving a drug, having a reaction monitored on the spot.
A teleconsult is appropriate when your therapy is established, your recent blood results are already on file with your team, and you are reviewing side effects your oncologist has already seen and assessed.
It is not a lesser form of follow-up. A video call gives your oncologist what they need for most routine reviews: what you are experiencing, whether side effects are stable, and whether the therapy appears to be working.
Which criteria make a visit suitable for teleconsult?
- You are at least a few weeks into treatment and your team knows your baseline
- Your most recent blood results are already on file with your oncology team
- You have no symptoms that are new — only ones your team has already seen and assessed
- Your side effects are mild and stable, not worsening since the last visit
- This visit does not require a physical examination
- You do not need a blood draw or scan at this appointment
What can and cannot happen on a video call?
| Situation | Teleconsult | In person |
|---|---|---|
| Starting a new oral therapy | Not suitable | Always required for the first review |
| Routine symptom review on stable treatment | Suitable | Not required unless examination needed |
| Reviewing blood results already on file | Suitable | Not required |
| Blood draw at the clinic | Not possible | Required |
| New or worsening side effect | For same-day triage only | Required for assessment |
| Reviewing a scan report already received | Suitable — discuss with team | Required if the scan is today |
| Disease reassessment or restaging | Not possible | Always required |
| Prescription renewal for stable therapy | Often possible | Required if examination needed first |
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How does CION decide which appointments can be by video?
At CION, your oncologist tells you at the end of each appointment whether the next one can be a teleconsult or needs to be in person. The decision is based on where you are in treatment and what the most recent review showed.
For routine reviews on stable targeted therapy, teleconsult is the standard option once treatment is established — which means you are not travelling to a centre for a visit that does not require physical contact.
If your team needs blood results before a teleconsult, they will tell you where and when to have them done so the results are on file before your video call.
Did you know?
ASCO and ESMO both incorporated remote follow-up for stable patients on oral cancer therapies into their clinical guidance, noting that video review is appropriate when physical examination is not required.
The deciding factor is clinical need at that visit — not convenience, and not the technology.
Source: ASCO Telehealth in Cancer Care guidance; ESMO guidance on follow-up for patients on oral anticancer agents
Questions patients ask before choosing teleconsult
What if I develop a new side effect between scheduled visits?
Do not wait for your next scheduled appointment, whether it is a teleconsult or in person. Contact your oncology team the same day for any side effect you have not had before, any symptom that is worsening rather than stable, or anything that is stopping you from taking your tablets. Most CION centres have a same-day contact pathway for patients on active treatment. Your team will tell you at the start of treatment how to reach them between appointments.
Can my prescription be renewed without coming in?
For most patients on stable oral targeted therapy, prescription renewal can be managed at a teleconsult appointment. Your oncologist will confirm whether this is possible for your specific medication and situation. Some prescriptions require a physical review or up-to-date blood results before renewal — your team will tell you what is needed in advance so you can arrange it before the appointment rather than on the day.
My blood results are not back yet — should I still join the teleconsult?
Attend the teleconsult and tell your oncologist at the start that results are not yet available. Your team can often review your symptoms and general wellbeing and follow up once the results arrive. Whether to proceed without results is your oncologist's decision, not yours — they may have enough from your previous set to proceed, or they may reschedule. Do not skip the appointment without informing your team.
Is a teleconsult less thorough than an in-person visit?
For visits that do not require a physical examination, teleconsult and in-person give your oncologist the same information: what you are experiencing, how side effects are tracking, and whether treatment appears to be working. The difference is not thoroughness — it is whether physical contact adds something the visit needs. When it does, in person is the right choice. When it does not, teleconsult is equally valid and is often faster and less tiring for you.
What if the video technology does not work for me?
CION uses platforms that work on most smartphones without needing to download a separate application. Your team will send you a link before the appointment. If technology is a barrier — because of internet access, an older phone, or difficulty using video — tell your team when you book. In many cases an audio call is a workable alternative for a routine review. Do not skip a visit because of a technology concern; the solution is usually straightforward once your team knows.
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Common questions
Frequently asked questions
Is teleconsultation safe for cancer follow-up?
Yes, for visits that do not require a physical examination, blood draw, or scan. Clinical guidance from ASCO and ESMO supports remote review for stable patients on oral targeted therapies. The conditions are that treatment is established, recent blood results are on file, and there are no new symptoms. Your oncologist confirms at each appointment whether the next one can be remote — it is always their call to make, not assumed.
Which visits always need to be in person?
Visits involving a physical examination, a blood draw at the clinic, or a scan must always be in person — these cannot happen remotely. Starting a new oral therapy always requires an in-person first visit. Disease reassessment or restaging also requires you to attend. Any new or worsening symptom that has not been previously reviewed should be seen in person rather than assessed by video.
How will I know whether my next appointment can be by teleconsult?
Your oncologist will tell you at the end of each appointment. If your situation changes between visits — a new symptom, a missed blood test, or a concern about your tablet — contact your team so they can advise whether the appointment should change from teleconsult to in person. If you are ever unsure, call and ask rather than assuming.
Can I have a teleconsult if I have side effects I am worried about?
It depends on the side effects and how they have changed. If they are the same ones your team has already seen and are stable or mild, a teleconsult is usually appropriate. If they are new, worsening, or stopping you from taking your tablets, contact your team the same day rather than waiting for a scheduled appointment. A routine review is different from a same-day call for a new concern — your team can advise which applies.
What is the teleconsult process at CION?
Teleconsult appointments at CION are booked through your care team. You receive a link before the appointment that works on most phones without downloading an application. Your oncologist reviews your current symptoms, side effects, and most recent blood results during the call. At the end, they will tell you the next step — whether that is another teleconsult, an in-person visit, a blood test, or a scan.
What if I would rather come in person even when teleconsult is offered?
That is always your choice. If you feel you need to be seen in person — because you are worried about a symptom, find it easier to talk face to face, or for any other reason — tell your team. A preference for in-person care is a valid reason to attend the clinic. Teleconsult is offered as a convenience for appointments where physical contact adds nothing, not as a requirement.