What is a Tumour Board and how can it help you?

This article explains the uses of a tumour board for patients and caregivers of cancer. 

One of the most common problems faced by cancer patients and caregivers in India is the lack of sufficient information on their disease, what tests need to be done, what is the stage, what treatment is most suitable for them and what outcomes to expect from this treatment. 

Without the right information at the right time, cancer can seem like a more complex disease than it already is. 

At each stage of the cancer journey, from the diagnosis, to finding the right treatment, and the right follow-up care, patients and caregivers struggle to put together the complete picture.

Onco.com is able to guide you with the end-to-end management of your cancer through their expert care managers who can get you the answers to all your questions on cancer treatment.

Onco’s Tumour Board service

Our Tumour Board service gives you the advantage of knowing if you are or have the right treatment plan, or if there is a better treatment plan available for you. 

The Tumour Board consists of experts in the field of oncology from India and the US. These oncologists have 10+ years of experience treating cancer, and are trained from premier institutions like Tata Memorial, AIIMS and Memorial Sloan Kettering. 

To avail this service you will need to share your medical reports with our care manager, along with any specific queries or concerns you have. We will then prepare a detailed report, including a case summary, diagnosis, treatment options and suggestions. 

Within two to three days of submitting your reports, you will receive the Tumour Board report from us. 

The report will give you the best line of treatment for you, along with information on the most cutting-edge treatment options that might benefit you. We will also help you find any clinical trials that might be a suitable option for your cancer.  

The report will also detail the expected outcomes from your treatment and follow-up requirements. 

You can consult the tumour board for 25 days after receiving the report. You can also avail the services of our care managers for the remainder of your treatment journey. 

Our care manager will also help you find the right oncologist for your type and stage of cancer, along with the right diagnostic and treatment centres depending on your requirement and budget. 

Our care managers continue to assist you at each stage of your cancer journey, with the information and services specific to that stage. We also provide nutritional and counselling help for patients who opt for these services. 

What can you expect from this service?

Onco’s Tumour Board has some distinct advantages that will help you get the most out of your cancer treatment.

• Unbiased Second Opinion

To begin with, Onco.com is not affiliated with any specific treatment centre or oncologist. This enables us to provide unbiased advice on cancer care, putting the best interest of the patient above all else. 

A second opinion minimises the margin of error in your treatment. You can share our report with your treating team of oncologists and discuss the treatment options if you so wish. 

• Access to Experts

The oncologists on the Tumour Board have over 10 years of experience in treating cancer and have been trained from premier institutions in India and the US. 

We pick those oncologists who have specific expertise in your type and stage of cancer, so that you get the best possible advice. 

• Online Service

You no longer have to travel or wait to receive the attention of the top oncologists in India and the US. You can avail their expert opinion through the click of a button. 

You can submit your medical reports online and can avail the written opinion online. 

• Understanding outcomes

The Tumour Board report helps you understand the expected outcomes of different treatments. Follow-up procedures that may be required, and the survival rate will be clearly explained. 

This helps you make an informed choice about your treatment, giving you more control over it. 

• Cutting-edge options

The report includes the latest treatments, drugs as well as clinical trials that could benefit you. The risks and benefits are explained carefully, allowing you to make the best choice under the guidance of our expert oncologists. 

We can also help you with advanced diagnostic tests that can guide your treatment decisions. Some of our patients have been able to avoid certain treatment modes like chemotherapy after using these tests to check their risk of recurrence.

All of the above reasons ensure that you are confident about your cancer treatment and its outcomes. 

Why is the tumour board service important?

• The Tumour Board allows you to find out whether you are currently on the best treatment plan for your cancer, or if there is a better plan for you. It reduces the margin of error, while giving you the confidence that you are on the best possible path. 
• This service gives you access to the top oncologists in India and the US, from the comfort of your home. You do not need to risk infections and incur additional costs by travelling to various locations to be able to get their opinion on your treatment. 
• The importance of a second opinion for cancer is well-known internationally. In fact, in more advanced countries, insurance agencies require you to take a second opinion before embarking on a treatment, so as to ensure that our treatment is the right one for you. 
• The Tumour Board’s report gives you a detailed understanding of your condition, with all possible treatment options available to you. It points to any advanced or upcoming treatment options that you can use. 
• It will also mention any clinical trials that are suitable for you. 
• From this report, you will know what treatment outcomes to expect and what follow-up will be required after the treatment. The post-treatment survival rate for your type and stage of cancer will also be given to you. 

Who’s on the Tumour Board?

Cancer treatment usually is multidisciplinary involving surgical, medical and radiation treatment. Onco’s Tumour Board includes experts from different specialties of oncology treatment, including both well-established, traditional approaches as well as new and emerging treatments.

Here are some of the medical experts that would be a part of the board:

• Surgical Oncologists

For many types of cancers with solid tumours, surgery is the gold standard for treatment in the early stages. For this reason, a surgical oncologist with expertise in your specific type of cancer will be a part of the Tumour Board that makes your report. 

• Medical Oncologists

Chemotherapy is a common mode of treatment for many types of cancer. A medical oncologist specialises in chemotherapy and newer treatment modes like targeted therapy and immunotherapy. 

• Radiation Oncologist

For many cancer patients, radiation therapy is an indispensable part of their treatment plan. If not as a primary treatment modality, then as an adjuvant treatment. 

A radiation oncologist is trained in administering radiation therapy for cancer. 

• Surgical Gastroenterologist

Surgeries in the gastrointestinal organs require highly specialised surgeons. For this reason, surgical gastroenterologists also form a part of the tumour board when required, based on the site of the cancer. 

Gastrointestinal organs include esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, rectum, anal canal, liver, pancreas etc. 

• Neurosurgeons

Doctors who specialise in the treatment of central and peripheral nervous system ailments are called neurosurgeons. If the cancer has affected the brain or the spine, then a neurosurgeon will be included in the tumour board for your report. 

• Nuclear Medicine Physicians

Nuclear medicine physicians are specialists in using radioactive substances in treatment. They also approve and interpret images from scans used to diagnose patients. Their expertise is also essential for procedures like molecular imaging and molecular therapy. 

Especially for thyroid cancers, nuclear medicine physicians are included in the tumour board. 

All of the above medical experts work together to understand your case history and the present condition of the disease. They then prepare a report that includes an explanation of your disease, the best possible treatment plan for it, the follow-up that will be required post-treatment, and also an understanding of what outcomes to expect from the treatment. 

How do I get the Tumour Board opinion in India ?

You can get a written report from Onco’s Tumour Board by calling 79965 79965 or via our website. You can also download our app to avail this service along with constant support from our care managers. 

You will need to share your current reports and results of tests and scans conducted so far. Within four days of sharing these, you will receive our Tumour Board report detailing the best treatment plan for you. 

You can also submit specific questions you may have, and these will be answered in your report. Even after the report has been received, you can ask any follow-up questions from our cancer experts for the next 25 days. 

Our care managers will assist you for the rest of your cancer journey. 

What are the guidelines of the Tumour Board?

Onco’s Tumour Board follows US and UK guidelines for cancer treatment and advice. The opinion provided by the Tumour Board will be in accordance with the guidelines of NCCN and ASCO.