What is the difference between a second opinion and a tumor board review?

According to the National Cancer Institute (NCI), a second opinion is the opinion of a doctor other than your current doctor. That second doctor reviews your medical records and gives an opinion about your health problem and how it should be treated. The NCI notes a second opinion may confirm or question the first doctor's diagnosis and treatment plan, give more information about your condition, and offer other treatment options. A tumor board review, the NCI explains, is different: a treatment planning process in which a group of cancer doctors and other health care specialists meet regularly to review and discuss new and complex cancer cases, deciding as a group on the best treatment plan. These meetings can involve medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, surgeons, pathologists, radiologists, genetics experts, nurses, physical therapists, and social workers. In short, one is a single added expert's view; the other, a group deliberation.

Last updated: 2026-07-12

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