What to gather before your second opinion

A tumor-board review is only as good as what it can see. These seven categories are what actually lets a reviewing team assess your case properly — tick them off as you collect them, print the list, or come back to it later; your progress is saved on this device.

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1.Pathology report — the full report, not just the summary line

Why it matters: The pathology report (tumor type, grade, margins, receptor or molecular markers) drives the treatment plan more than any scan. A one-line diagnosis from a discharge summary is not enough for a specialist to review your case properly.

Where to get it: Your hospital's pathology or medical-records department. Ask for the complete, signed report — not a summary written by a different department.

2.Whether blocks or slides can be released, if a second reading is needed

Why it matters: If the reviewing team wants to re-examine the tissue itself — or run a molecular test the original lab didn't — they need the physical blocks or slides, not just the written report. Knowing whether your lab can release them (and how) saves time later.

Where to get it: Ask your pathology department whether blocks/slides can be released to you or couriered directly, and what their turnaround time is.

3.Imaging on DICOM disc — not just the written radiology report

Why it matters: A written radiology report is one radiologist's interpretation. The actual DICOM images let a second team look at the scan itself, which matters most when a plan hinges on exact tumor size, location, or spread. Sending only the written report is the single most common gap in a second-opinion package.

Where to get it: Ask your imaging department for a CD/DVD or a secure download link with the DICOM files — most radiology departments can produce one within a day.

4.Staging scans (CT, PET-CT, MRI, or bone scan, as applicable)

Why it matters: Staging determines which treatments are even on the table. Without the actual staging imaging, a reviewing team can only work from whatever staging conclusion is written elsewhere, not verify it.

Where to get it: The same imaging department that performed them — request all staging studies, not just the most recent one.

5.Recent bloodwork, ideally from the last 2-4 weeks

Why it matters: Tumor markers, blood counts, and organ-function labs change quickly during treatment. Bloodwork that's months old may no longer reflect your current condition, and a treatment plan built on stale labs may need revising anyway.

Where to get it: Your treating physician's office or the lab that performed the most recent panel.

6.A summary of any treatment already received

Why it matters: Prior surgery, chemotherapy regimens and doses, or radiotherapy fields all affect what's safe to do next. A reviewing team working from your diagnosis alone, without knowing what's already been tried, cannot properly assess your options.

Where to get it: A discharge summary or treatment summary from each facility involved so far — ask specifically for doses and dates, not just drug names.

7.If you're photographing paper documents, a few basics

Why it matters: A blurry or angled phone photo of a pathology report can make critical numbers (like a tumor marker value or a margin measurement) unreadable — the single most avoidable reason a review gets delayed asking for a resend.

Where to get it: Flat surface, good light, camera directly overhead, one document per photo — or ask the issuing department for a PDF instead, which is usually faster than photographing.

Once you have what you can

You don’t need every item checked to start — send what you have and the review team will tell you if anything critical is missing. See how to read your pathology report for what the report itself means, or start your free 72-hour second opinion now.