What Is a Tumour Board in Cancer Treatment?

A tumour board, also called a multidisciplinary team meeting, is a regular meeting where cancer specialists review a patient’s case together and agree on the best treatment plan. It usually includes a surgeon, a medical oncologist, a radiation oncologist, a radiologist and a pathologist, sometimes with a palliative care doctor, a nurse specialist and others. Instead of one doctor deciding alone, the whole team looks at your scans and reports, and the recommendation is based on the evidence for your type and stage of cancer.

According to Dr. Sandeep Nayak at MACS Clinic, who provides cancer treatment in Bangalore, says patients often don’t know the tumour board exists, because they’re not in the room. “But it’s one of the most important meetings in their treatment. The pathologist shows what the tumour is really like, the radiologist shows exactly where it sits, and the surgeon, the medical oncologist and the radiation oncologist argue it out. Sometimes the plan one of us had in mind changes.

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Tumour Board in Oncology: Who Sits at the Table and What They Do

Each person brings a different piece of the puzzle:

- The surgeon. The surgical oncologist decides whether the tumour can be removed, and how: keyhole, robotic or open. They also judge whether surgery should come first or after other treatment.
- The medical oncologist. They look after drug treatment: chemotherapy, targeted therapy and immunotherapy. They decide which drugs, in which order, and whether they should start before surgery.
- The radiation oncologist. They say whether radiation will help, which type, and when. Our radiation therapy page explains how it’s planned.
- The radiologist and the pathologist. One reads your scans and the other reads your biopsy, so the board knows the exact size, stage and grade. Others may join, such as a palliative care doctor, a nurse specialist, a geneticist or a dietitian. Our oncology team works this way.

Multidisciplinary Tumour Board and Cancer Treatment Planning: What Happens in the Meeting

It’s more structured than people imagine:

Cases are prepared beforehand. Your reports, scans, biopsy slides and history are gathered, and most boards meet weekly, so there’s a natural rhythm to it.
Each specialist gives a view. They go through the options against current guidelines and available trials, and settle questions like whether to operate first or start with chemotherapy. Recurrent and unusual cases are discussed most often.
The result is a written recommendation. Your own doctor explains it to you. You’re usually not in the room, and the recommendation isn’t an order. The decision is yours, made with your doctor.
It’s widely seen as worth the time. In a global survey of oncologists, most said tumour boards help them make treatment decisions, and nearly all said they should be required where cancer is treated. In India, the National Cancer Grid runs virtual tumour boards that connect many cancer centres. Our precision oncology service feeds genomic results into these discussions.

What Determines the Decisions Made by a Tumour Board?

Two people with the same cancer can leave a tumour board with different plans. A few things decide it:

The type and stage of the cancer, and what the tumour is like. The pathology report and any genomic tests sit at the centre of the discussion.
Whether surgery is possible, and how. The location, the size and what’s nearby decide whether it can be done, and by which method.
Whether you’ve had treatment before. Cancers that have come back, or that remain after treatment, are the cases boards discuss most, since there’s often no single clear guideline.
Your health and what you want. Other conditions, your age and your own priorities are part of the conversation, even though you’re not in the room.
What’s available. Guidelines, trial options and the treatments offered locally all shape what the board can recommend.

FAQs

Will I be at my own tumour board meeting?

Usually not. It’s a meeting between the specialists, and your own doctor explains the recommendation afterwards. Some centres do invite patients, so it’s fair to ask. You’re always free to ask questions about the plan

Does every cancer patient get discussed at a tumour board?

Not always. Many centres discuss all new cases, and others choose complex ones, such as unusual types or cancers that have come back. Ask your doctor directly whether your case will be reviewed by a team before treatment starts.

How long does it take to get a tumour board opinion?

Most boards meet weekly, so a case is often reviewed at the next meeting after the reports are ready. It can take longer if more tests are needed first. Ask your doctor when your case will be discussed.

Can I get this kind of team opinion as a second opinion?

Yes, in a smaller form. An expert opinion consultation, where at least two specialists review your reports and give a written plan, uses the same idea. It’s a sensible step if you’ve been given a plan and want it checked.

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Disclaimer

This content is published for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice. Please speak to your oncologist before changing or stopping any treatment.