Although the diagnosis of most cancers is straightforward, patients or their doctors may want to get a second opinion from another pathologist. Patients interested in getting a second opinion should talk with their doctor. They will need to obtain the slides and/or paraffin block from the pathologist who examined the sample or from the hospital where the biopsy or surgery was done.
Many institutions provide second opinions on pathology specimens. NCI-designated cancer centers or academic institutions sometimes provide second opinions. Patients should contact the facility in advance to determine if this service is available, the cost, and shipping instructions.
For each patient, the results of all pathology examinations and any other tests ordered by the pathologists are reviewed together by the tumor review board, a group of doctors who are experts in different specialties who plan the treatment approach for a patient.