01
Send the reports
Colonoscopy report, biopsy/histopathology, CT and pelvic MRI, recent blood work, and whatever plan you have been given.
← All treatments
Second opinions
A free written second opinion on your colorectal cancer stage and treatment plan — with no obligation to transfer care.
Dr. Ritesh Anand · MBBS, MS (General Surgery), MCh (Surgical Gastroenterology) · Smiles Institute of Gastroenterology, Mathikere, Bengaluru · Reviewed 30 August 2026
At a glance
- Cost
- Free written review
- What to send
- Colonoscopy, biopsy, CT/MRI, blood work, current plan
- You receive
- A written read of stage, options and trade-offs
- Obligation
- None — most patients stay with their current team
Who this is for
- A new colorectal cancer diagnosis and a plan you do not fully understand
- Being told a permanent stoma is unavoidable
- Conflicting advice from two teams
- Wanting to know whether robotic or keyhole surgery applies to your case
A second opinion is not disloyalty. In cancer care it is standard practice, and any surgeon confident in their plan will support it. The value is not a different answer — often it is the same answer, explained until it makes sense, which is worth just as much.
What actually happens, step by step.
02
Personal review
The images and reports are reviewed personally — not delegated, not auto-replied.
03
A written opinion
Your stage as the reports read it, the treatment options that genuinely apply, and what each one costs you in day-to-day life.
04
No pressure
If your existing plan is sound, you are told so and encouraged to continue with your current team.
Recovery, honestly
- Not a procedure — no recovery needed.
- You keep the written opinion and can share it with your current doctor.
- A consultation, in person or by video, can follow if you want one.
Risks and limits
- A remote review is limited by the quality of the reports supplied.
- It does not replace an in-person examination where one is needed.
- No outcome, survival or cure is promised — anyone promising that should worry you.
No outcome, cure rate or survival figure is promised on this page. Any clinician who promises one should be questioned.
Bring these to your appointment
Questions worth asking any surgeon — including me.
- 01What stage do my reports actually show?
- 02What are all my options, including the non-surgical ones?
- 03What does each option cost me in daily function?
- 04What happens if I wait four weeks?
Common questions
Is the second opinion really free?
The written review of your reports is free. If you choose to come in for a full consultation or investigations, standard hospital charges apply and are told to you upfront.
Will my current doctor be offended?
Second opinions are routine in cancer care. Most oncologists and surgeons actively encourage them, and many patients return to their original team with more confidence.
How long does it take?
It depends on how complete the reports are. Send everything at once and you get a faster, more useful answer.
Next step
Send your reports first. The appointment then starts further ahead.
Colonoscopy report, biopsy, scans and any plan you have already been given. A written second opinion costs nothing and carries no obligation to change doctors.
This page is general information reviewed by Dr. Ritesh Anand, MBBS, MS (General Surgery), MCh (Surgical Gastroenterology). It does not replace a consultation. For heavy bleeding, severe pain or an inability to pass stool or gas, go to the nearest emergency department.
Related treatments
Colonoscopy & polypectomy
Diagnosis and prevention in the same sitting. Removing a polyp today is how a cancer never happens.
Laparoscopic & robotic colorectal surgery
Keyhole approaches for colon and rectal cancer — smaller wounds, faster recovery, the same oncological rigour.
Sphincter-preserving rectal surgery
Where anatomy and staging allow, surgery planned around keeping you out of a permanent stoma.