Second Opinion in Cancer: Online Application, Evaluation in the Outpatient Clinic

When can a second opinion be considered?

• If you have a new cancer diagnosis and want to confirm the plan before starting treatment
• Before a decision on major surgery, pre-operative (neoadjuvant) treatment or radiotherapy
• If the tumour type is rare
• If the disease has progressed despite treatment and next options are being discussed
• If you want to understand how the results of genetic or molecular tests (e.g. NGS) will affect treatment
• If you want to weigh the burden of treatment against the expected benefit for an older relative

How does the process work?

1. Apply via WhatsApp. In your message, state the patient’s full name, age, city of residence, diagnosis, the centre where treatment is currently given, and your request for a “second opinion”.
2. Send your documents. Send the reports in the list below as PDFs or legible photographs. The documents are used to plan your appointment and to have your file ready on the clinic day. You can read the Privacy Notice before sending.
3. Outpatient appointment. A suitable day and time are communicated to you via WhatsApp. Because clinic days may change with administrative duties, it is important to confirm before you set out.
4. Evaluation in the outpatient clinic. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ali Oğul examines you in the clinic and reviews your documents with you. If needed, additional tests, re-examination of pathology slides or a multidisciplinary tumour board are planned.

Important: WhatsApp is only for applications, appointments and the transmission of documents. No diagnosis is made, no treatment recommendation is given and no prescription or report is issued via WhatsApp; the evaluation is carried out face to face within the hospital’s outpatient system.

You can share the opinion reached in the clinic with your current doctor; whether or not to continue treatment at your own centre is your decision.

Which documents should I send?

Essential

• Pathology (biopsy or surgical) report; immunohistochemistry results if available
• Imaging reports: CT, MRI, PET-CT (report texts)
• Discharge summary or disease summary; the operation note if you have had surgery
• The medicines you use: active ingredient name, dose and start date

If available

• Molecular or genetic test reports (EGFR, ALK, KRAS, BRCA, HER2, MSI, NGS panel, etc.)
• Blood tests from the last 2–4 weeks (blood count, biochemistry, tumour markers)
• A summary of previous treatments: which treatment, how many cycles, side effects experienced
• Other illnesses and medicines you take regularly

On the clinic day, bring with you

The images themselves (CD/DICOM), the originals of your documents and your ID. Do not try to send imaging CDs via WhatsApp; they are reviewed together at the consultation.

Confidentiality of your documents

• Send your documents only to +90 530 250 54 85; do not share them in group chats.
• You can cover information that is not needed for the evaluation, such as the national identity number.
• WhatsApp servers are located abroad. If you do not wish to send your documents via WhatsApp, you can write only your appointment request and bring your documents in printed form on the clinic day.

How your personal data is processed is explained on the Privacy Notice page.

Multidisciplinary evaluation

When needed, your file is discussed in a tumour board attended by physicians from medical oncology, surgical branches, radiation oncology, pathology, radiology and nuclear medicine. In older patients, geriatric assessment is carried out with Assoc. Prof. Dr. Çağatay Çavuşoğlu (Geriatrics), and treatment-related blood count problems (haematological toxicity) with Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mahmut Bakır Koyuncu (Haematology).

From which cities can I apply?

For an online application it does not matter where you are; the evaluation takes place in Mersin, in the outpatient clinic of Mersin University Faculty of Medicine Oncology Hospital (Çiftlikköy Campus, Yenişehir). You can apply from the districts of Mersin (Yenişehir, Mezitli, Toroslar, Akdeniz, Tarsus, Erdemli, Silifke, Anamur, Bozyazı, Mut, Gülnar and others) and from neighbouring provinces such as Adana, Osmaniye, Hatay, Karaman and Antalya.

Before a long journey, sending your application and documents via WhatsApp makes it easier to confirm the clinic day and to be clear about which documents to bring. For travel information, see the Contact page.