When seeking cancer treatment or a second opinion internationally, complete and well-organized medical records are your foundation for accurate assessment and tailored care planning. Gathering the right documentation before your consultation prevents delays, enables specialists to make informed recommendations, and ensures continuity of your cancer care across borders.
If you live in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain, Iraq or Mauritius and want a US oncologist to review your case, you cannot hand over a folder in person. Your records have to travel alone and arrive complete. This guide covers what to collect, how to organise it, and how to send it so a specialist can use it on the first read.
Why your file shapes the opinion you receive
Cancer decisions usually involve several specialists reading the same evidence: pathology, imaging, staging and treatment history. An academic oncologist describes the frustration of having too little information to offer an opinion or consider a clinical trial. A thin file does not make an opinion wrong, but it limits how specific the opinion can be.
Three principles make a good file:
- Complete for the question you're asking. A diagnosis review needs different records than a "what next after progression" review.
- Recent and dated. Reviewers want to see the sequence of events.
- Readable by someone who has never met you. Assume no context.
The core records checklist
| Record | Why reviewers want it | What to ask your hospital for | Common mistake |
|---|---|---|---|
| Final pathology report | Confirms tumour type, grade, margins and receptor/biomarker status | The signed final report, including any addenda | Sending only the preliminary report |
| Pathology slides / tissue blocks | Lets a US pathologist re-examine the tissue itself | A written request to release them to you | Assuming the report is enough when the question is the diagnosis |
| Imaging (CT, MRI, PET, mammogram) | Specialists often view the images themselves | DICOM files on disc or a secure link, plus reports | Sending only photos of printouts |
| Biomarker / molecular reports | Drives targeted and immunotherapy options | Full lab report, not a summary line | Omitting it because "it's in the discharge note" |
| Operative / surgical notes | Shows what was removed and what was found | The full operative report | Sending only the discharge summary |
| Treatment summary | Shows what has been tried, doses and responses | Chemo/radiation summary with dates | No dates or dose changes |
| Recent clinic notes and labs | Establishes current fitness for treatment | Last 2-3 oncology notes and recent blood work | Sending years-old labs |
| Medication and allergy list | Avoids unsafe suggestions | Current list with doses | A list written from memory |
Tumour-specific additions (for example, mammograms for breast cancer or endoscopy reports for GI cancers) are worth asking your oncologist about.
Step-by-step: build your file in six steps
Step 1: Define your question. Write one sentence, such as "Is my diagnosis and stage correct?" or "Are there options beyond what I've been offered?" The question decides which records matter most.
Step 2: Request records in your own name. Ask your hospital's medical records department to release copies to you. Moffitt, for instance, asks international patients to have records and films released to them rather than sent to the centre directly (Moffitt FAQ). Policies differ, so check with whoever you are sending to.
Step 3: Collect imaging as files. Request DICOM copies. Printouts and phone photos lose detail that radiologists need.
Step 4: Check every page. Confirm each report carries your full name, date of birth, date of study and the signing doctor. Blank pages and duplicates add noise.
Step 5: Label and order. Group by type and name files so the order is obvious:
01_Summary_2026-10.pdf 02_Pathology_Final_2026-08-14.pdf 03_CT_Chest_Abdomen_Report_2026-08-02.pdf 04_CT_Images_DICOM_2026-08-02 (folder) 05_Chemo_Summary_2026-09.pdf 06_Medications_Allergies.pdf
Step 6: Write the one-page summary. This is the single most useful page you can add. Use this template:
| Field | What to write |
|---|---|
| Diagnosis | Cancer type, site, date diagnosed |
| Stage | As documented (e.g., TNM or stage group) |
| Biomarkers | As listed on the lab report |
| Treatments so far | Surgery, chemo, radiation, immunotherapy, with dates |
| Current status | Latest scan date and what it showed, in the report's words |
| Current medicines and allergies | From your list |
| Local oncologist | Name and hospital |
| Your top 3 questions | In plain language |
Language, format and security
Language. Moffitt states that records in languages other than English will only delay a consult. Ask the centre you are using whether it needs English or accepts translated copies. If a certified translation is needed, translate the pathology report first, then the treatment summary.
File format. Use PDF for reports, DICOM for imaging, and avoid phone photos where a scan is possible.
Security. Send documents only to the confirmed official address, and send any password in a separate message rather than in the same email thread. Prefer a secure upload portal over email attachments where one exists. acibademinternational
Consent. Sign only the release forms you understand, and keep a copy of what you shared and when.
Common gaps that slow a review
- Pathology report without the slides, when the diagnosis itself is in question
- Imaging reports with no images
- Treatment history without dates or doses
- Biomarker results missing or abbreviated
- Scans sent sideways, out of order or duplicated
- No statement of what the patient actually wants to know
How Arbuda USA Helps You Get a US Cancer Specialist’s Opinion Online
Arbuda USA is a technology-enabled patient-navigation platform. It connects patients in the Gulf, Iraq and Mauritius with US medical specialists for online consultations and treatment guidance. It does not provide medical treatment itself. Patients submit records through a secure online intake, then choose the service that fits their question.
What the services cover:
- General Guidance and Oncology: a US oncologist reviews your case and outlines the clinical pathway.
- Pathology and Radiology: specialist review of biopsy slides and imaging, handled through accredited US laboratories and partners such as PathGroup.
- Comprehensive: radiology, pathology and doctor-to-doctor review combined into one treatment plan.
- CAR-T Cell Therapy: guidance on eligibility and options for blood cancers.
- Doctor-to-Doctor: a call between your treating physician and a US oncology expert.
How it supports you:
- Each service uses a short questionnaire, and video consultation is optional.
- Your local oncologist stays involved, so the opinion feeds into your existing care.
- If you choose treatment in the US, Arbuda helps coordinate records and logistics, including patient-navigator support at partnering Ascension Via Christi in Wichita, Kansas.
- Health information is handled to US HIPAA privacy and security standards, according to Arbuda.
Not sure which service or records you need? Contact the Arbuda care team before you submit.
Medical disclaimer: This article is for general education and is not medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Arbuda is a patient-navigation platform and does not provide medical care. Always consult your treating oncologist or another qualified healthcare professional about your situation.
