Getting Your Medical Records Ready for Treatment Abroad

If you are planning cancer care in another country, get your records to that team before you arrive. An overseas oncologist can't safely review your case, confirm your diagnosis, or create a treatment plan without them. Missing even one scan or pathology report can delay your case by weeks. Getting the right documents in the right format is something you can control right now.

How to Prepare Your Cancer Records for Treatment Abroad

1. Request your complete medical file from every facility where you have received care
2. Get your imaging scans (CT, MRI, PET-CT) as DICOM files - not just printed text reports
3. Request your pathology slides or arrange digital scanning of your tissue samples
4. Gather lab results, surgical reports, and a full current medication list
5. Arrange certified medical translation if your records are not in English
6. Organize and label everything clearly before you send it
7. Upload or ship via the receiving hospital's secure channel, then confirm receipt

Step 1: Request Your Full Medical File

Call the medical records department at every hospital, clinic, or testing center where you have received care. Many patients are seen at multiple facilities - maybe the surgeon works at one hospital and the oncologist at another, with imaging at a separate center. You need records from all of them.

You have a legal right to copies of your health records. The US Department of Health and Human Services confirms that patients have the right to access and receive copies of their medical information, usually within 30 days of a written request - though many providers are faster. Similar patient access rights exist across the European Union, Canada, Australia, and many other countries. If your hospital has an online patient portal, you might be able to download consultation notes and lab results directly.

Ask for:

• All oncologist and specialist consultation notes
• Surgical operation reports from any procedures you have had
• Hospital discharge summaries
• All blood test results, including tumor markers and gene-panel or biomarker reports
• A current list of all medications and doses
• Clinical trial records if you are enrolled in any or have participated in one

Keep a copy of your written request and note the date you sent it. If you haven't received a response within two weeks, follow up in writing or by phone.

Step 2: Get Your Imaging Files in the Right Format

Most patients first run into trouble here. CT, MRI, PET-CT scans, and X-rays are stored in a technical format called DICOM - short for Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine. A radiologist's report just describes what the scan showed. It isn't the scan itself.

An overseas radiologist or oncologist needs the actual DICOM image files to properly review your case. A text summary alone isn't good enough for precise diagnosis or detailed treatment planning.

Contact the radiology or imaging department at each facility where scans were done - not your oncologist's office. Ask for images on a CD or as a secure digital download. If you get a CD, make sure it opens on a regular computer and has a viewer program on it. Make a backup copy before you travel. CDs scratch or crack easily in a suitcase, and a damaged disc can set back your treatment when you're abroad.

Ask specifically for files in DICOM format. Avoid JPEG or PDF versions - these compressed formats lose detail that specialists need for treatment decisions.

Depending on your cancer type, the scans you may need include:

• CT scans of the chest, abdomen, and pelvis
• MRI of any affected areas
• PET-CT scan image files and the accompanying radiologist report
• Bone scan images if applicable
• Ultrasound images where relevant

To understand what these scans show and how they affect your treatment options, see the HealthUnwired guide to understanding PET-CT scans in cancer diagnosis.

Step 3: Request Your Pathology Slides

Your pathology report describes what a lab found when tissue from your biopsy or surgery was examined. The National Cancer Institute explains that a surgical pathology report covers tumor size, cell type, grade, and margin status - all of which directly affect which treatment options apply to your case.

That report, however, is a summary. Many specialist centers abroad want to review the original glass slides or the paraffin block - the wax block used to make microscope slides. A second pathologist reviewing the same slides might interpret the findings differently. That difference can change your recommended treatment.

There is growing support for cross-border expert slide review. A study published in a peer-reviewed journal found that digital pathology platforms can support global second opinions for urologic cancers, as this approach expands to other cancer types. If the center uses digital pathology, your hospital can scan and send high-resolution images instead of shipping physical slides - which is faster and safer.

To request slides, call the pathology department - not the medical records office - at the hospital where your biopsy or surgery happened. Ask for:

• Original glass slides from your biopsy or surgery
• The paraffin tissue block, if the receiving center needs it for additional molecular testing
• Digital whole-slide images, if your hospital has the equipment to produce them

Some hospitals loan slides and expect you to return them after review. Others will cut new slides from the existing tissue block. Allow one to two weeks for this process and confirm the return arrangement in writing before slides leave.

Step 4: Arrange Certified Medical Translation

If your records aren't in English, most international cancer centers will need a certified translation before they can review your case. This is standard practice at major centers in India and other medical tourism destinations. Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center notes that records not submitted in English may need to be translated by a professional medical translation agency before a case can be reviewed.

Don't use consumer translation apps for medical documents. A mistranslation of a tumor stage, drug dose, or surgical margin can lead to errors in your overseas treatment plan.

A certified medical translator will sign the translation to confirm accuracy. Keep your originals alongside the translations. Most receiving centers want to see both.

Records that typically need translation include:

• Pathology reports
• Oncologist and specialist consultation notes
• Surgical operation reports
• Gene panel or biomarker testing results
• Hospital discharge summaries

If the hospital has an international patient coordinator, ask if they offer a translation service or can recommend one.

Step 5: Organize Everything Before You Send It

A well-organized submission helps the overseas team start your case review quickly. Unorganized files - no labels, mixed dates, duplicate reports - can waste days before a doctor even opens your file.

A simple structure that works:

1. Create a separate folder or labeled envelope for each category: consultation notes, lab results, imaging files, pathology, surgical reports, and your current medication list.
2. Label each document with the date it was created and the name of the facility that issued it.
3. Arrange documents within each section in reverse date order - most recent first.
4. Write a short personal summary, one page at most, covering your diagnosis, when it was confirmed, what treatment you have received, where things stand now, and what you are asking the overseas team to review.

That one-page summary isn't a clinical form. Write it yourself in plain language. It helps the receiving oncologist understand your situation quickly and tells them exactly what you're asking for.

Step 6: Share Your Records Safely

Sending medical files as unencrypted email attachments isn't secure. Most international cancer centers offer encrypted patient portals or secure upload links for records from patients abroad. Always ask the receiving center for their preferred method before sending anything.

If you want an expert oncologist to review your records before you commit to travel, HealthUnwired lets you upload your records to a verified specialist and connect by video within 48 hours - no travel required. For a step-by-step walkthrough of that process, see Your First Online Cancer Consultation: From Uploading Records to Receiving Your Oncologist's Report.

If you're planning to travel for treatment, send your records before you arrive. Records received early let the hospital assign the right specialists and schedule any additional testing before your first appointment. Keep a copy on a USB drive or in a secure cloud folder.

For a broader look at planning cancer care in India - including visa steps, hospital admission, and remote follow-up once you return home - see the Medical Tourism to India for Cancer Care step-by-step guide.

Step 7: Confirm Receipt and Ask What Happens Next

After sending your records, follow up within three to five business days to confirm everything arrived and works. Ask the team directly:

• Have all files been received and are they complete?
• Are the DICOM imaging files opening correctly in your systems?
• Do pathology slides need to be physically shipped, or can digital images be used?
• When will an oncologist begin reviewing the case?
• Will I receive a written report, and what is the typical timeframe?

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute notes that the process of collecting all necessary records before a formal review can begin may take up to 14 days. Understanding this timeline helps you plan your travel dates and avoids a gap in your current care.

Mistakes That Commonly Delay Cases

• Sending only the printed radiology report, not the actual DICOM files
• Requesting pathology slides from the medical records office instead of the pathology department
• Submitting untranslated documents to a center that requires English-language records
• Using compressed image formats like JPEG or PDF instead of DICOM
• Waiting until you arrive to share records the team could have reviewed in advance
• Not backing up imaging CDs before packing them in checked luggage
• Assuming one facility has all your records when you've received care at multiple sites

When to Talk to Your Doctor

Talk to your oncologist or their office before loaning or shipping pathology slides or tissue blocks. Your oncologist can often speed things up by calling the pathology department directly - doctor-to-doctor requests are usually faster. Also ask how tissue needs to be preserved for testing at the receiving center. Some molecular tests need specially prepared samples that standard glass slides might not work for. If you're considering an online review before traveling, your oncologist can help identify which records matter most for your specific question.

This article is for general information and isn't a substitute for medical advice. Always consult your oncologist or care team about your specific situation.