You will not face this alone — a whole team is around you.
Breast cancer treatment takes a multidisciplinary team, at every step — from diagnosis and treatment through to rehabilitation and follow-up. Depending on how you present, and your tumour's characteristics, the following departments are involved with you at different points in your journey.
Multimodality treatment
Who is involved, and when
Not every patient needs every department — it depends on the type and stage of your cancer, and on you. Here is who may be part of your care, and what they do.
Surgery
Most non-metastatic breast cancers need a surgical intervention — removal of the tumour alone (breast conservation) or the whole breast (mastectomy), along with axillary lymph node staging (sentinel node biopsy or complete dissection). We also discuss oncoplasty or whole breast reconstruction, for a good cosmetic outcome, body image and quality of life.
Medical Oncology
Breast cancer is not only a local disease — it has a systemic component too, with the potential to spread elsewhere in the body. Depending on the type and stage, you may need chemotherapy, hormone therapy, targeted therapy or, rarely, immunotherapy. We work with dedicated breast oncologists who specialise in these systemic options.
Radiation Oncology
Locoregional treatment also involves radiation — high-energy X-ray beams used to kill cancer cells. It is mostly given after breast surgery, but also independently, to shrink tumours at the primary site or at sites of distant spread.
Genetic and Molecular Oncology
Up to 10% of breast cancer patients may have a genetic predisposition. If you are under 50, or have a strong family history or bilateral cancer, you may need genetic counselling and testing during your treatment. Depending on the results — which may pick up mutations like BRCA1, 2 — this can change your treatment plan, the need for prophylactic surgery, and whether other family members should be tested.
Physiotherapy
Shoulder stiffness, numbness and lymphoedema (swelling of the arm) are common after breast surgery and radiation. We work closely with dedicated physiotherapists to help you regain full range of motion, and to avoid and treat lymphoedema.
Palliative medicine and pain
In certain cases of advanced cancer, we involve specialists from this department to better manage your symptoms and improve your quality of life.
Psycho-oncology
Cancer treatment can cause a great deal of mental stress and anxiety, for you and for your caregivers. We work with psychologists who specialise in helping patients navigate their journey with this disease.
Nutrition and dietetics
Diet and cancer is a topic of much debate and discussion. Our nutrition experts help you decide what, how much and when to eat — during treatment, and after, so you can lead a healthy lifestyle.
Fertility and gynaecology
Cancer treatment can affect a woman's childbearing ability. Some younger patients need support from our colleagues in oncofertility, so that you can still plan your family once treatment is complete. This consultation needs to happen early — at the start of diagnosis and treatment — for the best results.
An individual plan, from the start
Your plan is built around the type and stage of your cancer, and around you — not every department above will be part of every patient's care. Where reconstruction is a good option, we discuss oncoplasty as part of your surgical planning. Where genetic testing could change that plan, we arrange counselling during your treatment. And where fertility matters to you, that conversation happens early — at the start of diagnosis and treatment — because that is when it makes the most difference.
Contact
You will be looked after.
Clinics at Indraprastha Apollo Hospital and Apollo Athenaa Women's Cancer Centre, with video consultations six days a week.
| Location | Days | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Indraprastha Apollo Hospital, Sarita Vihar | Tue, Thu, Sat | 2:00 – 4:00 PM |
| Apollo Athenaa Women's Cancer Centre, Defence Colony | Mon, Wed, Fri | 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM |
| Video consultation | Mon to Sat | 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM |