Medical Oncologist
Before treatment
Choosing your breast surgeon: what actually matters
Three things matter above all: that your surgeon operates on breast cancer regularly rather than occasionally, that your case is discussed by a full tumour board, and that the unit offers the range of operations so the right one is chosen rather than the one they happen to do. This page sets out what to ask.
MM
Medically reviewed by Dr. Muralidhar MuddusettyConsultant Surgical Oncologist · MBBS (AIIMS), MS (Surgery, AIIMS), DNB (Surgical Oncology), MRCS (Edinburgh) · last reviewed September 2026, next review due September 2027
17+specialists on panel
15,000+patients treated
35+centres across Telangana & AP
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The short answer
What actually matters in choosing a breast surgeon?
Three things above all: that they operate on breast cancer regularly rather than occasionally, that your case is discussed by a full tumour board, and that they offer the range of operations so the right one is chosen rather than the one they happen to do.
Why regular practice matters
Surgeons and units that handle breast cancer in volume tend to achieve better margins, fewer second operations and better cosmetic results. This is one of the more consistent findings across surgical specialties, and it is a fair thing to ask about.
Why the tumour board matters as much
Your outcome depends on the whole plan, not just the operation. A surgeon working within a team that includes medical and radiation oncologists, radiologists and pathologists will give you a better sequence of treatment than a technically excellent one working alone.
What matters less than people think
Seniority alone, the size of the hospital building, and whether the centre is private or government. A busy government unit with a proper tumour board frequently serves you better than a prestigious hospital where breast surgery is occasional.
These are reasonable questions and a good surgeon will answer them without taking offence.The questions
What to ask at the first consultation
Write these down and take them with you. Most people forget every one of them in the room.
How often do you do this operation
You are asking whether breast surgery is their regular work or an occasional part of a general practice. A specialist will answer comfortably and specifically.
Will my case go to a tumour board
Ask when it will be discussed and whether you can be told the outcome. This single question tells you a great deal about how the unit works.
A vague answer here is worth noticing.What are my options, including the ones you do not do
A surgeon who only performs mastectomy may not mention reshaping techniques. Asking directly about alternatives, including referral elsewhere, is entirely legitimate.
What happens if the margins are involved
The answer tells you whether they have thought past the operation itself. Ask how often it happens in their practice and what they would do next.
Also worth asking
- Who will actually operate on me
- Is reconstruction available here
- Who do I contact after discharge
Side by side
Reassuring signs, and things worth a second thought
Reassuring
Worth a second thought
Breast surgery is their regular work
Breast cancer is an occasional part of a general list
A named tumour board that meets regularly
Vagueness about who else sees your case
Both conservation and mastectomy discussed
Only one option presented, with no alternatives
Comfortable with you seeking a second opinion
Discouraging questions or urging you to sign today
A breast care nurse you can contact
No named person to call after discharge
Not sure whether this applies to you?
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Words you will hear
Who does what, in plain language
- Surgical oncologist
- A surgeon trained specifically in cancer surgery. In India this is a recognised specialty with its own qualification.
- Breast surgeon
- A surgeon whose practice is mainly or entirely breast disease. May come from a general surgical or surgical oncology background.
- Medical oncologist
- The doctor who prescribes chemotherapy, hormone tablets and targeted treatment.
- Radiation oncologist
- The doctor who plans and delivers radiotherapy.
- Tumour board
- The meeting where these specialists, with radiologists and pathologists, agree your plan together.
- Breast care nurse
- Your practical point of contact through treatment. Often the most useful person to know.
Being straight with you
What this page cannot do for you
It cannot rank surgeons, and published outcome figures for individual surgeons are not available in India. What you can assess is how often they do this work, whether they work within a proper team, and how they answer your questions.
Reputation is a weak signal
Recommendations from relatives usually reflect bedside manner and whether that person's outcome was good, which is mostly determined by their cancer rather than their surgeon. It is not worthless, but it should not outweigh the three questions above.
Moving centre has real costs
Records get lost, slides have to be transferred, and timelines slip. If you are considering moving, do it early, before surgery is scheduled, and take your blocks and slides rather than only the reports.
You are allowed to change your mind
Seeking a second opinion is normal and no reasonable surgeon will be offended. If you are made to feel difficult for asking, that is itself information. Tell your first team you are getting one so your place in the schedule is held.
The nurse matters more than you expect
Ask who you telephone at nine in the evening when something worries you. A unit with a named, reachable breast care nurse will serve you far better over the coming months than one with a famous name and no route back in.
Commonly believed
What families use to choose
The most senior surgeon must be the best choice.
What matters is how much breast surgery they do now and whether they work within a tumour board. A younger surgeon operating on breast cancer weekly, within a good team, often serves you better than a senior generalist.
A bigger, more expensive hospital means better surgery.
Facilities matter less than how often the team treats your specific disease. Ask about breast cancer volume and the tumour board rather than about the building. A busy government unit often outperforms a prestigious general hospital.
Asking about experience will offend the doctor.
Specialists are asked this regularly and answer comfortably. If a surgeon reacts badly to a polite question about how often they perform your operation, that reaction tells you something useful in itself.
Getting a second opinion wastes time we do not have.
It usually takes a week or two, which is within the window where surgical timing makes no measurable difference. Rushing into the wrong operation costs far more than a fortnight. Tell your first team, so your place is held.
Questions we are asked
Common questions about choosing a surgeon
Does it have to be a surgical oncologist?
Not necessarily, though it is a good signal. What matters more is whether breast surgery is their regular work and whether they operate within a tumour board. Some excellent breast surgeons come from a general surgical background and specialised afterwards.
How do I ask about their experience politely?
Ask how many breast cancer operations the unit does, rather than framing it as a challenge to them personally. Something like: how often does your team do this operation? Specialists answer this easily, and the ease of the answer is informative on its own.
Should I choose based on who can operate soonest?
Not as the main criterion. Within the usual window, timing makes no measurable difference to outcome, while the operation chosen and the quality of the margins do. A fortnight's wait for a better-suited surgeon is usually the better trade.
What if my surgeon does not offer reshaping?
Ask directly whether oncoplastic techniques would suit you and, if they do not perform them, whether they can refer you to someone who does. This is a common and reasonable request, particularly if you have been told a mastectomy is necessary.
Is a private hospital better?
Not inherently. Private care may mean shorter waits and more comfort. It does not by itself mean higher volume or a better tumour board. Ask the same three questions wherever you go, and judge on the answers rather than the setting.
Can I ask who will actually be operating?
Yes, and you should. In teaching hospitals parts of an operation may be done by trainees under supervision, which is normal and safe. You are still entitled to know who leads your operation and to be told if that changes.
How do I move my care to another centre?
Request your reports, imaging on a disc, and the tissue blocks and slides in writing from the first hospital. Do it early, before surgery is scheduled. Transferring the tissue matters, because a new team will usually want it reviewed.
What is the single best question to ask?
What are all my surgical options, including the ones you do not perform here? It reveals whether you are being offered a genuine choice or the operation this unit happens to do, and it opens the door to a referral without confrontation.
Meet the Specialists
17+ senior cancer specialists. One panel for your case.
Trained at AIIMS, Tata Memorial, and leading international centres. Combined 150+ years of experience. Every complex case is reviewed by 3+ of them — together.
Medical Oncologist
Dr. C. Raghavendra Reddy
MBBS(Gold Medal), DNB(General Medicine), DM(Medical Oncology)(Gold Medal)
Medical Oncologist
Dr. Bharati Devi Gorantla
MBBS, MD(General Medicine), DM(Medical Oncology)(Adyar,Chennai), ECMO, MRCP SCE(UK)
Medical Oncologist
Dr. Owais Mohammed
MBBS, MD (General Medicine), DrNB (Medical Oncology), ECMO, MRCP SCE (Medical Oncology) (UK)
Medical Oncologist
Medical Oncologist
Surgical Oncologist
Dr. Muralidhar Muddusetty
MBBS (AIIMS), MS (Surgery) (AIIMS), DNB (Surgical Oncology), MRCS (Edinburgh)
Surgical Oncologist
Surgical Oncologist
Surgical Oncologist
Dr. Vinay Mamidala
MBBS, MS(General Surgery), M.Ch(Surgical Oncology), FMAS, FARIS(Ongoing)
Surgical Oncologist
Radiation Oncologist
Radiation Oncologist
Radiation Oncologist
Hematologist
Surgical Oncologist
Dr. Vajja Sandeep Kumar
MBBS, MS (General Surgery), DrNB (Surgical Oncology), FALS Oncology
Surgical Oncologist
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Talk to our team
Speak to a breast cancer specialist
Call the helpline or leave your details, and someone will help you arrange a consultation at the CION centre nearest you. One helpline serves every CION centre.
Call 1800 202 8726
Helpline open 24/7
Sources
- Cancer Research UK — Your breast cancer team
- National Cancer Institute — Finding cancer care services
- Breast Cancer Now — Your breast care team
This page is general information, not a prescription. Do not change or stop any treatment based on what you read here. If anything is worrying you, contact your own treating team — or call our helpline and we will help you reach the right specialist.