Medical Oncologist
CION Cancer Clinics
Colon cancer care in Hyderabad: where do you actually start? | CION Cancer Clinics
Where you start depends on what you are already holding. With bowel symptoms and no diagnosis, the first step is a colonoscopy, which CION arranges through partner units. With a biopsy report or a scan that mentions a growth, the first step is a medical oncologist, who puts your case to the tumour board. This page explains each starting point, what to bring and what happens in the first week. At CION Cancer Clinics, we explain costs in writing and help families from across Telangana and Andhra Pradesh plan treatment in Hyderabad.
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Medically reviewed by Dr. Naresh GunduConsultant Medical Oncologist · MBBS, DNB (Internal Medicine), DM (Medical Oncology, AIIMS) · last reviewed October 2026, next review due October 2027
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On this page
- Where should you start with colon cancer care in Hyderabad?
- Which of these describes where you are right now?
- What happens after you call the helpline?
- What should you bring to the first appointment?
- What happens at a CION centre, and what is arranged through partners?
- What this page cannot tell you
- Common questions about starting colon cancer care in Hyderabad
The short answer
Where should you start with colon cancer care in Hyderabad?
Start from what you already have in your hand. If you have bowel symptoms but no diagnosis, the first step is a colonoscopy, the camera test that looks inside the large bowel. If you have a biopsy report or a scan that mentions a growth, the first step is a medical oncologist, the cancer specialist who plans drug treatment and pulls the rest of the care together.
Why the starting point matters
Families often lose weeks at the wrong door. A general physician may order more blood tests. A piles clinic may treat the bleeding without looking further. A surgeon may be seen before the scans that decide whether surgery should come first at all. None of these is wrong on its own. Each one simply adds a visit before the step that moves things forward.
Where CION fits in
CION centres run consultations, second opinions, the tumour board, chemotherapy, targeted therapy, immunotherapy, nutrition advice and follow-up. Colonoscopy, scans, biopsy and pathology are arranged through diagnostic partners. Surgery is planned by CION's surgical oncologists and carried out at an accredited partner hospital. The coordinator books each part, so the family is not left to chase every partner alone.
If someone has severe belly pain with vomiting, a swelling belly, has passed no stool or wind, or is bleeding heavily, do not book an appointment. Go to the nearest emergency department today.Four starting points
Which of these describes where you are right now?
Most families who call fall into one of four situations. Each has a different first step.
Symptoms, but no diagnosis yet
Bleeding, a change in bowel habit, anaemia (a low haemoglobin) or weight loss without a reason. Most of these turn out to be something other than cancer, such as piles, a fissure or an infection. The first step is a consultation and then a colonoscopy, which CION arranges through a partner unit. Our page on which doctor to see helps if you are unsure.
A report says growth or cancer
This is the moment to see a medical oncologist. The next steps are usually staging scans, a CT of the chest, abdomen and pelvis, and tests on the tissue for markers that guide treatment. The tumour board then decides whether surgery or chemotherapy comes first.
Usually needed next
- Staging CT, if not already done
- A CEA blood test, a marker used to track the disease
- Marker tests on the biopsy tissue
A plan has been offered elsewhere
If another hospital has advised surgery or chemotherapy, asking for a second opinion is reasonable and common. Bring every report, the scan discs and, where possible, the pathology slides or blocks. Ask at the first call how quickly the review can be done, so that it does not hold up treatment. See second opinions in Hyderabad.
Treatment is over, or follow-up has slipped
Follow-up after colon cancer means regular CEA tests, scans and colonoscopy for several years. If the hospital that operated is far away, or visits have lapsed, a CION medical oncologist can take over the schedule. Bring the discharge summary and the final pathology report, because they set how closely you need watching.
Not sure whether this applies to you?
Ask an oncologistThe first week
What happens after you call the helpline?
The first call
Describe what you have so far: symptoms, reports or a diagnosis. The coordinator asks where you live, which language you prefer, and whether you have insurance or a scheme card. An appointment is then fixed at a CION centre that suits your travel.
The first consultation
The medical oncologist reads every report, examines you and explains what is already known and what is not yet known. Expect questions about family history, other illnesses and the medicines you take. Bring a family member who can take notes.
Filling the gaps
If the colonoscopy, biopsy, CT or marker tests are incomplete, CION arranges them through diagnostic partners. Results come back to the same oncologist, so you are not carrying reports between hospitals and explaining your story again each time.
The tumour board and a written plan
Medical, surgical and radiation oncologists review the case together with the radiologist and pathologist. You then hear the plan: what comes first, where each part happens and who leads it. Ask for a written cost estimate at the same time.
Before you leave home
What should you bring to the first appointment?
- Every report, in date order, including the old ones
- The colonoscopy report and any photographs printed with it
- The biopsy report, and the slides or blocks for a second opinion
- CT or other scan reports, with the disc or films
- Recent blood tests, including haemoglobin and CEA
- All current medicines, or photographs of the strips
- ID proof, any scheme card and insurance papers
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One field. No form to fill in, and no charge for the call.
Who does what
What happens at a CION centre, and what is arranged through partners?
At CION centres
Arranged through partners
Consultations and second opinions
Colonoscopy, polyp removal and biopsy
Tumour board review of your case
CT, PET-CT and pathology
Chemotherapy, targeted therapy and immunotherapy
Colon surgery, open, keyhole or robotic
Nutrition advice and supportive care
Stoma nursing and stoma supplies
Follow-up and surveillance planning
Radiation, in the rare cases it is needed
Being straight with you
What this page cannot tell you
It cannot tell you which treatment you need, or how urgent your situation is. Those depend on the stage, the biopsy and your general health, and only a doctor who has seen all three can answer. It also cannot tell you whether a symptom is cancer. Most bowel symptoms are not, and a colonoscopy is the test that settles it.
Who this page is not for
If the growth is in the rectum, the last part of the bowel just above the anus, or in the anus itself, treatment is planned differently and radiation plays a much bigger part. Start at the rectal cancer or anal cancer pages instead. If your report does not say clearly which part of the bowel is involved, ask the doctor who did the colonoscopy.
Cost and schemes
This page does not give prices. The bill depends on the stage, the operation, the drugs and whether a scheme or insurance applies. Aarogyasri, Ayushman Bharat and private insurance each have their own rules and paperwork, and the coordinator can tell you at the first call what to bring. The page on treatment cost in Hyderabad has indicative ranges.
If you are travelling in from a district, say so at the first call and ask for tests to be grouped into as few trips as possible.Questions we are asked
Common questions about starting colon cancer care in Hyderabad
Do I need a referral letter to see a CION oncologist?
You can book directly through the helpline. If a family doctor or another hospital has written a letter, bring it, because it saves time. What matters more is the paperwork from earlier tests: colonoscopy, biopsy, scans and blood reports, however old or incomplete they look.
I only have symptoms. Should I see an oncologist or a gastroenterologist first?
For symptoms without a diagnosis, the key test is a colonoscopy, done by a gastroenterologist or a surgeon. CION can arrange it through a partner unit after a consultation. If it shows piles, a fissure or nothing worrying, you will not need an oncologist, and for most people with bowel symptoms that is how it ends.
How soon can treatment start once a diagnosis is made?
It depends on what is still missing. If the biopsy, staging scans and marker tests are complete, the tumour board can review the case soon after the first consultation. If tests are pending, they come first. A short wait for proper staging is usually safe. A blocked bowel is the exception and is treated as an emergency.
Can surgery and chemotherapy happen in different places?
Yes, and in colon cancer that is common. CION's surgical oncologists plan the operation and it is carried out at an accredited partner hospital. Chemotherapy, if it is needed afterwards, is given at a CION centre. The same tumour board oversees both, so the plan stays joined up.
We live in a district. Do we have to stay in Hyderabad?
Usually not for the whole treatment. Surgery needs a hospital stay, and the first chemotherapy visit is best done with family close by. After that, many families travel in for each cycle and go home in between. Tell the coordinator where you live so visits can be planned around the journey.
Can the consultation be in Telugu?
Yes. Say so when you book, and the consultation will be in Telugu or a coordinator will sit in to help. Family members are welcome in the room. Many patients find it easier to ask the questions that really worry them in their own language.
Can I use an Aarogyasri or Ayushman Bharat card?
That depends on the scheme's rules for each step and on which hospitals are listed under the scheme for it. Bring the card and ID proof to the first visit. The coordinator will tell you honestly which parts of your care the card can cover, and where those parts would happen.
What if treatment has already started somewhere else?
You can still ask for a second opinion, and many people do part-way through. Bring every report, the operation notes and the chemotherapy record. The aim is to check the plan. Whether to move is your choice, and often the answer is that the current plan is sound.
Your Specialists
Meet CION's colon cancer specialists. Bring your colonoscopy, scan or biopsy report.
Our surgical and medical oncologists plan colon cancer care together: which operation, whether chemotherapy is needed, and the follow-up that comes after.
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
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Accreditation and empanelment
- NABH
- NABL
- ISO 9001:2015
- ArogyaSri empanelled
- CGHS accepted
- ECHS accepted
- EHS accepted
- Major cashless insurers
Paying for it
Insurance, schemes and payment
What you actually pay usually differs a great deal from the sticker figure.
AarogyasriEmpanelled. Bring the card and a referral where you have one.
CGHS / ECHS / EHSAccepted at CION centres for eligible treatment.
Cashless insuranceMost major insurers are empanelled. Pre-authorisation is handled by our desk.
Self-payItemised estimate given before treatment starts. No EMI scheme exists.
Where to find us
Our centres in and around Hyderabad
Addressed by landmark, because that is how this city navigates. One helpline books a consultation at any of these centres, and your team will tell you where each test and operation takes place.
Warangal
Vizag
Sources
- National Cancer Institute — Colon Cancer Treatment
- NHS — Tests and next steps for bowel cancer
- American Cancer Society — Testing for Colorectal Cancer
- National Cancer Institute — Follow-Up Medical Care
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.
Keep reading
Related pages
Choosing a colon cancer centreWhat to look for once you know where to startWhat to ask before choosing where to be treatedThe questions that separate one centre from anotherTelugu-language support through treatmentGetting every step explained in TeluguColon cancer treatment in HyderabadTreatment options and indicative costs at CION
Talk to us
Not sure which door to knock on first?
Tell us what you have so far, whether it is symptoms, a report or a plan from another hospital, and we will say plainly what the next step is. One helpline serves every CION centre.