Medical Oncologist
CION Cancer Clinics
Travelling from Kurnool, Anantapur and Rayalaseema for cancer surgery | CION Cancer Clinics
Yes, families from Kurnool, Anantapur, Kadapa and the rest of Rayalaseema come to Hyderabad for cancer surgery. Kurnool is close enough for some day trips; Tirupati and Chittoor are a night's journey. Wherever you start, check your scheme cover across the state border, send reports ahead, and plan the ride home before discharge. This page explains each step. CION Cancer Clinics’ surgical oncologists in Hyderabad can talk this through with you.
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
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On this page
- Can families from Kurnool, Anantapur and Rayalaseema come to Hyderabad for cancer surgery?
- How does the journey differ across Rayalaseema?
- What should you sort out before the first trip?
- What do families from Rayalaseema often assume, and what is true?
- How do you get the patient home and settled?
- Common questions from Kurnool, Anantapur and Rayalaseema
The short answer
Can families from Kurnool, Anantapur and Rayalaseema come to Hyderabad for cancer surgery?
Yes. Kurnool sits on the main highway to Hyderabad, and many families from across Rayalaseema make the journey for a cancer operation. How hard the trip is depends a great deal on which district you start from, so plan around your own town, not the region as a whole.
Hyderabad is not the only city you might weigh
For families in the southern parts of Anantapur and Chittoor, Bengaluru can be nearer than Hyderabad. Kurnool, Kadapa and Tirupati also have hospitals that carry out cancer surgery. Families choose a city for many reasons: where relatives live, where a first opinion was given, and which scheme or insurer covers the operation. Each of those is a fair reason.
What this page cannot tell you
It cannot tell you whether surgery is the right treatment, or which city to choose. The treating team decides on treatment after reading the biopsy report, which confirms the cancer from a small tissue sample, and the scans. The page also cannot tell you how long the hospital stay will be.
Crossing into Telangana changes how state schemes work. Check your cover before the first visit, not at admission.Starting point matters
How does the journey differ across Rayalaseema?
The same region covers very different distances. Think about the trip home after surgery when you compare them.
Kurnool and Nandyal
The nearest part of Rayalaseema to Hyderabad, with a direct highway and frequent buses and trains. Families here can sometimes manage day trips for a consultation.
Plan for
- An early start for morning appointments
- A comfortable car for the ride home after surgery
Anantapur and Sri Sathya Sai
Further south along the same highway. A day trip is tiring, so most families stay overnight for the first consultation and tests.
Some families here also look at Bengaluru. Check scheme and insurance rules for any city you consider.Kadapa and Annamayya
Off the main highway, so journeys often involve a change of bus or a long drive on smaller roads. Plan every visit as an overnight stay.
Tirupati and Chittoor
The furthest from Hyderabad. Trains run overnight, and some families fly. Bundle tests and appointments tightly, because each trip costs a lot of time and money.
Not sure whether this applies to you?
Ask an oncologistBefore you set out
What should you sort out before the first trip?
One folder of reports
Every biopsy report, scan, blood test and earlier discharge summary, in date order. Include scans on a CD or pen drive, and keep photos on a phone as a backup.
A call before you travel
Ask the Hyderabad hospital whether a doctor can see the reports first. If so, the tests before surgery can often be booked for the same visit.
A clear answer on payment
Find out whether your state scheme, CGHS, ECHS, EHS or insurance covers this operation at that hospital. Write down who told you and when.
A carer and a place to stay
Choose the one adult who will stay through the admission, and arrange where they will sleep. Do this before the date, not on arrival.
Did you know
Telling the hospital early that you live far away is not a nuisance. Teams used to patients from other districts can often join tests, consultations and reviews together, which can save a whole journey for the patient and the carer.
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Commonly believed
What do families from Rayalaseema often assume, and what is true?
"Our Andhra scheme card will be accepted at any hospital in Hyderabad."
Telangana's Aarogyasri is meant for Telangana residents, and Andhra Pradesh's own scheme has its own rules about hospitals outside the state. Those rules can change. Ask the scheme helpline and the hospital's insurance desk before you travel.
"Kurnool is close, so we can come and go on the same day as surgery."
Before surgery, day trips may work. After an operation, the patient stays on the ward until the team is happy, and the ride home needs planning. Ask the surgeon how the patient should travel and whether to rest nearby first.
"It is disloyal to ask for an opinion in another city."
Seeking a second opinion is common and sensible before a major operation. Share the reports openly with both teams. Good surgeons expect it, and it often makes the plan clearer for everyone.
"If the patient feels fine, the review visit can be skipped."
The review is when the team checks healing and explains the pathology report, which says what was found in the removed tissue. That report shapes what happens next. Ask whether any part can be done closer to home, but do not simply miss it.
After discharge
How do you get the patient home and settled?
Plan the journey home before the day of discharge. Ask the surgeon how the patient should travel, whether a long ride is sensible straight away, and what to do if something changes on the road.
Making the ride easier
A car with a reclining seat, or a sleeper berth on a train, is usually kinder than an upright bus seat. Stop regularly so the patient can stand and walk a few steps, because sitting still for hours raises the chance of a blood clot in the legs. Keep water, medicines and the discharge summary within reach.
Bringing the local doctor in
Show the discharge summary to a doctor near home in the first days back. Ask the surgical team whether that doctor or a nurse can change dressings or remove stitches. Drains are usually removed by the surgical team, unless they have arranged otherwise.
Who this plan does not suit
If the patient is very frail or recovery is slow, going straight home may not be wise. Staying close to the hospital for a few days can make more sense. The team will tell you if they think so, and it is fine to ask.
!
If the patient becomes unwell on the way home or at home
Sudden breathlessness, chest pain, a painful swollen leg, heavy bleeding from the wound, or a high fever with shivering cannot wait for a trip back to Hyderabad. Go to the nearest emergency department, whether in Kurnool, Anantapur or on the highway. Show them the discharge summary, then call the surgical team.
Questions we are asked
Common questions from Kurnool, Anantapur and Rayalaseema
Can we use Aarogyasri in Hyderabad if we live in Kurnool?
Telangana's Aarogyasri is meant for Telangana residents, so an Andhra Pradesh family usually cannot use it. Andhra Pradesh has its own state scheme, and whether it covers a Hyderabad hospital depends on its current rules. Ask the scheme helpline and the hospital before you travel. CGHS, ECHS, EHS and cashless insurance should be checked separately.
How many trips should we expect?
Usually a consultation, tests before surgery, the admission and at least one review. Sending reports ahead can let the tests be done on the day of the consultation. Some follow-up can often be shared with a doctor near home. Tell the team where you live so they can plan with that in mind.
Should we choose Hyderabad or Bengaluru from Anantapur?
This page cannot choose for you. Compare the teams' experience with the operation, how follow-up would work from your town, where relatives can help, and which scheme or insurer will pay. Distance matters most for the journey home after surgery and for any treatment that follows.
Can the tests before surgery be done in Kurnool?
Sometimes. Some teams accept recent reports from a reliable local laboratory, while others repeat key tests themselves. The anaesthetist, the doctor who puts you to sleep, usually wants to examine the patient in person. Ask exactly which tests are needed and how recent they must be.
How long will the carer be away from home?
Nobody can give an honest figure before the plan is made, because it depends on the operation and on recovery. Ask the surgeon for the usual stay and what might make it longer. Plan leave and money for a little more than that, so a delay does not turn into a crisis.
Is it safe to take a bus home after surgery?
After a smaller operation it may be fine. After a larger one, a long upright seat can be uncomfortable and makes it hard to stop and walk. Ask the surgeon before booking. If a car is too expensive, ask whether resting nearby for a day or two first would help.
What if the operation date moves?
Dates can move because of test results or emergency cases. Keep tickets flexible where you can, keep the hospital's number with you, and ask the team to tell you as early as possible. Keep a little money aside for an unplanned night in Hyderabad.
Will chemotherapy or radiation also mean coming to Hyderabad?
That depends on the pathology report, which is only ready after the operation. If more treatment is needed, ask whether it can be given nearer home. Treatment is often shared between centres once the plan is clearly written down and both teams have the reports.
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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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. A surgical consultation can be booked at any of these centres through one helpline, and your team will tell you where the operation itself takes place.
Warangal
Vizag
Sources
- National Cancer Institute — Surgery to treat cancer
- Cancer Research UK — Surgery for cancer
- NHS — Deep vein thrombosis (DVT)
- American Cancer Society — Cancer surgery
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
Planning the Trip Around an Operation DateTiming each visit around the admissionSecond Surgical Opinion in HyderabadGetting an opinion before choosing a cityAccommodation Near Cancer Hospitals in HyderabadWhere the carer can stay during the admissionCost, Insurance and Schemes for Cancer SurgeryHow schemes and insurance pay for an operation
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