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The Oncology department at Apollo Hospitals, Gurugram diagnoses and treats cancers and blood disorders in adults and children. It brings together medical oncology, surgical oncology, radiation oncology, haemato-oncology and bone marrow transplant, gynaecologic oncology and paediatric cancer care, along with the diagnostic and supportive services that cancer treatment depends on.
Pathology, molecular testing, imaging, chemotherapy day-care, operating theatres, radiation therapy and intensive care sit within the same hospital. That concentration is what patients look for in the best oncology hospital in Gurugram, because cancer treatment is rarely a single intervention — most patients need some combination of surgery, drug therapy and radiation, sequenced in a specific order, and moving between facilities to receive them costs time that matters.
Treatment decisions are made in a tumour board, a meeting where surgeons, medical and radiation oncologists, radiologists and pathologists review each case together and agree a plan before treatment begins. The same team manages side effects, nutrition, pain and emotional support during treatment, and follow-up afterwards. Every treatment plan is individual, depending on the type and stage of cancer, the results of tissue and molecular testing, and the patient's overall health and wishes. No outcome can be promised in advance.
Our Oncology Team
Cancer care at Apollo Hospitals, Gurugram is delivered by medical, surgical and radiation oncologists alongside haemato-oncologists, gynaecologic oncologists and paediatric cancer specialists, supported by onco-pathologists, radiologists, nuclear medicine physicians, oncology nursing staff, dietitians, physiotherapists and psycho-oncology counsellors. Cases are presented at a multidisciplinary tumour board so that surgery, drug therapy and radiation are planned as one sequence rather than decided separately. Our specialists include:
- Biopsy
- Molecular and genomic testing
- Bone marrow aspiration and biopsy
- PET-CT scan
- CT, MRI and ultrasound
- Mammography and breast ultrasound
- Tumour markers
Biopsy
Removal of a small sample of tissue for laboratory examination, and the only way to confirm a cancer diagnosis definitively. It may be taken with a needle under local anaesthesia, during an endoscopy, guided by ultrasound or CT, or at surgery. A needle biopsy typically takes 15 to 30 minutes and causes pressure and brief discomfort rather than significant pain.
Molecular and genomic testing
Tests examining specific genetic changes within the tumour, which identify patients who may benefit from targeted drugs or immunotherapy. They are performed on the same tissue sample or, in some cases, on a blood sample. [VERIFY molecular testing available in-house or through partner laboratories]
Bone marrow aspiration and biopsy
A needle sample of marrow taken from the back of the hip bone under local anaesthesia, used to diagnose and monitor blood cancers. It takes around 20 to 30 minutes, causes a brief sharp sensation and aching afterwards, and you can usually go home the same day.
PET-CT scan
A whole-body scan combining functional and anatomical imaging, in which a small amount of radioactive tracer highlights areas of active disease. It requires fasting and a resting period before scanning, takes a few hours in total, and is used for staging, checking response to treatment and detecting recurrence. [VERIFY]
CT, MRI and ultrasound
Cross-sectional imaging used to determine the size of a tumour, its relationship to surrounding structures and whether it has spread. MRI is preferred for brain, spine, pelvic and soft tissue assessment; CT is faster and used widely for staging.
Mammography and breast ultrasound
Low-dose X-ray imaging of the breast, with ultrasound used alongside it particularly in younger women whose breast tissue is denser. Mammography involves brief compression of the breast, which is uncomfortable for a few seconds.
Tumour markers
Blood tests measuring substances produced by certain cancers. They are useful for monitoring treatment and detecting recurrence in specific cancers, but they are not reliable screening tests on their own and can be raised for non-cancerous reasons.
Most patients receive more than one form of treatment. The order matters — drug therapy or radiation is sometimes given before surgery to shrink a tumour, and sometimes afterwards to reduce the risk of return. The sequence is set by the tumour board after staging is complete.
- Chemotherapy
- Targeted therapy
- Immunotherapy
- Stereotactic radiosurgery and stereotactic body radiotherapy
- Brachytherapy
Chemotherapy
Medicines that destroy rapidly dividing cells, given intravenously or as tablets in cycles over several months, usually in a day-care unit with the patient going home the same day. It may be given before surgery to shrink a tumour, after surgery to reduce recurrence risk, or as the primary treatment in advanced disease.
Targeted therapy
Drugs directed at specific molecular features of a tumour, such as particular receptors or gene changes. They are used only where testing shows the relevant target is present, and they generally have a different and often milder side effect profile than chemotherapy.
Immunotherapy
Treatment that enables the immune system to recognise and attack cancer cells. It is effective in certain cancers and not in others, and eligibility is determined by tumour testing. Side effects differ from chemotherapy and require specific monitoring.
Stereotactic radiosurgery and stereotactic body radiotherapy
Highly focused radiation delivered in one or a few sessions to small, well-defined tumours in the brain, lung, liver or spine.
Brachytherapy
Radiation delivered from a source placed inside or next to the tumour, used particularly in cervical and some other cancers, allowing a high dose to the tumour with less exposure to surrounding tissue. [VERIFY]
1
What are the warning signs that should be checked for cancer?
A lump anywhere in the body, a sore or ulcer that has not healed in three weeks, unexplained weight loss, persistent change in bowel or bladder habit, blood in stool or urine, unusual bleeding including after menopause, a cough or hoarse voice lasting more than three weeks, difficulty swallowing that is worsening, or a mole that changes. Most of these turn out to have non-cancerous causes, but all of them warrant examination rather than waiting.
2
Does a biopsy cause cancer to spread?
No. This is a widespread and harmful belief. A biopsy does not spread cancer, and modern techniques are specifically designed to avoid seeding tissue. Refusing or delaying a biopsy postpones diagnosis and allows the disease to advance, which is the real risk.
3
How long does it take to get a diagnosis?
The biopsy report usually takes several days, and additional immunohistochemistry or molecular testing can add one to two weeks. Staging scans are done in parallel. The wait is frustrating but necessary — treatment chosen without the full pathology and stage may be the wrong treatment.
4
Is chemotherapy always as difficult as people describe?
Chemotherapy varies enormously between regimens. Side effects depend on the specific drugs, the doses and the individual. Nausea is far better controlled than it once was with modern anti-sickness medication, and not all chemotherapy causes hair loss. Most patients receive treatment in a day-care unit and go home the same day. Your team will explain the specific side effects of your regimen and how each is managed.
5
Will I lose my hair?
Some chemotherapy drugs cause hair loss and others do not. Where it occurs, it is almost always temporary, and hair begins regrowing after treatment finishes, sometimes with a change in texture. Targeted therapies and hormonal treatments generally do not cause hair loss.
6
Does radiotherapy hurt, and will I become radioactive?
External radiotherapy is painless — you lie still for a few minutes and feel nothing during the session. You do not become radioactive and are completely safe around family, including children and pregnant women. Certain internal treatments, such as radioactive iodine or some brachytherapy, do require short-term precautions, and these are explained in detail if they apply to you.
7
Can I work during cancer treatment?
Many people do, particularly during targeted or hormonal therapy and between chemotherapy cycles, though energy levels fluctuate and some adjustment is usually needed. It depends on your treatment, your job and how you tolerate the regimen. Discuss it with your oncologist, who can advise on timing and on precautions where your immunity is low.
8
Should I try alternative or herbal treatments alongside my treatment?
Tell your oncologist about anything you are taking. Some herbal and traditional preparations interact with chemotherapy and targeted drugs, reducing their effect or increasing toxicity. The greater harm, though, comes from delaying or abandoning proven treatment in favour of unproven remedies, which allows a treatable cancer to progress beyond the point where it can be treated effectively.
9
Should I get a second opinion?
Yes, if you want one. Seeking a second opinion on a diagnosis or a treatment plan is a normal and reasonable step, and reputable oncologists expect and support it. Bring your pathology slides or blocks, imaging and reports, as a meaningful second opinion requires reviewing the original material rather than just the summary.
10
When should palliative care be involved?
Palliative care is symptom-focused care that can run alongside active cancer treatment from the point of diagnosis. It is not restricted to the end of life, and early involvement is associated with better pain control, fewer symptoms and improved quality of life. Asking about it does not mean giving up on treatment.
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