Dr. Manjula Rao

Dr. Manjula Rao

Consultant Breast Oncoplasty Surgery

Dr. Manjula Rao is a Breast Surgical Oncologist & Oncoplastic Surgeon, with a decade’s worth of experience in the treatment of Breast diseases, including Breast Cancer.

From her exposure to Surgical oncology during her general surgical training, and after, she discovered that breast diseases and cancer have a unique biology, the understanding of which improved with years of study. Moreover it was rapidly it is evolving field, which has move beyond the earlier dictums of radical breast surgeries that left women looking disfigured, to more conservative procedures, with increased emphasis being given to aesthetics and quality of life.

Despite these rapid advancements globally, she realised that the take-up of these modern techniques and latest advancements in breast surgery such as sentinel lymph node biopsy and oncoplastic breast surgery were facing resistance in India, and not being offered to patients, despite it being standard of care. Moreover the number of women professionals in oncology were few, furthering hesitation amongst the women in the country from getting themselves shown to an expert.

She therefore chose to subspecialize in the field of Breast Surgical Oncology & Oncoplasty, with the aim of providing standard of care, evidence-based treatment to women suffering from breast diseases in the country. She believes in empowering her patients by educating them regarding their disease, and to encourage them to exercise their right to choose the treatment they would like to receive from the options available to them. Her main focus though being breast cancer cure, extends beyond, to include favourable aesthetics, and a superior quality of life for her patients. She believes that breast cancer does not have to be a full stop, but only a brief pause or a minor detour leading to a better life, a more empowered one, a more enriching one.

She has received training in the management of Breast Diseases and Oncosurgery, in some of the top cancer centres of the country, from some of the top medical minds, who continue to guide and inspire her. She is a strong advocate of evidence-based medicine, and believes in shared decision making with her patients.

Her areas of academic interest include

• Oncoplastic Breast Conserving Surgery
• Young Woman Breast Cancer
• Oligometastatic Breast Cancer