Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in women in India, and outcomes today are better than they have ever been — provided treatment is planned correctly from the very first step. The right specialist does not simply treat the cancer; they confirm the diagnosis, read the tumour’s biology, and sequence surgery, drug therapy and radiation in the correct order.

At Indian OncoCare, breast cancer treatment is planned and supervised personally by Dr. Harish Kancharla, DM (Medical Oncology, AIIMS Delhi), Senior Consultant – Medical Oncology & Hemato-Oncology at Yashoda Hospitals, Somajiguda, Hyderabad, working alongside breast surgeons, radiation oncologists and pathologists as one team.

Whether you have just found a lump, already have a biopsy report in hand, or are seeking a second opinion on a plan advised elsewhere, this page explains how breast cancer is diagnosed, the treatment options available, and how your individual plan is decided.

When to see a breast cancer specialist

See a specialist promptly — ideally without waiting — if you notice any of the following. Most breast changes are not cancer, but each of these deserves proper evaluation:

A new lump or thickening in the breast or underarm
A change in the size, shape or contour of a breast
Dimpling, puckering, or skin that looks like orange peel
Nipple inversion, or nipple discharge — particularly if blood-stained
Redness, scaling or a persistent rash on the nipple or breast skin
Breast or underarm pain that is persistent and unrelated to your monthly cycle

A specialist review is also worth arranging if you have a strong family history of breast or ovarian cancer, a known BRCA mutation, or an abnormal screening mammogram — even in the absence of symptoms.

How breast cancer is diagnosed

A reliable breast cancer diagnosis rests on three parts, together known as the triple assessment:

Clinical examination of the breasts and the lymph nodes.
Imaging — a mammogram and an ultrasound, and in selected cases a breast MRI.
Biopsy — a core-needle biopsy that removes a small tissue sample for the pathologist to examine. This is what confirms whether a lump is cancer, and precisely what type it is.

The biopsy does far more than confirm cancer. The tissue is tested for hormone receptors (ER and PR), for HER2 status, and for a proliferation marker (Ki-67). These results shape the entire treatment strategy — which is exactly why treatment should not begin before they are available.

Where the tumour is large or there is concern it may have spread, staging investigations such as a CT, PET-CT or bone scan are added, so that the plan is built on the complete picture rather than a partial one.

Types of breast cancer and why the subtype matters

Breast cancer is not a single disease. Two tumours that look almost identical under the microscope can behave completely differently depending on their receptor status, and are treated with entirely different drugs. The main subtypes are:

Hormone receptor-positive (ER/PR-positive) — the most common group, fuelled by oestrogen or progesterone and treated with hormonal therapy.
HER2-positive — driven by an excess of the HER2 protein, and treated with HER2-directed targeted therapy, usually alongside chemotherapy.
Triple-negative (TNBC) — negative for ER, PR and HER2, treated primarily with chemotherapy and, increasingly, with immunotherapy where the tumour markers allow.

Many tumours carry more than one feature — a hormone-positive, HER2-positive cancer, for example, may need both hormonal therapy and targeted therapy. Identifying the subtype accurately is the single most important step in planning effective treatment.

Breast cancer treatment options

Breast cancer treatment almost always combines more than one approach, delivered in a planned sequence. The exact combination depends on your subtype, stage and general health.

Surgery — breast-conserving surgery (lumpectomy) or mastectomy, with assessment of the underarm lymph nodes, planned with the breast surgical team.
Chemotherapy — given before surgery to shrink a tumour (neoadjuvant), after surgery to reduce the risk of recurrence (adjuvant), or to control advanced disease.
Radiation therapy — commonly used after breast-conserving surgery, planned by the radiation oncology team.
Hormonal therapy — for hormone receptor-positive disease, taken over several years to lower the chance of the cancer returning.
Targeted therapy — HER2-directed antibodies and other targeted drugs for tumours that carry the relevant marker.
Immunotherapy — increasingly part of treatment in triple-negative breast cancer, guided by PD-L1 testing.

If your treatment is likely to involve drug therapy, our guide on what to expect during your first chemotherapy cycle walks through a treatment day step by step.

How your treatment plan is decided

No two breast cancer plans are identical. Before treatment begins, the following are reviewed together:

The subtype and grade from your biopsy and receptor testing. The stage, from clinical examination and imaging. Your age, menopausal status, general fitness and any other medical conditions. And your own priorities, including breast conservation and fertility where relevant.

Because breast cancer treatment spans surgery, drug therapy and radiation, your case is discussed jointly by medical, surgical and radiation oncology — a multidisciplinary approach that decides not only which treatments you need, but the order in which they are given. That sequencing often matters as much as the treatments themselves.

Fertility should be discussed before treatment starts, not after. If you may want children in future, raise it at the first consultation so that fertility preservation can be arranged in time.

Early-stage versus advanced breast cancer

Most breast cancers are diagnosed at an early, highly treatable stage, where the goal of treatment is cure. Here the emphasis is on removing the cancer completely and reducing the chance of it ever returning, using a combination of surgery, radiation and drug therapy tailored to the subtype.

In locally advanced disease, drug therapy is often given first to shrink the tumour before surgery. In advanced or metastatic breast cancer, treatment focuses on controlling the disease, relieving symptoms and maintaining good quality of life for as long as possible — and modern hormonal, targeted and immunotherapy options have extended this control substantially in recent years.

Wherever you are on this spectrum, the realistic goal for your situation is explained to you honestly at consultation.

Seeking a second opinion on breast cancer treatment

A second opinion before starting breast cancer treatment is reasonable, common, and never a cause for guilt. It confirms the diagnosis, checks that receptor and HER2 testing is complete, and verifies that the proposed sequence of surgery and drug therapy is right — before you commit to months of treatment.

Our guide on getting a cancer second opinion in Hyderabad sets out exactly which reports, pathology blocks and scans to send so that the review is genuinely useful.

Why choose Indian OncoCare for breast cancer treatment

Breast cancer treatment is long, and the relationship with your oncologist matters. At Indian OncoCare:

Your plan is prepared and reviewed personally by Dr. Harish Kancharla, DM (Medical Oncology, AIIMS Delhi), MD (Internal Medicine, PGIMER Chandigarh).
Treatment is delivered through the day-care and inpatient facilities at Yashoda Hospitals, Somajiguda, one of Hyderabad’s largest tertiary cancer centres.
Surgical, radiation and medical oncology work together as one team, so your care is coordinated rather than fragmented.
Reports are explained in plain language, and questions are welcomed at every stage.

Explore the full range of cancer services we offer, or read about the patient journey from first enquiry to follow-up.

Support for patients and families

A breast cancer diagnosis affects the whole family, and practical support matters as much as medical treatment. Our patient support resources help you prepare for consultations and understand each step, while our financial guidance can help you understand treatment costs and the insurance or assistance options that may be available.

You can find more guidance and checklists in our patient resources section. Patients travelling from outside Hyderabad or from abroad usually begin with an online consultation before continuing treatment in person — see our international patients page for how this is coordinated.

Frequently asked questions

Q1. Which doctor treats breast cancer — a surgeon or an oncologist?

Breast cancer care involves several specialists. A breast surgeon performs the operation, a radiation oncologist plans radiotherapy, and a medical oncologist plans and supervises chemotherapy, hormonal, targeted and immunotherapy. At Indian OncoCare these teams work together, with Dr. Kancharla coordinating the drug-therapy component of your care.

Q2. Does every breast cancer need chemotherapy?

No. Chemotherapy is used when the subtype, grade and stage indicate a clear benefit — it is essential in triple-negative disease and many HER2-positive and higher-risk tumours, but some early-stage, hormone-positive cancers are treated effectively without it. See our chemotherapy page for how this is decided and planned.

Q3. Will I lose my breast?

Not necessarily. Many women are suitable for breast-conserving surgery (lumpectomy) followed by radiation, with outcomes equal to mastectomy in appropriate cases. Whether conservation is possible depends on tumour size, location and other factors discussed with the surgical team.

Q4. How is the breast cancer subtype decided?

From receptor testing on your biopsy — ER, PR and HER2 status, together with grade and Ki-67. These results define the subtype and determine whether hormonal therapy, targeted therapy, chemotherapy or immunotherapy is appropriate.

Q5. Can breast cancer be cured?

Yes — particularly when detected early. Many early-stage breast cancers are curable with appropriate treatment. Even in advanced disease, treatment can control the cancer and maintain quality of life for extended periods. The realistic goal for your stage is explained honestly at consultation.

Q6. How long does breast cancer treatment take?

It varies with subtype and stage. A full course combining surgery, chemotherapy and radiation typically spans several months, while hormonal therapy for hormone-positive disease continues for five to ten years. Your planned timeline is set out at the start.

Q7. Do I need a fresh biopsy for a second opinion?

Usually not. A second opinion is generally possible using your existing biopsy block and reports — carry the paraffin block and unstained slides from the original lab. Our second opinion guide explains exactly what to bring.

Q8. Who will supervise my treatment?

Dr. Harish Kancharla, DM (Medical Oncology, AIIMS Delhi), MD (Internal Medicine, PGIMER Chandigarh), Senior Consultant – Medical Oncology & Hemato-Oncology at Yashoda Hospitals, Somajiguda, plans and reviews the medical-oncology component of your treatment personally.