Dr. Ravella Venkateswara Rao is the first qualified Medical Oncologist and first trained Haematologist in the states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. His DM Medical Oncology is from Adyar Cancer Institute, Chennai - India's oldest and most prestigious cancer centre, established 1954.
Concurrent Senior Consultant at KIMS Hospital, Secunderabad. Member of ASCO (American Society of Clinical Oncology) and ESMO (European Society for Medical Oncology).
Monday to Saturday - Morning and Evening
Advance appointment is recommended. Dr. R.V. Rao's OPD volume includes new cancer diagnoses, second opinion consultations, ongoing chemotherapy follow-ups, and haemato-oncology reviews. Please bring all prior biopsy reports, scans, and treatment records.
The first qualified Medical Oncologist and Haematologist in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana
Dr. Ravella Venkateswara Rao is a Senior Consultant Medical Oncologist and Haematologist at Vivekananda Hospital, Begumpet. His academic pathway is MBBS + MD (Internal Medicine) + DM Medical Oncology from Adyar Cancer Institute, Chennai. He concurrently serves as Senior Consultant at KIMS Hospital, Secunderabad. With 46+ years of medical practice and over 28 years dedicated to specialist oncology, he is widely recognised as the first qualified Medical Oncologist and the first trained Haematologist in the combined states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
The DM from Adyar Cancer Institute is particularly significant. Adyar (formally the Cancer Institute WIA), Chennai, was established in 1954 and is India's oldest dedicated cancer centre. Its DM Medical Oncology programme is among the most rigorous in the country, with high-volume case exposure, teaching hospital standards, and alumni who have shaped Indian cancer care for decades. Dr. Rao's training there gives his clinical approach the foundation of India's leading cancer institute tradition.
His practice at Vivekananda covers the full spectrum of medical oncology: solid-organ malignancies (breast, lung, gastrointestinal, prostate, kidney, bladder, cervical, ovarian cancers) and haemato-oncology (leukaemia, lymphoma, multiple myeloma). Treatment modalities include chemotherapy, immunotherapy, targeted therapy, oral chemotherapy prescriptions, and supportive care. Chemotherapy day-care administration is provided at Vivekananda's oncology setup, with medical supervision throughout each cycle.
Cancer care is increasingly a team sport. Dr. Rao coordinates with Dr. Nossam Ramasubba Reddy (Surgical Oncologist) for cases needing cancer surgery and with Dr. J.K. Kumar (Surgical Gastroenterologist, GI Oncology focus) for gastrointestinal cancer cases. Highly specialised procedures such as HIPEC (Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy), PIPAC (Pressurised Intraperitoneal Aerosol Chemotherapy), bone marrow transplant and CAR-T cell therapy are coordinated through patient management and referred to tertiary centres equipped for these interventions.
Oncology has transformed in my career from a field where we could offer little beyond symptom relief to one where precision medicine, immunotherapy and targeted therapy are changing outcomes every year. But the fundamentals remain unchanged: an accurate diagnosis, the right regimen for this particular patient, and walking with them through the treatment journey.
Education and Academic Memberships
- MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery)
- MD (Internal Medicine) - prerequisite for super-specialty
- DM Medical Oncology - Adyar Cancer Institute, Chennai (India's oldest dedicated cancer centre, founded 1954)
- 46+ years of medical practice
- 28+ years as specialist Medical Oncologist and Haematologist
- First qualified Medical Oncologist and Haematologist in Andhra Pradesh & Telangana
Concurrent Appointments and International Memberships
- Senior Consultant - KIMS Hospital, Secunderabad
- Member - American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO)
- Member - European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO)
What Dr. R.V. Rao treats at Vivekananda Hospital
Comprehensive medical oncology covering solid-organ cancers and haematological malignancies. Chemotherapy administration in day-care setup, with immunotherapy, targeted therapy and oral chemotherapy prescriptions. Highly complex procedures coordinated with tertiary centres.
Solid-Organ Cancers
- Breast cancer management
- Lung cancer chemotherapy and targeted therapy
- Gastrointestinal cancer treatment
- Prostate cancer medical management
- Kidney and bladder cancer therapy
- Gynaecological cancers (cervical, ovarian)
Haemato-Oncology
- Acute and chronic leukaemia
- Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin lymphoma
- Multiple myeloma management
- Myelodysplastic syndromes
- Chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML)
- Blood cancer chemotherapy
Chemotherapy Day Care
- Intravenous chemotherapy cycles
- Oral chemotherapy prescription and monitoring
- Pre-chemotherapy assessment
- Side-effect management
- Blood count monitoring during treatment
- Treatment response evaluation
Advanced Cancer Therapies
- Immunotherapy prescription
- Targeted therapy (precision medicine)
- Hormone therapy (breast, prostate)
- Biomarker-driven treatment
- Treatment-line sequencing
- Clinical decision making
Cancer Consultation
- New cancer diagnosis evaluation
- Second opinion on treatment plans
- Staging workup coordination
- Multi-disciplinary tumour board
- Treatment decision with patient
- Prognosis and expectation setting
Long-term Cancer Care
- Post-treatment surveillance
- Recurrence monitoring with scans and markers
- Survivorship care planning
- Late-effect monitoring
- Supportive and palliative care coordination
- Psychosocial and family counselling
Procedures such as HIPEC (Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy), PIPAC (Pressurised Intraperitoneal Aerosol Chemotherapy), bone marrow transplant, CAR-T cell therapy, and radiation therapy require specialised tertiary-centre infrastructure not available at Vivekananda Hospital. For cases requiring these interventions, Dr. Rao manages patient evaluation, coordinates referral to tertiary centres (KIMS, Apollo, HCG and other specialised oncology centres), and continues medical care before and after the specialised procedure.
- Any newly diagnosed cancer seeking treatment planning
- Seeking a second opinion on cancer diagnosis or treatment plan
- Unexplained persistent weight loss
- Unexplained lumps (breast, neck, armpit, groin)
- Persistent abnormal bleeding
- Chronic fatigue with abnormal blood test findings
- Persistent lymph node enlargement
- Abnormal biopsy or cytology report
- Raised tumour markers on routine testing
- Family history of cancer requiring screening advice
Frequently asked questions
How do I book an appointment with Dr. R.V. Rao?
What is the difference between a Medical Oncologist and a Surgical Oncologist?
Why is his DM from Adyar Cancer Institute significant?
Is chemotherapy administered at Vivekananda Hospital?
Can Dr. Rao help with a second opinion on my cancer treatment plan?
Does he treat blood cancers like leukaemia and lymphoma?
What is immunotherapy and when is it appropriate?
Does Vivekananda perform HIPEC, PIPAC, or bone marrow transplant?
Is radiation therapy available at Vivekananda Hospital?
Are cancer treatments covered by insurance?
Consult Dr. R.V. Rao for cancer care
Mon-Sat: Morning from 8:00 AM + Evening from 5:00 PM. Advance appointment strongly recommended.