Bringing Expert Cancer Care Closer to Bangladesh: STAR Hospitals Launches Free Second Opinion Clinic

Connecting patients in Bangladesh with multidisciplinary cancer specialists in Hyderabad for expert review, treatment guidance and coordinated care.

In a significant step towards extending advanced cancer care beyond geographical boundaries, STAR Hospitals Hyderabad has launched its first Free Cancer Second Opinion Clinic in Bangladesh. The initiative aims to provide patients and families with access to experienced oncology specialists and help them make informed decisions at a critical stage of their cancer journey.

With Bangladesh reporting a substantial burden of cancer, timely access to specialised expertise can play an important role in helping patients better understand their diagnosis and available treatment pathways. Through this initiative, patients can seek an expert review of their diagnosis, investigations and existing treatment plan from the multidisciplinary team at STAR Cancer Centre, STAR Hospitals Hyderabad.

Expert Guidance When It Matters Most

Cancer treatment often involves multiple specialties, and the most appropriate treatment pathway may require a combination of surgery, systemic therapy, radiation therapy, bone marrow transplantation, supportive care or palliative medicine.

The Free Cancer Second Opinion Clinic has therefore been designed around a multidisciplinary approach, bringing together specialists from:

• Medical Oncology
• Surgical Oncology
• Clinical Haematology & BMT
• Radiation Oncology
• Pain & Palliative Medicine

Based on each patient's diagnosis, medical history, investigations and previous treatment, the relevant specialists can review the case and guide the available treatment options.
The initiative is intended to offer patients and their families greater clarity, confidence and direction, particularly when dealing with a new cancer diagnosis, a complex condition or important treatment decisions.

A Multidisciplinary Team of Cancer Specialists

The STAR Cancer Centre panel includes specialists across the cancer care spectrum.

Medical Oncology

• Dr. Sainath Bhethanabhotla
  Sr. Consultant & Head – Medical Oncology, Haemato-oncology & BMT Specialist
• Dr. Santosh Kumar Ch.
  Sr. Consultant – Medical Oncology, Haemato-oncology & BMT Specialist
• Dr. Sindhura Durga Chitikela
  Consultant – Medical Oncology, Haemato-oncology & BMT Specialist

Surgical Oncology

• Dr. Vipin Goel
  Sr. Consultant & Head – Surgical Oncology, Laparoscopic & Robotic Surgeon
• Dr. Gowda Sreehari
  Sr. Consultant – Surgical Oncology, Laparoscopic & Minimally Invasive Surgeon
• Dr. Ramakrishna Prasad Ch
  Consultant – Surgical Oncology, Minimal Access Oncosurgeon
• Dr. P. Bharath Kumar
  Consultant – Surgical Oncology, Laparoscopic & Robotic Surgeon
• Dr. Ashwini Munnangi
  Consultant – Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery; Fellowship-Trained Specialist in Head & Neck Oncology & Reconstruction

Clinical Haematology & BMT

• Dr. AMVR Narendra
  Sr. Consultant & Head – Clinical Haematology & BMT Specialist

Radiation Oncology

• Dr. Sarath Chandra Reddy K
  Sr. Consultant & Head – Radiation Oncology
• Dr. Priyasha Damodara
  Consultant – Radiation Oncology

Pain & Palliative Medicine

• Dr. G. Chrusolitha Robbie
  Consultant – Pain & Palliative Medicine

Together, the team provides expertise across complex cancer surgery, minimally invasive and robotic oncology procedures, systemic cancer therapies, haematological malignancies, bone marrow transplantation, radiation therapy and supportive and palliative care.

Bringing STAR Cancer Centre Expertise Closer to Bangladesh

A second opinion can be valuable when patients want greater clarity about a diagnosis, wish to understand whether alternative treatment approaches are available, or need expert guidance before proceeding with a major treatment decision.

Through the Bangladesh initiative, patients can share their existing medical information with the STAR Cancer Centre team for review. Depending on the case, specialists can help patients better understand the role of surgery, chemotherapy and other systemic therapies, radiation therapy, bone marrow transplantation or supportive and palliative care as part of their treatment pathway.

The multidisciplinary model also allows complex cases to be viewed from different specialist perspectives, supporting a more comprehensive assessment of the patient's condition.

Leadership Perspective

“Our mission has always been to make advanced healthcare expertise more accessible and ensure that patients receive the right guidance at the right time. Through the launch of our Free Cancer Second Opinion Clinic in Bangladesh, we aim to provide patients and families with direct access to experienced specialists at STAR Hospitals Hyderabad, helping them make informed decisions about their treatment journey.”

Dr. Rahul Medakkar
Chief Executive Officer, STAR Hospitals Group, Hyderabad

The initiative also reflects the importance of precision and multidisciplinary decision-making in modern cancer care.

“Precision is key in oncology. A second opinion can provide patients with greater clarity about their diagnosis, treatment options and the most appropriate way forward. Through this initiative, we aim to connect patients in Bangladesh with our multidisciplinary cancer care team, including specialists in robotic surgery, medical oncology, haematology, radiation oncology and palliative care.”

How Patients Can Access the Free Second Opinion

Patients and families in Bangladesh can initiate the process by connecting with the STAR Cancer Centre team through WhatsApp at 6309460716.
Patients may share relevant medical information, including:

• Medical and diagnostic reports
• Scans and imaging reports
• Biopsy and histopathology reports
• Previous treatment records
• Prescriptions
• Relevant medical history

The STAR Cancer Centre team will coordinate the case with the appropriate specialist for review and an expert second medical opinion.

From Second Opinion to Continued Patient Support

For patients who may require further evaluation or treatment at STAR Hospitals Hyderabad, a dedicated patient support team can assist throughout the journey with medical coordination, specialist consultation scheduling, follow-up support, treatment-related guidance and travel planning for treatment in Hyderabad.

By creating a direct pathway between patients in Bangladesh and its multidisciplinary cancer specialists in Hyderabad, STAR Hospitals aims to make specialised oncology expertise more accessible while reducing geographical barriers to expert medical guidance.

The initiative reinforces STAR Hospitals’ commitment to delivering patient-centred, multidisciplinary and advanced cancer care while extending its clinical expertise to international patients.