Why name it KIMS-USHALAKSHMI Centre for Breast Diseases?
Diagnosed with breast cancer in 2002, Dr Kotha Ushalakshmi was a daughter, sister, spouse, mother, and grandmother whose courage and resilience continue to inspire. The Centre is named in her honour, celebrating her strength and her enduring legacy in the fight against breast cancer. Her journey continues to inspire our unwavering commitment to compassionate care, early detection, and excellence in breast health.
Do Specialist Centres Improve Breast Cancer Care?
Global evidence demonstrates that outcomes in breast cancer and benign breast conditions improve when care is delivered by dedicated specialists within comprehensive centres.
The KIMS–USHALAKSHMI Centre for Breast Diseases is proud to pioneer this transformative “Breast Centre” model in the Indian subcontinent—redefining the standards of specialised, patient centred breast healthcare.
Meet Our Expert Team
Discover the unique benefits and exceptional service that set us apart
Dr. B. Bhaskar Rao
Chairman & Managing Director, KIMS Hospitals
Dr. B. Abhinay
CEO, KIMS Hospitals
Dr. P. Raghu Ram, OBE
Founding Director & Consultant Surgeon, KIMS Hospital
Dr. Pooja Boggaram, MD
Consultant Radiologist
What to Expect at the Breast Centre
South Asia’s first state-of-the-art, one-stop centre for comprehensive breast care
A One Stop TRIPLE ASSESSMENT is offered to all women and men presenting to the Breast Centre. This is a unique set up, FIRST of its kind in the Country, where Clinical Assessment, Breast imaging and Breast biopsy are all done under one roof in a specific purpose built Breast Centre. One does not need to go to Radiology Department for Mammogram or Ultrasound assessment. The results of Imaging will be available within the hour – same day. The Core biopsy/FNAC report would be available in two – three days.
We were the first Centre in the Country alongside the Tata Memorial Centre in Mumbai, to have acquired the Full Field Digital Mammography system—FFDM (2007), where the traditional conventional x-ray film is replaced by electronics that convert x-rays into digital pictures of the breast. This is similar to pictures captured on digital cameras. Advantages being better quality pictures/images, much lower radiation dose & significantly less discomfort.
And then… 15 years later… The BEST just got BETTER. We are the first Centre in Telangana/Andhra Pradesh and the second unit in the Country to have acquired the most advanced—latest, fastest and highest resolution—version of Digital Tomosynthesis (3D Mammography Unit)
Vacuum-Assisted Breast Biopsy (VABB) is a revolutionary new minimally invasive technique that is used to accurately sample/remove indeterminate breast lesions/microcalcifications suspicious of cancer that may get missed by traditional core needle biopsy, thus avoiding the need for open surgery to obtain diagnosis.Also, VABB is used to remove small benign non cancerous lesions (Fibroadenoma) in carefully selected patients. A pin hole cut is made in the skin overlying the lesion in the breast and with a VABB gun, the entire lump can be removed under local anaesthesia at the Breast Centre. The patient can go home on the same day within a few hours after the procedure. This procedure is one option for young women who choose to have small benign non cancerous lumps removed.
Individualized treatment (Surgery/Chemotherapy/Hormone Therapy/ Targeted therapy/Radiotherapy) is offered by a Multidisciplinary Team (MDT) using evidence based guidelines. Every patient has a unique set of issues to consider. A passionate Multidisciplinary Team, which includes Surgeons, Radiologists, Radiographers, Pathologists, Medical Oncologists, Nuclear Medicine Specialists, Radiation Oncologists, Breast Care Nurses & Palliative Care Specialists will ensure the best possible individualized care & outcomes.
We take great pride in giving utmost importance to counselling. As 9 out of 10 Breast health issues are benign (non-cancerous), counselling at our Breast Centre involves reassuring the vast majority of women who are ‘worried well’ in addition to providing the much-needed emotional assistance to those diagnosed with breast cancer.
Oncoplastic Breast surgery is relatively new concept and refers to techniques that combine principles of Oncological surgery with Plastic surgery in women having breast conserving surgery (lumpectomy), thus achieving superior cosmetic results and patient satisfaction.
As breast cancer can spread to lymph nodes in the axilla (arm pit), it is a standard practice to remove lymph nodes at the same time as surgery to the breast. The traditional management is to do a formal Axillary Node Clearance where most of the lymph nodes in the axilla (arm pit) are removed. However, this procedure can potentially cause significant morbidity, such as altered sensation & swelling (lymphedema) of the arm. Moreover, removal of all lymph nodes in axilla may not be necessary in many women presenting with early cancer.Sentinel Node Biopsy (SNB) is a minimally invasive procedure that is offered to women who are unlikely to have spread of cancer to lymph nodes in the axilla. This procedure significantly improves the accuracy of axillary staging in women with early breast cancer & the latest generation Indocyanine green (ICG) Fluorescence Navigation System is used to remove the sentinel nodes, thus minimizing the morbidity when compared with the traditional axillary node clearance.
Early detection of breast cancer saves lives. Breast Screening by way of Mammography (X- ray of the breasts) is an effective proven way of detecting breast cancer early many years before the lady or the doctor can feel the lump in the breast.Since inception, we have been at the forefront in creating awareness about this very important fact through a number of innovative initiatives. Breast Screening is recommended annually (once every year or atleast once in two years) for women 40 years and over.
The Breast Centre conducts dedicated Family History Clinic on specific days of the week aimed at reaching out to women at high risk of developing breast cancer. Based on the history and assessment, Genetic testing would be offered to women at high risk of developing familial breast cancer & those found to be at high risk will be counselled with the appropriate Breast cancer preventive strategy based on evidence based guidelines.
We have been working tirelessly to actively promote the concept of BREAST AWARENESS, which is gaining increasing acceptance world over. This is clearly a move away from the popularly held concept of rigorous Breast Self Examination (BSE), which has not proven to be effectiveBeing “Breast Aware” is about becoming familiar with the breasts and the way they change throughout a woman’s life. It is a concept that encourages women to know how their breasts look and feel normally so that they gain confidence about noticing any change which might help detect breast cancer early.