Medical Oncology

The Department of Medical Oncology at St. John’s Medical College & Hospital commenced its journey in July 2009, under the capable leadership of Dr. Arun Shet who laid the initial foundation for oncology services at the institution. In 2016, Dr. Ganesha assumed responsibility for the department, ensuring the continued provision of oncology services. During this period, the focus was primarily catering to patient needs on an outpatient basis. When Dr. Hari Menon joined the department as Professor and Head in November 2022, a more comprehensive program in Medical Oncology was initiated which included the expansion to cover not only outpatient but also inpatient and day care services. The department also broadened its scope to include haemato-oncology, with emphasis on leukemia and lymphoma care and providing stem cell transplantation services, marking a pivotal step forward in advanced cancer care.

Further growth was seen with the expansion of the faculty team and the commencement of the postgraduate training program, DrNB  in Medical Oncology. The department now boasts a robust team comprising five full-time faculty members, two senior residents, four junior residents, one clinical pharmacologist, and a trial co-ordinator. This multidisciplinary team underpins both the clinical and academic excellence of the department.

The Department of Medical Oncology at St. John’s is proud to be recognised as the first centre in Karnataka to successfully perform an indigenous CART cell therapy for Myeloma, demonstrating its commitment to pioneering advanced therapies and delivering cutting-edge cancer treatments.