Know your Doctor

Know your Doctor

Dr. Sampada Dessai is a Consultant in Surgical Oncology (Gynecologic Oncology) at PD Hinduja Hospital Mumbai.
Dr. Dessai has had a distinguished academic career during her the MBBS years at Goa Medical College, Goa. Following her Obstetrics and Gynecological training at Goa Medical College, she moved to Tata Memorial Hospital, a premier cancer hospital and research center in Mumbai, and trained for three years in various capacities. She worked for 1 year on a research protocol an multicentric international trial looking for new options of treatment in relapsed ovarian cancer. She did her clinical fellowship in Gyn Oncology at Tata Memorial Hospital where she had wide exposure to all types of gynecological cancer cases. During her training at Tata memorial hospital, she had performed /assisted over 750 various gynecological cancer surgeries. She subsequently visited the Canadian center “London health sciences, Ontario” when she was selected through the IGCS travel fellowship.
Major Areas of Interest

Her major areas of interest include Cervical Cancer, Ovarian Cancer, Endometrial Cancer and Breast Cancer, fertility-sparing treatment of gynecological cancer, robotic surgery /minimally invasive surgery, and HIPEC in gynecological cancer. She has managed over a thousand patients successfully with favorable outcomes in the majority.
Established The Department of Breast and Gyn-Oncology in Malabar Cancer Center, in South India

Post completion of training from Tata Memorial Hospital in 2013, Dr. Dessai, took the challenge of establishing the Department of Breast and Gyn-Oncology in Malabar Cancer Center, in South India. She established a state of the art of unit, which catered to 1200-1500 new female cancer patients per year and performed around 500-700 major surgeries per year. She also started a Gyn-Oncology fellowship at the same center.
An Active Researcher

Dr. Dessai is an active researcher. She believes in innovation and improving patient outcomes. She performed and published an experience of over 50 modified pelvic exenteration surgeries for recurrent pelvic malignancies, this is the largest experience reported across the globe. Similar innovative work in ovarian cancer, cervical cancer, breast cancer, and endometrial cancer has been published by her in various peer-reviewed journals. In addition, Dr Dessai is one of the pioneers in distress research in India. Her work on distress has led to regular screening for distress among patients in many parts of India.
Other Contributions

Dr. Dessai’s academic contributions are extensive and she has delivered numerous lectures and presentations and participated in various panel discussions at various national and international forums. She is an active member of multiple societies in oncology. Apart from numerous papers and articles, she has authored chapters in a major Oncology textbook published recently on breast and endometrial cancers. Dr. Dessai believes and practices evidence-based management and the use of technology as required for the betterment of outcomes and quality of life. She is also a trained Robotic surgeon and is experienced in performing robotic-assisted surgeries in gynecological cancers.
Speciality Interests:

- Screening for cervical cancer- liquid-based cytology /Pap smear, HPV testing,
- Colposcopy clinic- management of premalignant lesions of cervix, vulva, and vagina: Loop electrosurgical excision( LLETZ), cone biopsy, cryotherapy
- Consultation, evaluation and counseling and screening for high-risk individuals having a strong family history of breast /ovarian cancer
- Cytoreductive surgeries+/- hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC ) for Primary and recurrent ovarian cancer
- Radical hysterectomy/ Wertheim hysterectomy
- Pelvic and paraaortic lymph nodal dissection (retroperitoneal lymph node dissection)
- Radical Vulvectomy + Groin node dissection
- Fertility sparing management of gynecological cancer
- Cancer during pregnancy
- Exenteration (Total/Anterior/posterior) for advanced and recurrent cancers.
- Consultation, evaluation, counseling, and screening for the high-risk individuals having a strong family history of breast /ovarian cancer
- Robotic-assisted surgeries for gynecological cancer
- Treatment of complex gynecological conditions