New Delhi, Aug 7: Apollo Athenaa, Asia's first dedicated women cancer centre by Apollo Hospitals, announced the launch of India's first one stop comprehensive Lymphedema Clinic, accredited by the Lymphatic Education & Research Network - an internationally recognised non-profit organisation dedicated to advancing education, research and advocacy for lymphatic diseases—setting a new benchmark in the management of cancer-related lymphedema. Designed around internationally recognised standards of care, the clinic brings together specialised surgeons, lymphedema therapists, nurses, dermatologists and rehabilitation experts under a single multidisciplinary programme, offering comprehensive care spaning prevention, early diagnosis, advanced microsurgery, rehabilitation and lifelong follow-up.
The Apollo Athenaa Lymphedema Clinic is distinguished by its integrated model of care,combining multidisciplinary clinical expertise, advanced imaging and supermicrosurgical capabilities, specialised rehabilitation, and internationally benchmarked protocols to deliver personalised care with superior clinical outcomes and an enhanced quality of life for patients. Patients have access to dedicated lymphedema assessment, manual lymphatic drainage, complete decongestive therapy, compression therapy, stage-specific rehabilitation, lymphovenous bypass surgery, vascularised lymph node transfer and liposuction for selected advanced cases. The programme is further strengthened by ultra-high-frequency ultrasound technology, enabling surgeons to accurately identify lymphatic vessels and veins for performing lymphatic bypass procedures with greater precision.
India is estimated to have over one million people living with lymphedema. Of these, an estimated 400,000–600,000 are living with cancer-related lymphedema, with 30,000–50,000 new cases developing annually. As cancer survival rates continue to improve, this burden is expected to rise, underscoring the urgent need for dedicated multidisciplinary lymphedema services.
Women undergoing breast and gynaecological cancer treatment remain among the most vulnerable, as lymph node removal and radiation therapy can permanently disrupt lymphatic drainage, resulting in chronic swelling, recurrent infections, reduced mobility and a significant impact on long-term quality of life. Up to 20% to 42% of women develop arm lymphedema after breast cancer surgery, and roughly 31% to 37% of survivors of gynecological cancers experience lower-limb lymphedema. Despite this growing burden, access to specialised multidisciplinary lymphedema care remains limited in India, with patients often navigating fragmented treatment pathways that delay intervention and compromise long-term outcomes.
Dr. Preetha Reddy, Executive Vice Chairperson, Apollo Hospitals Group, said,
"At Apollo, we have always believed that advancing healthcare means continually raising standards across every stage of the patient journey. As cancer outcomes continue to improve, our focus must also extend to helping patients live healthier, fuller lives beyond treatment. Apollo Athenaa, Asia's first dedicated cancer centre for women, was created with this vision of delivering comprehensive, women-centric cancer care. The launch of India's first LE&RN-accredited Lymphedema Clinic is a natural extension of that commitment. By bringing together specialised expertise, advanced technology and internationally recognised standards of care within a multidisciplinary programme, we are addressing an important aspect of survivorship that has often been overlooked, while ensuring women receive the highest quality of care throughout their recovery."
Dr. Venkat Ramakrishnan, Consultant Plastic & Breast Reconstruction Surgeon, Apollo Athenaa, said,
"Traditionally, lymphedema surgery has largely been considered only after the condition develops, when irreversible tissue changes may have already occurred. At Apollo Athenaa, we are changing this paradigm by introducing a preventive approach through Prophylactic Lymphovenous Bypass (LVB) for eligible patients undergoing cancer surgery who are at high risk of developing lymphedema. Performed at the time of axillary lymph node dissection, this super microsurgical procedure restores lymphatic drainage during cancer surgery itself, helping reduce the future risk of arm lymphedema rather than waiting for the condition to manifest. This shift from reactive treatment to preventive lymphatic surgery has the potential to significantly improve long-term outcomes and quality of life for women undergoing breast cancer treatment."
Dr. Samarth Gupta, Senior Consultant Plastic & Breast Reconstruction Surgeon, Apollo Athenaa, said,
"Lymphedema care cannot be delivered in isolation. It requires timely diagnosis, specialised rehabilitation, precision surgery and long-term follow-up working together as one coordinated programme. At Apollo Athenaa, we have brought together every aspect of lymphedema care—from dedicated assessment and specialised physiotherapy to advanced imaging, microsurgical reconstruction and survivorship support—under one roof. By combining evidence-based protocols with technologies such as high-frequency ultrasound, we are able to deliver highly personalised care while helping patients regain function, confidence and quality of life."
With the launch of the LE&RN-accredited comprehensive Lymphedema Clinic, Apollo Athenaa continues to strengthen its women-centric oncology ecosystem by advancing survivorship care through integrated prevention, treatment, rehabilitation and long-term follow-up. By bringing globally benchmarked standards of lymphatic care to India, the centre aims not only to improve long-term functional recovery and quality of life for women living with or at risk of cancer-related lymphedema, but also to enable them to return to their everyday lives with greater confidence, dignity and well-being- reflecting Athenaa's commitment to care beyond cure.