The Journey of Gynaecologic Oncology services in St. John’s Medical College began as a part of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and a separate unit was created in 2003. This unit was upgraded as a Division of Gynaecologic Oncology in February 2005. The Division attained the status of a separate department on 01st May 2009. St John’s Medical College is one among the few institutions in the country which offers super speciality training (MCh) in gynaecologic oncology, recognised by the Medical Council of India.

Prof. Elizabeth Vallikad spear headed the department right from its inception with her vast experience and retired as the Professor and Head of the department on 20th March 2018. She was instrumental in starting the MCh course and a hospital based cancer registry.

Gynaecologic Oncology is a field of medicine which is concerned with pre-cancerous lesions of female genital tract and cancers of the uterus ovaries, vagina, vulva and cervix, as well as trophoblastic disease (cancers that arise during pregnancy).

Gynaecologic Oncologists are trained gynaecologists, who are committed to the comprehensive treatment of women with cancer namely prevention, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of women with cancers. Their expertise also extends to those peculiar situations that mimic cancers and which require surgical skills and gynaecological knowledge.