Its mission is to make the best cancer cure available to all segments of the society and spread cancer awareness in India. The institute also undertakes research activities.

The institute aims to achieve its objectives by developing five centres of excellence-prevention and early detection of cancer, modern diagnostic facilities, advance methods of treatment, education and training, and clinical and bio-medical research.

It institute has also set up a tumour board consisting of a radiology oncologist, a surgical oncologist, and a peadiatric oncologist to decide the best mode of treatment.

The institute has professional support of a panel of international experts. World famous Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and Cornell and Flushing Medical Centres have even granted affiliation to this hospital.

Set on an eight-acre plot, the institute has in-patient facility with 125 beds and ICU with 16 beds. Excluding the cost of land and the cost of construction (Rs 7 crore), the project is estimated to cost Rs 23 crore. The figure includes the equipment cost, which comes to approximately Rs 16 crore.

The institute was set up by two trusts, Nandamuri Basava Taraka Rama Rao Memorial Cancer Foundation and Research Centre, and American Telugu Women's organisation (ATWO).

The centre was set up by late N T Rama Rao in memory of his wife, Basava Taraka Rama Rao, who succumbed to cancer. The ATWO was set up earlier following Basava Taraka Rama Rao's call to NRIs to support cancer cure in India, while she was undergoing treatment in the United States, says Ms Kalpana Raghunath, superintendent of the institute.

The institute is also aided by the Centre, and ICICI.