The Tata Memorial Hospital was initially commissioned by the Sir Dorabji Tata Trust on 28 February 1941 as a center with enduring value and a mission for concern for the Indian people.

In 1952 the Indian Cancer Research Centre was established as a pioneer research institute for basic research - later called the Cancer Research Institute (CRI). In 1957 the Ministry of Health took over the Tata Memorial Hospital. The transfer of the administrative control of the Tata Memorial Centre (Tata Memorial Hospital & Cancer Research Institute) to the Department of Atomic Energy in 1962 was the next major milestone. The Tata Memorial Hospital and Cancer Research Institute merged as the two arms of the Tata Memorial Centre (TMC) in 1966 as a classic example of private philanthropy augmented by Government support with a mandate for Service, Education & Research in Cancer.

Every year nearly 43,000 new patients visit the clinics from all over India and neighbouring countries. Nearly 60% of these cancer patients receive primary care at the Hospital of which over 70% are treated almost free of any charges. Over 1000 patients attend the OPD daily for medical advice, comprehensive care or for follow-up treatment.

Nearly 6300 major operations are performed annually and 6000 patients treated with Radiotherapy and Chemotherapy annually in multi-disciplinary programmes delivering established treatments. At the TMH, Evidence Based Medicine is the keystone of our endeavour. Apart from the patient care and service, clinical research programmes and randomized trials contribute increasingly to improved delivery of care and highest standards of work ethics. 

Surgery remains the vital form of treatment along with radiation therapy and chemotherapy. The strategies for early diagnosis, treatment management, rehabilitation, pain relief and terminal care have been established in a comprehensive and multidisciplinary approach for a total cancer care programme.

Many advances have taken place in every speciality. In surgery, concepts have changed taking into account the biology of cancer. Radical surgeries have yielded place to more conservative surgery with the very important objective of quality of life, conserving function and organ without compromising overall survival outcomes. Radiation therapy has also made rapid advances with high technology, precision, computerisation and newer isotopes for therapy. Chemotherapy has played a very major role, with new drugs and clinical protocols investigated in clinical trials. The TMH was the first Centre in the country to initiate Bone Marrow Transplant in 1983. This has been possible due to better total supportive care using newer antibiotics, nutritional, blood transfusion support and nursing. Another important area of progress over the last few years has been radiological imaging techniques using ultrasound, CT Scanners, MRI and more dynamic real time nuclear medicine scanning and the PET Scan. A "first in India" PET CT scanner has been procured to make this cutting edge technology available for cancer management.

Pathology has progressed from basic histopathology to molecular pathology with emphasis on predictive assays for identifying the high risk prognostic factors. NABL accreditation was awarded in 2005 and renewed in 2007.

Supportive care in the form of total rehabilitation, and counselling of patients is widely recognised to be very important aspects of therapy. Excellent work has been carried out in areas of rehabilitation, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, psychology and medical social work.