Dr. Milena Popović

Dr. Milena Popović is a medical oncologist at the Clinical Centre of Montenegro in Podgorica. With 13 years of clinical oncology experience, she is a key member of the oncology team at Montenegro's primary tertiary hospital. She completed advanced oncology training at the Institute for Oncology and Radiology of Serbia in Belgrade and undertook ESMO-affiliated continuing education programs. She is committed to implementing evidence-based European oncology guidelines in Montenegro's small but developing oncology service. She participates in multidisciplinary tumor board meetings and is known for her patient-centered approach and clear communication.

Dr. Popović obtained her MD from the University of Montenegro Faculty of Medicine in 2008. She completed her oncology residency at the Clinical Centre of Montenegro and undertook advanced oncology training at the Institute for Oncology and Radiology of Serbia, Belgrade (2013–2014). She holds an MSc in Clinical Oncology from the University of Montenegro in 2016. She is an ESMO member and is certified by the Medical Chamber of Montenegro in clinical oncology.

Dr. Popović's medical oncology practice covers the major cancers encountered in Montenegrin clinical practice. Her breast cancer expertise includes chemotherapy with anthracycline and taxane-based regimens, HER2-targeted therapy, and hormone therapy for hormone receptor-positive disease. She designs and administers chemotherapy for colorectal cancer, lung cancer, and ovarian cancer, coordinating with surgical and radiation oncology colleagues through multidisciplinary tumor board meetings at the Clinical Centre of Montenegro. She manages palliative oncology care for patients with advanced disease, focusing on quality of life, symptom control, and patient and family support. She works to implement European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) treatment guidelines within Montenegro's developing oncology service.

Dr. Popović has published peer-reviewed articles in Montenegrin and regional Balkan oncology journals, focusing on breast cancer epidemiology in Montenegro, treatment outcomes for locally advanced disease, and the implementation of European oncology protocols in resource-limited Balkan settings. She collaborates with oncologists at the Institute for Oncology and Radiology of Serbia in Belgrade and participates in Balkan oncology education networks. She has presented at Montenegrin Medical Society meetings and contributes to continuing oncology education for junior physicians and medical students at the Clinical Centre of Montenegro.

Dr. Popović speaks Montenegrin and English, making her accessible to Montenegro's significant diaspora community in Western Europe and to foreign residents and medical travelers in Montenegro. Video consultations are available for oncology second opinions, allowing patients abroad to discuss staging, pathology findings, and treatment options. She assists patients and families in navigating referrals to larger regional oncology centers in Serbia or Croatia when advanced oncology resources — such as immunotherapy, specialized radiation, or complex surgical oncology — exceed local capacity. Montenegro's Adriatic coastal location and relatively affordable private healthcare make it accessible to regional medical travelers.

Dr. Popović received the Montenegro Society of Oncology Young Clinician Award in 2017, recognizing her early career contributions to oncology in Montenegro. She was commended by the Clinical Centre of Montenegro for her leadership in developing the oncology multidisciplinary team structure and for implementing European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) treatment guidelines in Montenegrin clinical practice. She is an active ESMO member and participates in ESMO continuing education programs. She contributes to the training of junior oncology staff and medical students at the Clinical Centre of Montenegro, helping to build oncology capacity in Montenegro.