India offers relatively affordable cancer treatment options. The best hospitals provide cost-effective medical care packages that include a variety of services throughout the course of therapy. The price of cancer treatment in India can range from $500 (INR 38,000) to $8,000 (USD) (INR 611,000).
| Cancer treatment costs in India might vary, although they often fall between: | |||
| 1 | Therapies involving chemotherapy | USD 500 – 1000 Approx/ Month | INR 39,500 – INR 79,000 Approx/ Month |
| 2 | Treatment with immunotherapy | USD 8500 | INR 672,000 |
| 3 | The transarterial chemoembolization procedure or TACE | USD 7000 – 8000 | INR 553,500 – 632,000 |
| 4 | Radioembolization transarterial is referred to as TARE | USD 30,000 | INR 2,372,500 |
| 5 | Surgical treatment for breast cancer | USD 2000 – 4000 | INR 158,000 – INR 316,000 |
| 6 | Surgery to conserve breast tissue | USD 3000 – 4000 | INR 237,000 – INR 316,000 |
| 7 | An overview of prostate cancer treatment | USD 6000 – 8000 | INR 474,500 – INR 632,000 |
The kind and stage of the disease, the suggested course of therapy, the amount of post-treatment care needed, the length of the hospital stay, and many other parameters are used to estimate the precise cost of cancer treatment. Various hospitals and physicians have different fees as well. A top-tier hospital in a big city has the greatest and most cutting-edge patient care facilities, hence its costs could be greater than those of smaller hospitals.
Due to their reputation for providing top-notch clinical care and results, a doctor or surgeon’s expertise and credentials also have an impact on how much a procedure costs.
The type of therapy and the patient’s general condition will determine how long they need to stay in the hospital and abroad. They may need to stay in the hospital for 5-7 days after surgery, but the full course of cancer therapy might take several months.
Treatment in India
In India, the cost of chemotherapy (per cycle) can range from USD 500 to USD 1100, while the cost of radiotherapy can range from USD 3000 to USD 5500.
If the disease is in its early stages and localised, surgery is typically advised for cancer patients. Chemotherapy is a systemic treatment that is administered in sessions over time.
With the most recent technology and cutting-edge equipment, such as SRBT, SRT, brachytherapy, CyberKnife, and others, radiation therapy is provided in India.
Before the appropriate course of therapy is suggested, the patient must undergo a variety of tests to determine the cancer’s stage and diagnose it. Physical examination, laboratory testing, biopsies, imaging exams, nuclear medicine scans, endoscopies, and genetic tests are all included in this.
What choices are there for cancer treatment?
A collection of diseases collectively referred to as cancer are brought on by genetic abnormalities in certain cell types. For the management of the illness, there are several therapy options available. Depending on the disease’s stage, this may include a primary treatment or a mix of medicines.
Early cancer diagnosis may mean that a patient doesn’t require severe therapy and can be cured with a primary cure. However, systemic medicines and adjuvant medications are required for cancer in its late stages. Palliative care may be the sole choice for certain patients with terminal illnesses or certain tumours that have no hope of recovery.
The type of therapy is chosen based on a number of variables, such as the kind and location of the tumour, the cancer’s stage and how quickly it has progressed, the patient’s age and general health, the likelihood of problems, and many more.
Typical cancer therapies include:
Surgery
This is a typical first-line treatment for many different forms of cancer, particularly in the early stages. In this case, the surgeon performs an operation to remove the tumour—a mass of cancer cells—along with some adjacent tissue. The excision of the tumour completely or partially may be the aim of surgery for cancer therapy.
Surgery is only used to treat localised tumours, as opposed to systemic therapies like chemotherapy, which target cancer throughout the body. Additionally, surgery can be performed to treat tumour-related adverse effects. For the best outcomes, it is coupled with other therapies and treatments.
The goal of a biopsy is to get a tiny sample of tissue from a tumour in order to assess the stage and kind of the tumour. The procedure can be performed laparoscopically, minimally invasively, or openly.
Other surgical procedures use alternative strategies, such as cryosurgery, which uses extremely low temperatures to kill cancer cells.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is a medical procedure that employs chemicals to eradicate cancer cells. The medications can be given orally or intravenously (IV) into a blood vessel. There are several medication kinds that can be administered simultaneously or one after the other.
One of the most popular forms of treatment for a variety of malignancies is chemotherapy. As the medications move throughout the body and destroy cancer cells that have metastasized or migrated to areas of the body distant from the main tumour site, it is thought of as a systemic therapy, as opposed to surgery and radiation.
Chemotherapy may help treat cancer, stop the tumour from growing again, stop it from spreading to other areas of the body, or all of these things.
Large tumours may also be reduced by the treatment, which may also aid with pain relief and other cancer-related side effects. Chemotherapy can be used in conjunction with other forms of treatment, such as surgery.
Chemotherapy includes administering anti-cancer medications that kill cancer cells. Additionally, they could damage some healthy cells as a result of chemotherapy, and such adverse effects would need to be treated.
They include exhaustion, mouth sores, gastrointestinal issues, and hair loss. To solve this issue, researchers are looking into newer medications and procedures.
A radiotherapy treatment
High-energy rays, particles, or radioactive seeds are employed in radiation therapy to destroy cancer cells. A tumour is created when cancer cells grow unchecked because they divide more quickly than other types of bodily cells.
This therapy tries to destroy the cancer cells more than healthy ones since radiation may be detrimental to rapidly proliferating cells. It will eventually result in cell death since it will stop the cancer cells from multiplying and developing.
There are primarily two forms of radiation therapy:
- The most used type of radiation therapy is external beam radiation therapy. In this, the tumour is targeted using x-rays or other outside-the-body particles.
- Internal beam radiation therapy: In this type of treatment, radioactive material or seeds are inserted into or positioned close to the tumour to provide radiation within the body. It can be administered intravenously, as a liquid or tablet, or both (intravenous, or IV).
Specialised Therapies
Through the use of specialised medications, targeted treatment can halt the development and spread of cancer. As opposed to alternative therapies, these medications are specifically made to accomplish this with minimal injury to healthy cells.
These chemicals have an impact on the development and division of cancer cells. By concentrating on specific targets, the medication will only impact cancer cells and leave unaffected healthy cells alone. A tablet or IV can be used to administer it.
Drugs used for targeted treatment have a variety of effects, including:
- halt the growth and spread of cancerous cells.
- cause cancer cells to die.
- directly eliminate cancer cells.
Immunotherapy
In immunotherapy, the immune system of the body, which normally fights infections, is employed to combat the tumour. This therapy’s ingredients are created either by the body or in a laboratory. They are intended to enhance the immune system’s capacity to recognise and attack cancer cells. They have poisons or radioactive materials linked to them to hurt the tumour, or they specifically target certain regions of a cancer cell. An IV is used to give immunotherapy.
There are several ways that immunotherapy functions, including:
- impede the development of cancer cells
- Enhance the immune system’s capability to combat cancer cells.
- Stop the main organ’s malignancy from spreading to the rest of the body.
Hormonal Treatment
Breast, prostate, and ovarian cancers, as well as other malignancies in the body that are linked to hormones, are frequently treated with hormone therapy. In order to inhibit or prevent the body’s natural hormones that are promoting cancer growth, it may be necessary to employ surgery or medication. The hormone-producing organs are removed during surgery, including the testicles and ovaries. The medication is either orally or by direct injection.
Are Eggs A Good Health Treatment?
Laser Treatment
- Tumours and other precancerous growths should be eliminated.
- Reduce any tumours that may be obstructing the oesophagus, colon, or stomach.
- assist in treating some cancer symptoms, such bleeding
- After the tumour is removed during surgery, the nerve terminals are sealed to lessen discomfort.
- After surgery, seal lymphatic veins to decrease edema and prevent the spread of malignant cells.
Palliative treatment
Palliative care or therapies reduce certain adverse effects of therapy or some cancer-related signs and symptoms. These drugs treat symptoms like pain and breathlessness.
How may cancer patients receive treatment without insurance?
Without insurance, there may be a considerable financial outlay. Numerous patients look for high-quality medical care in popular medical vacation locations that provide cancer care at noticeably cheaper costs. India, Turkey, Egypt, Dubai, Thailand, and several more nations are among them. They provide a variety of facilities, world-class hospitals, and reasonable packages for top-notch medical treatment.
The leading universities in the nation and the globe have produced top oncologists who are knowledgeable and trained in the most recent methods.
