Acute Myeloid Leukemia Treatment Cost in India

Highlights

  • Acute myeloid leukemia affects the myeloid cells.
  • AML is more common in males above 65 years of age
  • AML starts in the bone marrow and spreads to the blood, central nervous system, lymph nodes, spleen, liver, and testicles.
  • AML can be treated by chemotherapy, target drug therapy, and radiation therapy. 
  • The starting cost of AML treatment in India is approx. USD 18,000 (INR 14,31,000)
Cost of AML treatment in India
  • Acute myeloid leukemia is a type of cancer that develops in the bone marrow. It primarily affects the myeloid cells destined to become WBC’s. Like any other form of acute cancer, AML quickly spreads to the blood and other organs of the body. 
  • It is the most common form of leukemia affecting adults. 
  • It is more prevalent in men than women.

 The signs and symptoms of AML cancer may include:

  • Gum or nose bleeding
  • Fever and pain in bones
  • Recurrent infections
  • Pale skin
  • Difficulty in breathing
  • Fatigue and decreased energy levels

Cause of Acute myeloid leukemia

The genetic material or the DNA controls the growth and functioning of a cell. It guides the cell about when to grow and when to stop. However, sometimes the DNA/genetic material inside the cell undergoes mutations.

These changes cause uncontrolled growth and proliferation in the cell and lead to the formation of leukemic WBC’s or blasts. The blasts are immature cells that can’t perform any functions correctly and crowd other healthy WBC’s.

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Detection of Acute myeloid leukemia

Detection of Acute myeloid leukemia will start with a medical evaluation by the doctor. Signs and symptoms of AML seen in the patient will help the doctor to plan further diagnosis.

Condition

Percentage of Blasts in Bone marrow

Normal bone marrow

<5%

Acute Myeloid leukemia

>20%

 

Various tests involved in the diagnosis of AML are:

Complete blood count (CBC): It will help to identify the number of different blood cells to see if there is a significant change in any of them. 

Peripheral blood smear: It allows the doctor to distinguish abnormalities in the shape and size of cells in the blood sample. 

Blood chemistry/coagulation tests: These tests detect possible organ (Liver) damage by analyzing the clotting factors. 

Cytochemistry test: Blood cells are treated with cell-specific dyes. The dye is only taken up by abnormal leukemic cells that appear as black spots under the microscope. 

Flow cytometry: This test involves adding cells into a specialized machine called a flow cytometer. Cells are mixed with antibodies that target leukemic cells and separate them from the average cell population. This method is also known as Immunohistochemistry when it doesn’t involve a flow cytometer. 

Chromosome test: Tests like cytogenetics, FISH, Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) help to detect abnormalities and mutations in the DNA. 

Imaging tests: Imaging tests are recommended in case the patient exhibits symptoms related to a specific organ. These include X-rays, CT scans, MRI scans, and Ultrasound. 

What is the cost of Acute myeloid leukemia in India?

TreatmentInduction ChemotherapyConsolidatory ChemotherapyBone Marrow Transplant
Cost10,000 USD3500-4000 USD/month

Autologous transplant: 15,000 USD

Allogenic transplant (Full-match): 22,000 USD

Allogenic transplant (Half-match): 40,000 USD

Duration2 weeks3-4 months7-10 days
TypeInpatientOutpatientInpatient/Outpatient

 

Factors that affect the cost of AML treatment are:

  1. Type of room and location of the hospital
  2. Type of treatment suggested by the doctor
  3. Experience of the doctor
  4. Cost of additional medicines or procedures
  5. Follow-up care and treatment

How can Lyfboat assist you getting Acute myeloid leukemia treatment in India?

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Lyfboat is a free advisory platform; we do not charge any fees from patients. In fact, we negotiate the price that Indian hospitals offer. In some cases we are able to reduce the cost by negotiating upto 20% of what Hospitals generally offer. We advise the best treatment from the top hospital/surgeon at best price.

What happens after you reach India for AML treatment?

Evaluation

The treatment of acute myeloid leukemia starts with an appointment with a specialist. The doctor will evaluate all the signs, symptoms, and medical history of the patient. 

Duration: 1 or 2 days

First Bone marrow biopsy and blood tests

The doctor recommends a bone marrow biopsy to calculate the percentage of blasts. During the procedure, the doctor will numb the area around the hip bone and inject a needle to collect a sample of bone marrow. The sample is sent to the laboratory, where a pathologist examines it for any possible abnormalities. 

Along with a bone marrow biopsy, the patient will also undergo various types of blood cells like CBC, Blood chemistry test, coagulation test, etc. 

Duration: 5 to 7 days

Induction chemotherapy

Induction chemotherapy marks the first phase of the treatment. It is an intensive procedure that lasts for a short time. It targets the blasts present in the body and aims to reduce them to a normal range. 

Type of procedure: In-patient

Duration: 2 weeks

Second Bone marrow Biopsy 

After the induction phase is over, a second bone marrow biopsy is conducted. It helps to identify the success of the initial treatment and the need for a bone marrow transplant. 

  1. High-risk AML: If the doctor detects no significant change in the number of blasts, the patient is advised to opt for a bone marrow transplant.
  2. Low-risk AML: If there is a significant reduction in the number of blasts, the patient is selected for the next phase of chemotherapy. 

Duration: 5 to 7 days

Consolidatory chemotherapy

The therapy aims to kill the remaining small percentage of blasts in the bone marrow. It is given in cycles with a rest period in between so that the body can recover. Acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) involves additional maintenance chemotherapy stretching from months to years after consolidation. 

Type of procedure: Out-patient

Duration: 3 to 4 months

Bone marrow transplant

A bone marrow transplant involves the transfer of cells from the donor to the recipient. It can be autologous or allogenic, depending on the source of bone marrow cells. The steps involved in the procedure are:

  1. The doctor numbs the area around the hip region and injects a syringe into the pelvic bone.
  2. The bone marrow is aspirated through the needle, and the sample is sent to the laboratory.
  3. The processed sample is infused back into the patient’s body after a round of chemotherapy.  

Type of procedure: Can be in-patient or out-patient

Duration: 7 to 10 days

Post-treatment care

The doctor may prescribe specific medication or drugs as a part of post-treatment care and recovery. Basic routine tests are conducted to define the next phase of the treatment, if necessary. 

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Simran Bahia

Written By Simran Bahia

Simran Bahia is an experienced content writer with extensive research experience in Immunology and Reproductive Biology. Simran received her Bachelors in Life Sciences from Delhi University, followed by a Master's in Immunology from the Amity Institute of Virology and Immunology. Combining her love for science and writing, Simran enjoys putting a spin on standard methods of medical writing.
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