Prostate cancer affects thousands of people around the world. In fact, it is the second most common form of cancer that affects males. It typically affects make aged above 50 and its prevalence is the highest in Australia, North America and Europe.

What is the cost of prostate cancer treatment in India?

Prostate cancer treatment costs around $5500 to $8000 in India. However, the same procedure may cost anywhere between $28,000 to $35,000 in the USA. This is one of the main reasons why thousands of patients from across the world travel to India to get treated for prostate cancer.

prostate cancer cost india

Prostate is a gland present in the male reproductive system. It helps produce a milky fluid that forms a part of the semen. This fluid is alkaline in nature, a property that helps balance the acidity of the vaginal tract. As a result, fluid produced by prostate gland help sperms live longer. In case of prostate cancer, the cancerous cells divide slowly. However, some forms of this cancer can be aggressive as well. In some cases, the cancer cells can even travel to other parts of the body, including lymph nodes and bones.

Best hospitals for prostate cancer treatment in India:

Some of the best hospitals for prostate cancer in India include

Global Health City, ChennaiView Hospital
Nanavati Super Speciality HospitalView Hospital
BLK Super Speciality HospitalView Hospital
Artemis Hospital, GurgaonView Hospital
Global Hospital, MumbaiView Hospital
Columbia Asia YeshwantpurView Hospital
Aster MedcityView Hospital
Medanta The MedicityView Hospital
Fortis Memorial Research InstituteView Hospital
Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani HospitalView Hospital

What causes prostate cancer?

There is no direct cause behind development of prostate cancer. However, there are several risk factors associated with the diseases. Some of these risk factors include:

  • Age: Males above the age of 50 years are at an increased risk.
  • Ethnicity: African and Caribbean males are at an increased risk of prostate cancer than Asian and white-skinned males.
  • Heredity: Males with a family history of this cancer are at double or triple the risk of developing the condition themselves.
  • Vasectomy: People who have undergone this procedure are slightly at a greater risk of this cancer.

In addition, males who have had multiple sexual partners and those who indulge in sexual activities early in life are also believed to be at an increased risk of prostate cancer.

Symptoms of Prostate Cancer

Men who suffer from this condition often face difficulty in urinating. They may feel an intense pain during urination or a frequent urge to urinate. In addition, they may feel that they are not able to empty their bladder fully.

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Some of the other symptoms include appearance of blood in semen or urine, pain during ejaculation, low back pain, and difficulty in passing urine and swelling in the legs.

Types of Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer is categorized into different types, depending on the type of cells that the cancer forms of begins. The doctor first identifies the type of prostate cancer and accordingly devises a treatment plan.

The following are some of the types of prostate cancer:

Acinar adenocarcinoma: This is the most common type of prostate cancer that starts in the gland cells lining the prostate gland. It is estimated that more than 95 percent of prostate cancer patients suffer from this type.

Acinar adenocarcinoma

Transitional cell cancer: This type of prostate cancer starts in the urethra, the tube that carries urine from the bladder to the outside of the body. Typically, the cancer starts from the bladder and reaches up to prostate, but it can be other way around as well.

Bladder_urothelial_carcinoma

Ductal adenocarcinoma: This type of prostate cancer starts in the tubes or ducts of the prostate gland. It spreads more easily and at a greater speed than other types of prostate cancer.

Ductal adenocarcinoma

Squamous cell cancer: This type of prostate cancer is a neuroendocrine cancer that starts in the small round cells.

squamous_cell_cancer

Prostate Cancer Diagnosis

Hospitals conduct a series of tests to confirm the condition before making any decision. These tests are conducted when the patient comes to the hospitals with a set of self-reported symptoms.

Some of the diagnostics tests done to confirm it include:

  • Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) Test: PSA is a substance naturally produced by the prostate gland in males. In case of prostate cancer, the levels of PSA in the bloodstream of the patient increases drastically.
psa test
  • Ultrasound: A transrectal ultrasound may be conducted to clearly have a look at the prostate gland.
Transrectal Ultrasound
  • Digital Rectal Exam:  In this type of diagnostic test, the doctor may insert a finger through the rectum of the patient to feel the prostate gland and check for abnormalities.
digital rectal exam
  • CT Scan: A CT scan is conducted to check for spread of cancer to other locations apart from the prostate gland.
ct scan prostate
  • Biopsy: A biopsy may be conducted by collecting a sample tissue from the prostate of the patient and confirming the presence of cancerous cells under a microscope.
prostate biopsy

In addition to the above-mentioned tests, the bone scan is sometimes conducted to check for the spread of cancerous cells to the bones.

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Prostate Cancer Treatment Cost in India

The cost of prostate cancer treatment in India is estimated to be less than one-third of what it costs in developed countries, including the US, the UK and Canada. This is one of the main reasons why thousands of patients from across the world travel to India to get treated for prostate cancer.

For example, robotic prostate cancer surgery costs around $9000 in India. However, the same procedure may cost anywhere between $28,000 and $35,000 in the US.

The following are some of the prostate cancer treatment available in India and their respective cost:

Procedure Starting Cost in India(USD)
Chemotherapy (per cycle)$3500
Radial prostectomy$5500
Robotic surgery$9000
Brachytherapy (per cycle)$1100
External radition (per cycle)$3000
Cyberknife$6000
Laser surgery$5000
HIFU$8000

Prostate cancer treatment options available in india:

Prostate Cancer Treatment is available at affordable cost in India. There are several hospitals for treatment in India that offer world call medical facilities at affordable costs. Moreover, the highly specialized medical and nursing staff and the use of latest technology are an added benefit.

It involves the use of either one or a combination of following treatment options:

  • Robotic surgery: This options makes use of robotic hands to hold the instruments and use them to remove the cancer. It is an advanced form of cancer treatment.
prostate cancer robotic treatment
  • Cyberknife treatment: In this type of treatment, the cyberknife machine is used to irradiate the cancer cells, without harming the surrounding healthy tissues.
cyberknife
  • Prostectomy: In this treatment option, the entire prostate is removed along with the surrounding healthy tissues. Prostectomy can be conducted as an open surgery or with the help of an instrument called laparoscope.
Prostactomy procedure
  • Laser surgery: This is a form of minimally invasive surgery in which the obstructive prostate is removed or vaporized with the help of a beam of laser. It is one of the most popular procedures.
  • External beam radiation therapy: In this procedure, high dose radiation from a machine placed outside the body is used to destroy the cancer cells in and around the prostate gland. These high energy ray usually possess particles called protons of X-rays.
  • Brachytherapy: It is yet another popular procedure that makes use of high dose radiation to destroy tumor cells. It may be used as a standalone therapy or in combination with radiation therapy.
Brachytherapy
  • High intensity focused ultrasound: This therapy makes use of high frequency energy to destroy the cancer cells by heating them. It is a non-incisional outpatient procedure.
high intensity focused ultrasound
  • Chemotherapy: This options makes use of drugs to destroy and ill the cancer cells. It is often used in cases where the cancer had spread to other body parts as well.

The top hospitals practice all these treatment options. The doctors make select a treatment option based on the type of prostate cancer, its stage, the severity of symptoms, and the overall health status of the patient.