What is the cost of cancer treatment in India?

How much does cancer treatment cost in India?

Cancer treatment in India is a very cost-effective option. The top hospitals offer affordable medical care cost packages that cover several services during the treatment. The cancer treatment cost in India may vary from USD 500 (INR 38,000) to USD 8000 (INR 611,000).

The cost of cancer treatment in India may vary, but it usually ranges:

1ChemotherapyUSD 500 – 1000 Approx/ MonthINR 39,500 – INR 79,000 Approx/ Month
2ImmunotherapyUSD 8500INR 672,000
3Transarterial chemoembolization or TACEUSD 7000 – 8000INR 553,500 – 632,000
4Transarterial radioembolization or TAREUSD 30,000INR  2,372,500 
5Breast cancer surgeryUSD 2000 – 4000INR 158,000 – INR 316,000
6Breast conservation surgeryUSD 3000 – 4000INR 237,000 – INR 316,000
7Prostate cancer treatmentUSD 6000 – 8000INR 474,500 – INR 632,000

The exact cost of cancer treatment is determined on the basis of many factors, including the type and stage of cancer, recommended course of treatment, post-treatment care required, length of hospital stay, and many others. The prices also vary for different hospitals and doctors.

A top-tier hospital in a major city provides the best and most advanced facilities for patient care and therefore may have higher prices than smaller hospitals.

A doctor or surgeon’s experience and qualifications also influence the prices of treatment, as they are known to offer excellent clinical care and outcomes.

What-is-the-cost-of-cancer-treatment-in-India

The length of stay at the hospital and in the country will also depend on the type of treatment and the patient’s overall health. With surgical treatment, they might need to stay for 5-7 days at the hospital, but the complete treatment of cancer may take many months.

The cost of Chemotherapy in India (per cycle) may start from USD 500 and go up to USD 1100, while the Radiotherapy cost in India varies from USD 3000 to USD 5500.

A majority of cancer patients are recommended surgery if the cancer is in early stages and confined to the area. Chemotherapy is a systemic treatment that is given over a period of time, in sessions. 

Radiation treatment in India is offered with the latest technology and the most advanced devices, including SRBT, SRT, brachytherapy, CyberKnife, and others. 

The patient has to undergo different tests to diagnose and identify the stage of cancer before the right treatment is recommended. This includes physical evaluation, laboratory tests, biopsy, imaging tests, nuclear medicine scans, and endoscopy, and genetic tests.

What is the treatment for cancer?

Cancer is referred to a group of disease that are caused by genetic mutations in certain cells. There are a number of treatment options available for the management of the condition. This may include only a primary treatment or a combination of therapies, depending on the stage of the disease.

A patient who is diagnosed at an early stage of cancer may not need aggressive treatment and can be cured with a primary treatment.

However, advanced stages of cancer need a holistic approach with systemic treatments and adjuvant therapies. For some patients with advanced disease or certain uncurable cancers, palliative care might be the only option. 

The type of treatment is determined on the basis of multiple factors, including the type and location of the tumor, stage of cancer and how aggressively it has spread, patient’s age and overall health, risks of complications and many others. 

Some common cancer treatments are:

Surgery

This is a common primary treatment for many types of cancer, especially at early stages. In this, the surgeon removes the mass of cancer cells, called a tumor, along with some nearby tissue, during an operation. The goal of surgery for cancer treatment can vary from total to partial removal of the tumor.

Unlike systemic treatments such as chemotherapy, in which cancer throughout the body is treated, surgery is only used for the treatment of cancers located in a specific area. Surgery can also be done to relieve side effects caused by a tumor. It is combined with other therapies and treatments to give the best results. 

A biopsy is a minor surgical procedure, in which the doctor removes a small sample of tissue from a tumor, to determine its stage and type. The surgery can be done with an open (involves a larger incision) or minimally invasive or laparoscopic approach (with smaller incisions and special instruments).

There are other surgical methods that involve different approaches, such as cryosurgery that destroys cancer cells with cold temperatures.

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy refers to the treatment in which drugs are used to kill cancer cells. The drugs can be administered via the mouth or directly into a blood vessel through IV. There are different types of drugs that can be given together at the same time or one after the other.

Chemotherapy is one of the most common treatment options for many types of cancers. It is considered a systemic treatment, unlike surgery and radiation, as the drugs travel throughout the body, and kill cancer cells that have metastasized or spread to parts of the body far away from the primary tumor site.

Chemotherapy can have multiple goals: It may help cure cancer, prevent the tumor from reoccurring, prevent it from spreading to other parts of the body, and/or delay its growth.

The therapy may also help shrink large tumors, relieve pain as well as other cancer-related symptoms. Chemotherapy can be combined with other treatment methods, such as surgery. 

Chemotherapy involves the use of anti-cancer drugs that work by destroying cancer cells. They may also harm some healthy cells in the process, and chemotherapy may cause some side effects that need to be managed.

These side effects include fatigue, mouth sores, stomach problems and hair loss. The newer drugs, as well as processes, are being researched to overcome this problem. 

Radiation Therapy

Radiation therapy is a treatment in which high-energy rays, particles, or radioactive seeds are used to kill the cancer cells. As cancer cells divide faster than normal cells of the body, their uncontrolled growth forms a tumor.

As radiation can be harmful to quickly growing cells, this therapy aims to damage the cancer cells more than normal cells. It will prevent the cancer cells from growing and dividing and ultimately lead to cell death.

Radiation therapy is of mainly two types:

  • External beam radiation therapy: This is the most commonly used form of radiation. In this, x-rays or particles are targeted at the tumor from outside the body.
  • Internal beam radiation therapy: In this form of therapy, radiation is delivered inside the body through radioactive material or seeds that are placed into or near the tumor. It can be given in a liquid or pill that is swallowed or through a vein (intravenous, or IV).

Targeted Therapies

Targeted therapy involves the use of special drugs that stop the growth and spread of cancer. These drugs are designed especially to do this with less harm to normal cells than other treatments.

Chemotherapy works by killing the cancer cells as well as some normal cells, but targeted treatment is focused on specific targets that are present in cancer cells.

These targets are molecules that play a role in the growth and division of cancer cells. By focusing on these targets, the drug will only affect the cancer cells, and not the normal healthy cells. It can be given as a pill or IV.

Targeted therapy drugs work in many ways, including:

  • Stop the process by which cancer cells grow and spread
  • Trigger cell death (on their own) in cancer cells
  • Kill the cancer cells directly

Immunotherapy

Immunotherapy is a cancer treatment in which the body’s ability to fight infection with the immune system is used to fight the tumor. The substances used in this therapy are made by the body or in a lab. They are designed to help the immune system work better in identifying and targeting cancer cells.

They target certain parts of a cancer cell or have toxins or radioactive substances attached to them to harm the tumor. Immunotherapy is administered through an IV.

Immunotherapy works in many ways, including:

  • Stop or slow the growth of cancer cells
  • Boost the immune system’s ability to fight cancer cells
  • Prevent the spread of cancer from primary organ to other parts of the body

Hormonal Therapy

Hormone therapy is a type of cancer treatment typically used to treat cancers in parts of the body that are associated with hormones, such as breast, prostate, and ovarian cancers. It may involve the use of surgery or drugs to stop or block the body’s natural hormones that are supporting cancer growth.

It helps slow the growth of cancer cells. In the surgery, the organs that make hormones, such as the ovaries or testes, are removed. The drugs are given as pills or injected directly.

Hyperthermia

Hyperthermia is a technique in which heat is used to damage and kill cancer cells without harming normal cells. The heat is delivered to the targeted region via a machine placed outside the body or through a needle or probe placed in the tumor. It can be used to treat:

  • A small area of cells or a small tumor
  • A part of the body affected by cancer, such as an organ or limb
  • The whole body

Laser Therapy

In laser therapy, a very narrow, focused beam of light is used to get rid of the cancer cells. This type of therapy can be used to:

  • Destroy tumors and certain precancerous growths
  • Shrink tumors that might be blocking the stomach, colon, or esophagus
  • Help treat some symptoms of cancer, such as bleeding
  • Seal the nerve endings after the tumor is removed during surgery to reduce pain
  • Seal lymph vessels after surgery to reduce swelling and keep tumor cells from spreading

Laser therapy is often given through a thin, lighted tube that is inserted inside the body. The tube has thin fibers at the end, through which the light is directed at the cancer cells. Lasers can also be used on the skin. Lasers are usually used with other types of cancer treatment, such as radiation and chemotherapy.

Photodynamic Therapy

Photodynamic therapy involves the use of a drug that is given as a shot and is sensitive to a special type of light. The drug goes into cancer cells longer than the normal, healthy cells.

The light is directly exposed from a laser or other source at the cancer cells. The light triggers a process that modifies the drug to a substance that kills the cancer cells.

Cryotherapy

Cryosurgery or therapy uses very cold gas to freeze and kill cancer cells. It has also been used to treat pre-cancerous cells, the cells that might turn into cancer, on the skin or cervix. A special instrument is used to deliver cryotherapy to tumors inside the body, such as the liver or prostate.

Palliative treatment

Palliative treatments or care help relieve side effects of treatment or some signs and symptoms of cancer itself. All other treatments, including surgery, radiation, chemotherapy and hormone therapy are also used to relieve symptoms.

These medications relieve symptoms such as pain and shortness of breath. Palliative care can be given at the same time as other treatments to cure the cancer.

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How much does cancer treatment cost with insurance?

This will depend on the medical insurance package that the patient had bought. Some companies and packages cover the cost for most types of cancer treatments, but others may have some limitations. They may only pay for certain procedures and not medicine or other facilities.

Many private insurance companies offer extensive packages that cover costs for a number of services and procedures involved in cancer treatment. Additionally, a person can use a combination of both private insurance and special packages from the hospital to ensure all their medical needs are fulfilled at affordable expense.

It is important to talk with the insurance company and figure out what is and isn’t covered. Cancer treatment without insurance can be highly expensive for some people. Many patients consider traveling to affordable medical travel destinations such as India to manage their funds.

How to get cancer treatment without insurance?

Cancer treatment can be a long process, especially when diagnosed at an advanced stage. It could cost a significant amount of money without insurance coverage.

Many patients seek good quality care at top medical travel destinations, which offer cancer care at considerably lower prices. These include India, Turkey, Egypt, Dubai, Thailand, and many other countries. They have world-class hospitals that offer affordable packages for excellent medical care and a number of facilities.

The cancer doctors in India are highly qualified and experienced in providing advanced cancer treatment to patients, based on their needs. The top oncologists in India are skilled and trained in the latest techniques from the best institutions of the country and the world.

They work at top-notch hospitals that are equipped with the most innovative and upcoming devices for surgery and radiation treatment of cancer.

To know more and receive precise quotes from the best cancer hospitals in India, share your medical records with us at care@lyfboat.com. We are connected to the top cancer hospitals in Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Bangalore, and other cities.

Our team comprises experts who guide and assist the patient and their companions at every step of the process.

How can Lyfboat assist you getting cancer treatment in India?

World's Most Trusted Medical Advisory & Discount Platform

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 is radiation treatment for cancer?

Radiation therapy is a common treatment for cancer, which can be used alone or with other treatments, such as surgery, chemotherapy, targeted, or hormone therapy. Radiation at high doses can kill cancer cells or slow their growth by damaging their DNA.

The cancer cells will then stop dividing or die. When the damaged cells die and are removed by the body. It takes radiation therapy days or weeks of treatment to kill cancer cells, when the DNA is damaged enough for cancer cells to die. It is given in multiple sessions over weeks. 

There are two types of radiation therapy, external and internal beam. The doctor will determine the best type of radiation therapy for a patient based on many factors, including:

  • Type and stage of cancer
  • Size of the tumor
  • Location of tumor in the body
  • Proximity of the tumor to normal tissues that are sensitive to radiation
  • Patient’s general health and medical history
  • Whether the patient is given other types of cancer treatment
  • Other factors, such as the patient’s age and other medical conditions, are also considered

External Beam Radiation Therapy

This therapy is delivered from a machine that aims radiation at the tumor. The machine does not touch the patient but can move around, directing radiation to a part of the body from many directions. 

Internal Radiation Therapy

In this treatment, the source of radiation is placed inside the body. The radiation source can be a seed or in liquid form. Internal radiation therapy used with a solid source is known as brachytherapy.

The treatment involves the use of seeds, ribbons, or capsules that contain a radiation source is placed in the body, in or near the tumor. The radiation source in the body will give off radiation for a while.

When internal radiation therapy is given with a liquid source, it is called systemic therapy. As a systemic treatment, the source travels in the blood to tissues throughout the body, targeting and killing cancer cells.

The radiation therapy is given by swallowing, through a vein via an IV line, or through an injection.

What is proton treatment for cancer?

Proton therapy is a type of radiation therapy in which protons are used, rather than x-rays, to treat cancer. A proton is a positively charged particle, which at high energy can destroy cancer cells. Proton therapy can be used alone or combined with other treatments such as x-ray radiation therapy, surgery, chemotherapy, and/or immunotherapy.

It involves the use of a machine called a synchrotron or cyclotron that speeds up protons, which creates high energy. It makes the protons travel to the required depth in the body and give the targeted radiation dose in the tumor.

Proton therapy has the advantage of providing less radiation dose outside the tumor. Whereas, regular radiation therapy involves x-rays that continue to give radiation doses as they leave the person’s body. The radiation may damage nearby healthy tissues, possibly causing side effects.

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