Stomach Cancer Treatment Cost in India

Stomach cancer treatment cost in India is much less than other countries, primarily because the drugs used for cancer treatment are produced within the country itself.

Stomach-Cancer

In developed countries such as the US, the surgery for stomach cancer may alone costs around $50,000. The cost can reach as high as $200,000, which includes sessions of chemotherapy or radiation therapy. However, in India, the same treatment may be conducted within one-tenth of what it costs in the US and the UK.

The treatment costs vary from case to case and a specialist review is advised to determine the best procedure/approach for treatment. Several external factors also impact the cost & quality of treatment including the method of treatment, room category and several other factors.

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Stomach Cancer Treatment in India

Stomach cancer treatment in India is availed through a network of public and private hospitals. These hospitals are equipped with modern technology and a team of highly experienced oncologists (radiation, medical and surgical) and nursing staff.

These hospitals make correct stomach cancer diagnoses and perform cancer staging with the help of the most advanced technology in the form of PET Scan, Cyberknife, BrainSuite and Gamma Knife.

This article talks everything about Stomach Cancer Treatment In India, Stomach Cancer Hospitals In India & what is the Stomach Cancer Costs In India? It covers other popular destinations as well.

Moreover, a majority of drugs and consumables required for stomach cancer treatment are manufactured and produced in India itself. Because of this reason, the cost of stomach cancer treatment in India is low as compared to other countries that import such drugs and consumables. Stomach cancer treatment in India involves one or a combination of the following options:

Chemotherapy

This is a type of systemic therapy that makes use of a certain class of drugs to kill cancer cells. The drug is injected into the bloodstream of the patient. Thus, cancer cells located in multiple places are killed off by the drug as the blood reaches the site.

Because of the ability of the drug-containing blood to reach all parts of the body, this type of treatment is preferred for advanced stage stomach cancer, in which the cancerous cells have spread to other organs and tissues as well.

Radiation therapy

This is a form of localized therapy is conducted when the cancer is restricted to just one location. It makes use of high-dose radiation beam to kill off cancer cells localized at just one location. Radiation therapy may be conducted in combination with surgery or chemotherapy.

Lymph node removal

The lymph nodes are removed from the body of the patient in case they are also affected by cancer cells.

Subtotal gastrectomy

It is a type of localized surgery in which only the part of the stomach affected by cancer is removed.

Total gastrectomy

It is a type of localized surgery in which the whole stomach and a part of the healthy tissue are removed. Because the stomach is removed, the esophagus is directly connected to the small intestine at the end of the surgery to allow for the passage of food directly into the intestine.

Following the surgery, a feeding tube may be inserted to assist with normal eating habits and to maintain proper nutrition levels. The stomach heals and the person recovers in the meantime. The time it takes to recover from the surgery differs from patient to patient.

While some are able to recover quickly, others take the time to recover. Some patients may feel pain, weakness, diarrhea, or constipation after the surgery. All options for pain management and control of side effects associated with stomach cancer treatment must be discussed with doctors beforehand.

There are certain side effects associated with radiation therapy and chemotherapy as well. For example, higher doses of radiation may cause nausea, diarrhea, changes in the skin in the form of redness and dryness and pain in the stomach, abdomen or intestine.

Similarly, chemotherapy may make the patient prone to infections, bruising and bleeding because of compromised immunity. In addition, it may cause hair loss due to damage to the hair roots. Changes in the lining of the digestive tract may also result in diarrhea, nausea and vomiting.

Everything You Need To Know About Stomach Cancer

Stomach cancer results when there is an accumulation of cancerous cells anywhere in the stomach, triggered by precancerous changes in the lining of the stomach. This, in turn, leads to the formation of carcinoma or tumor in the stomach wall.

Cancer of the stomach, also known as gastric cancer, can either stay limited to its initial place of origin or invade through the walls of the stomach to reach the lymph nodes or adjacent organs such as liver, spleen, colon, and pancreas.

The cancer cells can even enter the bloodstream and enter other vital organs such as the lungs. In addition, other organs in the abdominal cavity can also get affected once stomach cancer cells pierce through the stomach walls and the abdominal lining.

When cancer spreads from the stomach to some other organ (example: liver), it is regarded as metastatic stomach cancer and not the cancer of that particular organ (example: liver cancer).

Stomach Cancer Symptoms

Gastric cancer does not result in any symptoms during the initial stage. However, as the cancerous cells grow in number or spread to other areas, several symptoms may show up. Some of these symptoms include:

  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
  • Stomach pain
  • Difficulty swallowing
  • Bloating
  • Weight loss
  • Blood in stool or vomit

A majority of these symptoms are not directly related to cancer itself. But they may result because of the effects of stomach cancer, such as inflammation and ulceration.

How can Lyfboat assist you getting Stomach 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 Causes Stomach Cancer?

The exact cause behind stomach cancer is still unknown. In fact, doctors are not able to clearly comprehend why some patients develop stomach cancer, while others do not.

However, there are certain risk factors that increase a person’s tendency to develop stomach cancer at some stage of life. Some of these common stomach cancer risk factors include:

  • Sex: Men are more likely to develop stomach cancer than females.
  • Age: Mostly, people above 70 years of age develop stomach cancer.
  • Food choice: People who prefer to eat more pickled, salty or smoked food are at an increased risk of stomach cancer. On the other hand, those who eat more fresh fruits and vegetables are at a reduced risk.
  • Infection: Stomach inflammation, discomfort and ulcers could be a result of infection from Helicobacter payroll. This, in turn, increased the risk of stomach cancer.
  • Race: Asians, African Americans and Hispanics are at an increased risk of gastric cancer.
  • Genetics: A family history of the disease also puts an individual at an increased risk of stomach cancer.

Stomach Cancer Diagnosis

If you visit a doctor with the certain set of symptoms that indicate stomach cancer, a doctor may like to conduct a series of diagnostic tests to figure out whether it is real because of cancer or if there is some other condition or illness. The doctor, more specifically a gastroenterologist, will first question you about family history.

Next, a series of tests, including one or a combination of the following may be conducted to diagnose stomach cancer:

  • Endoscopy: A device called an endoscope is inserted into the stomach of the patient through the oesophagus. The throat is first numbed with the help of an anaesthetic and the medicine to help the patient relax is generally given before the procedure. Endoscope helps doctors look inside the stomach of the patient and check for any cancerous formations.
  • Physical examination: This is the primary form of an investigation conducted by the doctors when a patient visits him or her with symptoms. The doctor checks for external stomach cancer symptoms such as swelling and inflammation in the stomach, swollen lymph nodes and change in color of the skin and the eyes.
  • X-ray: An X-ray of the stomach and the esophagus is conducted to check for cancerous formations.
  • Biopsy: A biopsy of a piece of tissue taken from the stomach also helps doctors understand whether there are any cancer cells. So far, it is the only sure shot method of diagnosing stomach cancer.

Why is stomach cancer staging done before treatment?

Before initiating any kind of treatment, it is important for the doctors to conduct stomach cancer staging to assess the extent of the disease that the patient is suffering from. It helps doctors identify whether the cancer is just restricted to its place of origin, or has spread to nearby tissues or organs.

Staging is conducted with the help of certain tests, including blood tests, chest X-rays, laparoscopy and endoscopic ultrasound. These diagnostic tests help check for the presence of tumors in certain organs at high risk, including the lungs, spleen, live, pancreas and ovaries.

The stages of stomach cancer can be dividing into the following:

StageIndication
Stage 0Cancer is present only in the inner stomach wall
Stage ICancer has spread to submucosal wall and up to 6 lymph nodes or just the muscular wall of the stomach
Stage II

Cancer has spread to:

  • Submucosal wall and 7 to 15 lymph nodes
  • Muscular layer and up to 6 lymph nodes
  • The outer layer of the stomach
Stage III

Cancer has spread to:

  • Muscular layer and 7 to 15 lymph nodes
  • The outer layer of the stomach and 1 to 15 lymph nodes
  • Other nearby organs, but not far ones
Stage IV

Cancer has spread to:

  • More than 15 lymph nodes
  • Nearby organ and at least 1 lymph node
  • Distant organs

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Stomach Cancer Surgery in India

Q. What is Endoscopic mucosal resection?

Endoscopic mucosal resection is a type of stomach cancer treatment in which an endoscope is used to remove the early-stage tumor or precancerous growth around the lining of the digestive tract.

The doctor inserts an endoscope, a thin, tube-like instrument attached to a light and a camera, and uses special instruments to remove growths from cancer. This procedure is suitable for people with a very early stage of cancer when it is still small and confined to the inner layers of the stomach (the mucosa).

Q. What are the side effects of stomach cancer surgery?

Surgery for stomach cancer is a major and complex procedure that can have some complications. These may include the risk of infection, bleeding, blood clots, as well as damage to nearby organs during the surgery. 

Although rare, the new connections that are made between the ends of both the stomach and small intestine may leak.

Q. What is dumping syndrome?

Dumping syndrome is a common side effect of gastrectomy. After the surgery, the patient is able to eat only a small portion of food at a time, which may lead to this syndrome. The symptoms include nausea, diarrhea, cramps, and dizziness after consuming food.

This happens because the food enters the small intestine too quickly. The doctor will recommend ways to avoid this syndrome and prescribe medication to help manage the symptoms. Usually, the symptoms lessen or disappear within a few months, but for some people, they may become permanent.

Q. What can I eat after stomach cancer surgery?

For a few days after the surgery (total or subtotal gastrectomy), you will not be allowed to eat or drink anything. This gives time to the digestive tract for healing and ensuring that there are no leakages in the parts that were sewn together or connected during the operation.

Most people are able to eat almost the same way as they did before a partial gastrectomy, with minor dietary changes. After a total gastrectomy, a patient can still swallow or eat in the same way as before they had their whole stomach removed.

This is because the esophagus is connected to the small intestine and the surgeon places a small feeding tube (J-tube) into the small intestine during the surgery. The food or nutrition is given through this tube for some time, after surgery, during recovery.

Q. What lifestyle changes will I have to make after the surgery for stomach cancer?

This depends on the type of surgery that was performed. Some people may have to make dietary and lifestyle changes post stomach cancer surgery. For example, patients who had total gastrectomy may need to alter their diet or include vitamin supplements to fulfill the nutritional demands of the body.

A major change is to eat smaller, more frequent meals after the surgery. The amount of stomach that has been removed for treating cancer will also affect the extent of change and the way you eat.

Q. What are the treatment options for Metastatic stomach cancer?

Metastatic stomach cancer is an advanced stage of cancer when the cancer cells have spread to other parts of the body. The treatment plan at this stage is typically aimed to increase a patient’s lifespan and improve the quality of life by managing the symptoms of cancer.

Palliative therapy is mostly the choice of treatment, including chemotherapy or radiation therapy. Rarely, surgery is recommended and generally, the main treatment used is chemotherapy.

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