Cancer Treatment Cost In India

Do you know that, per the precise estimates, 442.4 per 100,000 people (including men & women) get cancer yearly? The rates of cancer patients and mortality rates have been significantly rising owing to various ongoing factors. Cancer is a disease where the body experiences rapid proliferation of aberrant cells, which uncontrollably spreads to different body sections. Cancer may strike at any point in your life and can be extremely devastating if not treated promptly. Cancer is a life-threatening disease, so early diagnosis and treatment are mandatory. Cancer Treatment in India has different success rates depending upon the type and complexity of cancer. The minimum price for cancer treatment in India is fairly priced and can vary between INR 90 000 to INR 27 Lakh.

How Does Cancer Develop?

Cancer may start anywhere in your body and cause 10X quicker cell division, where the cells multiply quickly and spread to other significant sections of your body. This is converted directly into tumours, which can be cancerous (malignant) or non-cancerous (benign). Diseased tumours, also known as malignant tumours, can harm neighbouring tissues and even produce metastasis, in which cancerous tissues spread to distant parts of the body.

Cancer can even occur if the DNA gets harmed by unhealthy activities/hobbies like smoking, ultraviolet radiation, and environmental exposure to chemicals. Genetic alterations majorly contribute to cancer generation. Genes like Proto-Oncogenes, Tumour-Suppressor genes, and DNA repair genes get adversely affected by these alterations and take different courses of action. These alterations can result in varied mutations, rapid multiplication, chromosome alterations, and more.

What are the Characteristics of Cancer Cells?

• Cancer cells significantly differ from normal cells. The noticeable differences are as follows:
• Cancer cells grow, divide, and rapidly multiply themselves instead of dying.
• Cancer cells trick the blood vessels into providing surplus nutrients and oxygen to the tumours.
• Cancer cells focus on hiding from the immune system to live longer and protect the tumour from being attacked.
• Cancer cells evade programmed cell death or apoptosis, meaning they ignore the signals to stop dividing or die.
• Cancer cells reach out to distant parts of the body that the normal cells find difficult to grow.

How Many Types of Cancer are there?

Cancer can be present in various categories and types. According to the study, over 100 different types of cancer can develop in different sections of the human body, such as tissues and organs.

• Carcinoma
• Lymphoma
• Multiple Myeloma
• Sarcoma
• Leukaemia
• Brain and spinal cord tumours
• Melanoma.

What are the Different Types of Cancer Treatments?

With the technology advancing, cancer treatments are taking a new shape mastering the cause and recovery rates. Different types of cancer require different treatments based on their stage, type, tumour size, general health, age, and medical conditions. The treatments may take place in one or even in combination. Cancer treatment aims to eliminate these malignant or cancerous cells to minimise damage to the neighbouring cells. Cancer treatments often include -

• Surgery- It removes the cancerous tumour from the body to prevent it from causing further damage.
• Chemotherapy- This treatment uses strong drugs induced into the body to kill cancer cells.
• Radiation Therapy- This therapy mode uses high doses of radiation to target and kill cancer cells. It also shrinks the tumours to weaken their effect by damaging their DNA.
• Targeted Blood Therapy- This therapy kills the cells by interrupting their growth process and signals that instruct them to grow and divide. As Cancer cells hide from the immune system, Targeted Blood Therapy helps the immune system to find and destroy them.
• Hyperthermia- It is a treatment which involves raising the body temperature to 113 degrees Fahrenheit to strongly damage or kill the cancerous cells with minimum to zero harm to the normal tissues.
• Immunotherapy- It is done using immune checkpoint inhibitors to fight the blockage of the signals that alert the immune system about the cancer cells and T-cell transfer therapy that boosts the natural ability of your T cells to fight against cancer. Immunotherapy, aka biological therapy, makes use of monoclonal antibodies, which are specifically made to target the cancer cells to destroy their existence in the human body.
• Hormone Therapy- This treatment is only for breast and prostate cancer caused by hormone imbalance and eases cancer symptoms. Hormone therapy is done to block the further growth of cancer by blocking the cells and removing the production of such hormones from the affected body.
• Cryoablation- This treatment uses a cryoprobe, a thin tube induced in your skin directly into the malignant tumour, to provide a cold treatment to kill the cells. The tissue is frozen in the process, and gas is then introduced through the cryoprobe. This freezing and thawing process is repeated several times to kill cancer cells.
• Bone Marrow Transplant- Bone marrow is a fluid that is present inside your bones. Bone marrow transplant, aka stem cell transplant, uses high doses of chemotherapy or radiation to kill cancer cells directly.
• Radiofrequency Ablation- This treatment uses electrical rays to heat and kill cancer cells by inserting the needle into the cancer tissue. The radiation travels through the needle, heating the surroundings to kill the cells.

What are the advantages of Cancer Treatments?

If you undergo timely cancer treatment, you can save yourself from truckloads of challenges and unlock a quality life. A multidisciplinary team of skilled Oncologists carry out your cancer treatments. A comprehensive treatment will-

• Slow down the growth of the cancer
• Prevent it from spreading to other healthy parts of the body.
• Kills cells (malignant) that have spread to other parts of the body
• Chemotherapy will shrink the size of your cancer and raise the chances of you getting healthier again.

What are the Risks associated with Cancer Treatment?

Cancer Treatment does possess some major side effects because of the heavy doses that are placed inside your body. Some of the most common side effects are-

• Nausea and Vomiting
• Hair Loss, nail, and skin problems
• Blood Clots
• Lymphedema (Lymphatic system blockage )
• Neutropenia (Lower levels of white blood cells)
• Issues with memory and concentration
• Diarrhoea
• Thrombocytopenia ( Bleeding and Bruising )
• Appetite Loss
• Edema ( swelling )
• Insomnia
• Fertility Issues

What is the Average cost of Cancer treatment in India?

The average cost of Cancer Treatment in India is INR 5,00,000. Depending upon several other factors like stage, complexity, type of cancer, medical issues, etc., the maximum cost can touch INR 27 Lakhs in India.

Comprehensive cancer treatment involves-

• Area of the body to be treated
• Age of the patient
• Type of cancer and treatment to be performed
• Oncologist Fees
• Admission fees
• Type of hospital
• Type of room you opted for
• The medical condition of the patient
• Post-procedure complication involved
• All the lab tests involved

Cancer treatment in India is believed to be the best due to the highest degree of care being provided to the patients. As we compare the costs of cancer treatment, it is significantly cheaper than in other countries. A team of experienced professionals supervises the case and treats it with the appropriate medications and procedures required.

Frequently Asked Questions Related to Cancer Treatment in India

Q1. How much does cancer treatment cost?
A1. Cancer treatment in India can cost you up to INR 90 000 to INR 27,00,000 depending upon the type, stage, complexity, age, medical issues, and overall health.

Q2. Does insurance cover cancer treatment costs?
A2. Yes, insurance policies partially or fully cover cancer treatments and other associated costs, including hospital stays, radiation therapy, surgery, chemotherapy, etc.

Please Note: It depends on one policy to another.

Q3. What are the costs associated with different types of cancer treatments?
A3. The costs of cancer treatment in India vary according to the type of cancer, age, medical conditions, other medical issues, stay in the hospital, and more.

Q4. Are there any alternative treatment options that may be more cost-effective?
A4. Yes, cancer treatment has some alternative options, such as:

• Meditation
• Massage
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
• Aroma Therapy
• Acupuncture
• Hypnosis
• Exercise

Q5. What is the cost difference between inpatient and outpatient cancer treatment?
A5. There is a huge difference between the costs of inpatient and outpatient medical care in cancer treatment as inpatient requires to stay in the hospital 24/7 (being hospitalised)

whereas outpatient care can be done via procedures, treatments, and administration that don't require a hospital stay.

Q6. How can I plan for and manage the financial burden of cancer treatment?
A6. To plan and manage the financial burden of cancer treatment, you can look for cancer insurance coverage.

Q7. Can I use a medical loan or crowdfunding to cover cancer treatment costs?
A7. Yes, you can use a medical loan or crowdfunding to help you with cancer costs.

Q8. What are the different types of cancer treatments available?
A8. The different types of Cancer treatments that are available -

• Surgery
• Chemotherapy
• Radiation Therapy
• Targeted Blood Therapy
• Hyperthermia
• Immunotherapy
• Hormone Therapy
• Cryoablation
• Bone Marrow Transplant
• Radiofrequency Ablation