Top Quality Cancer Treatment in India

What is cancer?

Cells are the basic units that make up the human body. Cells grow and divide to make new cells as the body needs them. Usually, cells die when they get too old or damaged. Then, new cells take their place.

Cancer begins when genetic changes interfere with this orderly process. Cells start to grow uncontrollably. These cells may form a mass called a tumor. A tumor can be cancerous or benign. A cancerous tumor is malignant, meaning it can grow and spread to other parts of the body. A benign tumor means the tumor can grow but will not spread.

Some types of cancer do not form a tumor. These include leukemias, most types of lymphoma, and myeloma.

Types of cancer?

Doctors divide cancer into types based on where it begins. Four main types of cancer are:

All these type of cancer are curable depend upon patient body response and Detected time of diagnose .

• Carcinomas. A carcinoma begins in the skin or the tissue that covers the surface of internal organs and glands. Carcinomas usually form solid tumours. They are the most common type of cancer. Examples of carcinomas include prostate cancer, breast cancer, lung cancer, and colorectal cancer.
• Sarcomas.A sarcoma begins in the tissues that support and connect the body. A sarcoma can develop in fat, muscles, nerves, tendons, joints, blood vessels, lymph vessels, cartilage, or bone.
• Leukaemia. Leukaemia is a cancer of the blood. Leukaemia begins when healthy blood cells change and grow uncontrollably. The 4 main types of leukemia are acute lymphocytic leukemia, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, acute myeloid leukemia, and chronic myeloid leukemia.
• Lymphomas.Lymphoma is a cancer that begins in the lymphatic system. The lymphatic system is a network of vessels and glands that help fight infection. There are 2 main types of lymphomas: Hodgkin lymphoma and non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

How cancer spreads

As a cancerous tumor grows, the bloodstream or lymphatic system may carry cancer cells to other parts of the body. During this process, the cancer cells grow and may develop into new tumors. This is known as metastasis.

One of the first places a cancer often spreads is to the lymph nodes. Lymph nodes are tiny, bean-shaped organs that help fight infection. They are located in clusters in different parts of the body, such as the neck, groin area, and under the arms.

Cancer may also spread through the bloodstream to distant parts of the body. These parts may include the bones, liver, lungs, or brain. Even if the cancer spreads, it is still named for the area where it began. For example, if breast cancer spreads to the lungs, it is called metastatic breast cancer, not lung cancer.

Watch a brief video about how cancer begins and spreads to other parts of the body.

Breast Cancer

Cost of Breast cancer treatment in India

Identified the diagnosis: Basically, Identified the diagnosis is must important because first to confirm the lump is cancerous of non-cancerous most of the lump after investigate got Non-cancerous.

Cost of the Evaluation Around (500USD -1500USD) and the cost is varied on the condition of the patient.

Breast Cancer Prevention

• Control your weight. Extra pounds and weight gain as an adult raise your odds for breast cancer after menopause.
• Stay active. Exercise lowers your risk. Aim for 150 minutes of moderate or 75 minutes of heavy activity each week (or a mix). Spread it out during the week.
• Limit or skip alcohol. Experts recommend that women have no more than one alcoholic drink a day. That’s 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof distilled spirits (hard liquor).
• Longer is better to lower your risk.
• Limit hormone therapy after menopause. Ask your doctor about non-hormonal options to treat your symptoms.

What are the symptoms of Breast Cancer 

Knowing how your breasts normally look and feel is an important part of your breast health. Although having regular screening tests for breast cancer is important, mammograms do not find every breast cancer. This means it’s also important for you to know what your breasts normally look and feel like, so you’ll be aware of any changes in your breasts.

The most common symptom of breast cancer is a new lump or mass (although most breast lumps are not cancer). A painless, hard mass that has irregular edges is more likely to be cancer, but breast cancers can be also soft, round, tender, or even painful.

Other possible symptoms of breast cancer include:

• Swelling of all or part of a breast(even if no lump is felt)
• Skin dimpling(sometimes looking like an orange peel)
• Breast or nipple pain
• Nipple retraction(turning inward)
• Nipple or breast skin that is red, dry, flaking, or thickened
• Nipple discharge(other than breast milk)
• Swollen lymph nodes under the arm or near the collar bone(Sometimes this can be a sign of breast cancer spread even before the original tumor in the breast is large enough to be felt.)

Many of these symptoms can also be caused by benign (non-cancerous) breast conditions. Still, it’s important to have any new breast mass, lump, or other change checked by an experienced health care professional so the cause can be found and treated, if needed.

Remember that knowing what to look for does not take the place of having regular screening for breast cancer. Screening mammography can often help find breast cancer early, before any symptoms appear. Finding breast cancer early gives you a better chance of successful treatment.

The list is given below the evaluation of the patient required before starts the treatment:

Doctors often use additional tests to find or diagnose breast cancer. They may refer women to a breast specialist or a surgeon. This does not mean that she has cancer or that she needs surgery. These doctors are experts in diagnosing breast problems.

• Breast ultrasound. A machine that uses sound waves to make pictures, called sonograms, of areas inside the breast.
• Diagnostic mammogram. If you have a problem in your breast, such as lumps, or if an area of the breast looks abnormal on a screening mammogram, doctors may have you get a diagnostic mammogram. This is a more detailed X-ray of the breast.
• Breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). A kind of body scan that uses a magnet linked to a computer. The MRI scan will make detailed pictures of areas inside the breast.
• Biopsy. This is a test that removes tissue or fluid from the breast to be looked at under a microscope and do more testing. There are different kinds of biopsies (for example, fine-needle aspiration, core biopsy, or open biopsy).

Surgery: The cost of breast cancer surgery depends on the type of surgery performed, such as lumpectomy, mastectomy, or breast reconstruction. Surgical expenses can range from ₹1,50,000 to ₹4,00,000 (Indian Rupees), approximately $2,100 to $5,600 US dollars.

Most women with breast cancer have some type of surgery as part of their treatment. There are different types of breast surgery, and they may be done for different reasons, depending on the situation. For example, surgery may be done to:

• Remove as much of the cancer as possible (breast-conserving surgery or mastectomy)
• Find out whether the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes under the arm (sentinel lymph node biopsy or axillary lymph node dissection)
• Restore the breast’s shape after the cancer is removed (breast reconstruction)
• Relieve symptoms of advanced cancer

Your doctor may recommend a certain operation based on your breast cancer features and your medical history, or you may have a choice about which type of surgery to have. It’s important to know your options so you can talk about them with your doctor and make the choice that is right for you.

Chemotherapy cost in India for breast cancer

The cost of chemotherapy for breast cancer depends on the type of drugs used and the duration of treatment. The estimated cost per cycle can range from ₹10,000 to ₹1,00,000 (Indian Rupees), approximately $180 to $ 2,000 US dollars. Multiple cycles are usually required.

What is chemotherapy Treatment?

The goals of chemotherapy depend on your type of cancer and how far it has spread. Chemotherapy can be given alone or as a part of a treatment plan that includes different treatments. Some of the ways chemotherapy is used include:

As the primary treatment. Sometimes, the goal of chemotherapy treatment is to get rid of all the cancer and keep it from coming back. This might be called “curative chemotherapy.”

Before other treatments. Chemotherapy can be given before surgery or radiation therapy to shrink tumors. This can be called “neoadjuvant chemotherapy.”

After other treatments. Chemotherapy can be given after surgery or radiation therapy to destroy any remaining cancer cells. This is called “adjuvant chemotherapy.”

To slow the progression of cancer and relieve symptoms. Even when the cancer is not curable, chemotherapy can partially shrink tumors and prevent tumor growth and spread for various lengths of time. In such settings, chemotherapy can extend survival, relieve cancer-related symptoms, and improve quality of life. Chemotherapy used for these purposes is sometimes called “palliative chemotherapy.”

Chemotherapy can be used to treat many types of cancers. It can also be used to treat recurrent cancer and metastatic cancer. Recurrent cancer is cancer that comes back after treatment. Metastatic cancer is cancer that has spread to other parts of the body.

Radiation Therapy cost in India

The cost of radiation therapy for breast cancer treatment can vary based on the number of sessions required. On average, the cost can range from ₹1,50,000 to ₹4,00,000 (Indian Rupees), approximately $2,100 to $5,600 US dollars.

What is Radiation Therapy

Radiation therapy is a cancer treatment that uses high-energy x-ray or other particles to destroy cancer cells. A doctor who specializes in giving radiation therapy to treat cancer is called a radiation oncologist. A radiation therapy regimen, or schedule, usually consists of a specific number of treatments given over a set period.

Radiation therapy can treat many different types of cancer. It can also be used in combination with other cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy and/or surgery.

This article provides a general overview of radiation therapy, the different types of radiation therapy, and why it is used to treat cancer.

• Targeted Therapy and Immunotherapy: These treatments, such as Herceptin (trastuzumab) and immunotherapy drugs, may be recommended based on the specific characteristics of the breast cancer. The cost can vary but is generally higher than chemotherapy, ranging from ₹50,000 to ₹5,00,000 (Indian Rupees) per cycle, approximately $700 to $7,000 US dollars.

Hormone Therapy: Hormone therapy, often prescribed for hormone receptor-positive breast cancer, may involve taking medications for several years. The cost can vary, but on average, it can range from ₹10,000 to ₹50,000 (Indian Rupees) per month, approximately $140 to $700 US dollars.

FAQ’s

What are the different types of surgery for breast cancer?

There are two types of surgery for breast cancer. The first is lumpectomy, which is synonymous with partial mastectomy. This surgery is for smaller cancers and includes part of the breast.

The other surgery is mastectomy. The traditional approach to mastectomy is removing the nipple with the breast, but more recently, nipple sparing mastectomy has become more popular.

For invasive cancers, some lymph nodes are removed. This is called sentinel node biopsy or sentinel node excision. The node is removed and examined to see if cancer has left the breast and gone to the lymph nodes.

What are the risks of surgery?

One of the main risks of breast cancer surgery is lymphedema, which is swelling of the arm. The risk for lymphedema can be as low as 5%, but some patients such as those who are overweight are at a higher risk. At Greenwich Hospital, we have a lymphedema screening program and patients are evaluated for this preoperatively and then again after surgery.

Another risk is for hematoma or bruising in the breast. A large hematoma may require a patient to return to the operating room. There is also a small risk of infection, which can happen for all surgeries.

Lastly, there are potential changes to the size, shape, and appearance of the nipple or breast.

What are the benefits of surgery?

Surgery is still one of the mainstays for the treatment of breast cancer. For certain types of cancers, the importance of chemotherapy and other targeted therapies have come to the forefront of cancer care. However, we are not at a place yet where surgery is no longer necessary.

While surgery is often the cornerstone to breast cancer treatment, it’s just one part of a multidisciplinary treatment plan that involves medical oncology, radiation oncology and sometimes plastic surgery.

Is radiation needed in addition to surgery?

No one treatment plan is right for every patient, and we are focused on individual care. However, radiation typically follows a partial mastectomy except for older patients who are over 70. It is also considered in a setting of a mastectomy when the tumor is larger, or the cancer has spread to regional lymph nodes.

When is reconstructive surgery an option?

In the case of partial mastectomy, if a large area of the breast is removed, one could consider oncoplastic surgery, which is surgery that involves both a breast surgeon and plastic surgeon to reconstruct part of the breast. The main types of reconstruction are implant based reconstruction and tissue reconstruction using tissue from the person’s own body. There’s also nipple reconstruction, which can involve a small operation to create the nipple bud or a tattoo.

What happens on the day of the surgery?

This depends on the operation, but patients should expect to spend the day at the hospital and may spend the night. Some patients can go home the same day. After surgery, some patients are sent home with a wrap that closes in the front with Velcro to help them feel secure.

What does the recovery look like?

After partial mastectomy, the pain should be mild for most people and moderate for others. Typically, we can manage pain with over-the-counter medicine like Tylenol.

Once pathology reports are done, we can meet with patients in about two weeks to review their next steps for care. If a plastic surgeon is involved, they will meet with the patient sooner to go over drain and wound care.

What are some common questions patients typically ask before surgery?

Patients want to hear that they are going to be OK, and as breast cancer surgeons, we always go into every surgery optimistic. The only way to approach breast cancer is that you are going to beat it, and we are in our patients’ corner every step of the way.

After surgery, some patients ask what they can do to keep the cancer from coming back, and that’s a great question to ask as well.

What else can patients do to prepare for surgery?

It’s never a bad idea to get a second opinion. Approaches can change, especially with a high-risk cancer. Sometimes, patients may be eligible to participate in a research opportunity. Even if you hear the exact same thing from a different surgeon, that’s not a waste of time.