Blood Cancer Treatment Cost in India

What is Blood Cancer?

Also known as the bone marrow, in human body, there’s a flexible tissue in the bones responsible for producing blood cells like Red Blood Cells (RBC), White Blood Cells (WBC) and platelets. RBCs regulate blood circulation, WBCs ensure a healthy immune system and platelets prevent clotting of blood. These cells are produced by differentiation of stem cells present in the bone marrow. However, sometimes are there when the cells released are not mature enough to handle their respective functions. These are known as blasts or leukaemia cells. This creates lack of normal blood cells in the body and a diseased condition called as blood cancer, or leukaemia. It is mainly characterized by bleeding, bruising, infections or swelling. 

Treatment and Cost

Blood cancer is the deadliest of all cancers and literally a blood-suckling monstrous disease. After a series of physical examinations, blood tests, X-rays, bone marrow extraction and cytogenetics, the treatment procedure is devised to the patient. The treatment varies with the stage & type of cancer, age of the patient, any previous or current health disorders and chromosome patterns. Following are the common treatments advised to leukaemia patients; which of these and how many times depend on the medical condition of the patient.

1. Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy aims at inhibiting the growth of cancer cells by use of chemicals and cytotoxic substances. These chemicals may be inserted via injections or in the form of pills. An average cost of chemotherapy treatment in India falls in the range of INR 1.5 lacs to 3 lacs. Fortis Hospital in New Delhi offers quite affordable chemotherapy treatment for patients from middle-class backgrounds.

2. Radiation Therapy

In addition to chemotherapy, high doses of radiation are required to completely destroy cancer cells. Its cost depends on the stage of cancer and number of radiation scans required by the patient. If the cancer is detected in its early stages, lesser number of scans would do. In India, the cost of radiation therapy per cycle is between INR 20,000 to INR 40,000 depending on whether it’s a private or a government hospital. Also, if high-end technological equipments like IMRT and IGRT are used in the treatment, the costs may go up to INR 75,000 and even INR 1.5 lacs.

3. Stem Cell Transplant

Some patients suffering from leukaemia may require undergoing stem cell transplant. Before chemotherapy, the stem cells are taken from the body of the patient or a donor with same genetic pattern. After the therapy the stem cells are released back in the bone marrow. Within few weeks, they start producing normal blood cells. The cost of this procedure starts from INR 6 lacs, however, with more complications, it may even to up to INR 30 to 40 lacs.

4. Immunotherapy

Immunotherapy or the biological therapy is treatment procedure in which natural body-like agents are utilized to stimulate immune response in the body. The cost of a session of immunotherapy can start from INR 3 lacs to INR 10 lacs depending on the stage of cancer.

5. Targeted Therapy

A targeted therapy is aimed at destroying the cancer cells with use of specific drugs like Herceptin without affecting healthy cells in the body. Its cost generally depends on the MRP of the drug prescribed for therapy and the number of cycles of therapy. Based on that, a drug may be as cheap as INR 30,000 to as costly as INR 1 lakh too.

Overall Cost

With treatments combined and individuals, the overall Blood Cancer Treatment Cost in India comes out to be in the range of INR 3 to 5 lacs, which is almost perhaps ten times lower than the cost abroad.