The cost of liver cancer treatment in India is quite affordable compared to other countries.
Along with cheaper treatment, India provides many world-class facilities to the patient.
The finest cancer hospitals in India offer the best oncologists who occupy years of experience in their respective fields.
These doctors work for multiple hours to provide the best care and treatment to every patient.
This article mainly focuses on the treatment of liver cancer, its cost and what factors affect the cost of liver cancer treatment.
What is Liver Cancer?
Liver cancer as the term suggests is a type of cancer that occurs in liver cells.
There are several types of cancer that occur in the liver, one of the most common is hepatocellular carcinoma.
It is a life-threatening condition with grows rapidly to spread to other organs.
Liver cancer is usually associated with different symptoms such as abdominal pain, yellowing of skin and eyes, fatigue, vomiting, loss of appetite, weight loss, etc.
These symptoms of liver cancer are not distinct from any normal abdominal issues hence, it is difficult to identify the condition without a diagnosis.
Diagnostic tests are performed to accurately identify the severity of the cancer and the region of the liver that is affected.
These tests involve biopsy, imaging tests, liver functioning tests and AFP tests, etc.
After the diagnosis of liver cancer, the doctor will line up an effective treatment plan to treat the liver cancer in a patient which might involve chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or surgery depending on the
stage of cancer.
Liver Cancer Treatment Cost in India
Liver cancer treatment cost is a variable factor. It depends upon the many stages of cancer. There are multiple treatment options available in the world for the treatment of liver cancer.
Some of the most common methods are surgery, a Transplant of the liver, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, Immunotherapy, and targeted drug therapy.
The type of treatment a patient receives is decided by the oncologist based on the overall health of the patient and the stage of liver cancer.
The cost of liver cancer treatment is different in different countries as shown in the next section.
India provides the best treatment for liver cancer within the most affordable price range. Liver cancer treatment cost in India ranges from Rs. 1,50,000 to Rs. 4,00,000.
Cost Comparison of Liver Cancer Treatment with Different Countries
The cost of liver cancer treatment varies in different countries.
The main cause of this is the economy and currency value of a particular country.
The table below shows the difference in the cost of liver cancer treatment in a few countries:
| Countries | Cost of liver cancer treatment | Cost in USD |
| India | Rs.1,50,000 – Rs.4,00,000 | $1,890 – $5,000 |
| USA | $50,000 – $500,000 | $50,000 – $500,000 |
| Nigeria | ₦5,000,000 – ₦5,480,000 | $62,800 – $68,850 |
| Tajikistan | Php 120,000 – Php 1 million pesos | $2,500 – $17,900 |
India offers world-class treatment at the lowest cost.
As India is a developing country, it majorly focuses on its healthcare facilities and provides the best treatment available.
The cost may vary depending on the number of sessions required or how severe the cancer has gone.
Factors Affecting the Cost of Liver Cancer Treatment in India
Several factors may affect the cost of liver cancer treatment in India, as given below:
- The main course of treatment:
The type of treatment majorly affects the cost of treatment of liver cancer in India. This may involve surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, or in combination.
The treatment received by a patient is depended on the stage of cancer and the severity of the condition.
The cost of chemotherapy or radiation therapy will vary according to the number of sessions required for the treatment.
- Medical history:
The patient’s medical history usually interferes with the type of treatment that person will receive.
Doctors thoroughly evaluate the patient’s medical history to determine which type of treatment is suitable or which type of drugs can be prescribed.
Therefore, it eventually affects the cost of liver cancer treatment.
- Diagnostic test:
The cost of liver cancer treatment also involves the diagnostic tests which need to be done before the main treatment to analyze the stage of cancer and assist the oncologists to determine the type of treatment suitable for that specific patient.
Generally, a biopsy is used to diagnose any type of cancer. The cost of diagnostic tests is affordable.
- Hospital facilities:
The city in which the treatment is done is one of the major factors that decide the cost of liver cancer treatment. In India, the cost of liver cancer changes in major cities.
Similarly, it is due to the advancement of technology and innovative technologies the hospitals have to offer. The doctors of India are skilled professionals who have experience of many years. India has some of the best oncologists who have saved millions of lives.
In conclusion, these are some of the major factors that affect the cost of liver cancer treatment, but apart from them, there could be other factors as well.
Treatment of Liver Cancer in India
The Treatment of Liver Cancer in India involves meticulous surgery, and the health and fitness of the patient are assessed before and after surgery. For people who have a damaged liver, a liver transplant is an alternative.
This includes identifying a donor that matches and then transplanting the liver from them.
Other treatment approaches like chemotherapy and radiotherapy are being tried until you find a donor for a liver transplant.
A multidisciplinary team from the Liver Cancer Surgery Hospital in India will assess your case and will decide on a care plan for you based on different factors such as cancer size and severity, age, and health conditions.
Surgery is the safest and best option that can be done. These surgeries are done by India’s best cancer treatment hospitals.
It is the treatment of choice in primary liver cancers.
In the surgery, the surgical oncologist removes the area of the liver which is cancerous and the healthy part is left behind.
This treatment is performed in cases where cirrhosis is not present.
The following are the therapy is used to treat liver cancer
Chemotherapy
Chemo is the treatment for cancer that makes use of chemical drugs to destroy cancer cells.
This is the treatment option for those who cannot tolerate surgery and have not responded to other therapies such as ablation or embolization.
Recently, a combination of chemo drugs is being used to treat cancer effectively rather than a single chemo drug.
- Systemic Chemotherapy:
A combination of these drugs is prescribed for those who can tolerate the treatment and are in generally good health.
The chemo drugs are either injected through the vein or taken orally.
Central venous catheters are also used for those who demand repeated chemo sessions to deliver higher volumes of IV chemo drugs. Chemotherapy is prescribed in cycles with a gap of two or three weeks in between.
- Regional chemotherapy:
Drugs are sent directly through the hepatic artery that supplies the liver. The focus of the drug is directly on the tumor of the liver.
This method demands a higher dose of chemo than the systemic method but has fewer side effects.
Immunotherapy
The focus of immunotherapy is to strengthen the immune system of the body to fight against cancer cells.
Also, the immunoglobulins should be able to differentiate healthy cells from tumor cells.
To do this, Checkpoint proteins on the immune cells are turned off to start the immune response.
Cancer cells use these checkpoints to avoid attacks from the immune system.
Immunotherapy drugs target these checkpoints and attack the tumor cells. This has grown to be a promising treatment module for liver tumors.
Nivolumab and Pembrolizumab are the drugs of choice that target the PD1 protein of the T cells. By blocking PD-1, these drugs boost the immune response against tumor cells.
The medicines are generally offered as an IV infusion typically every two, three, or four weeks. The possible side effects of immunotherapy are fever, cough, generalized tiredness and weakness, loss of appetite skin rashes, etc.
Some people have also reported infusion reactions while getting these drugs.
Radiation Therapy
Radiation therapy makes use of high-energy rays to shrink and kill cancer cells.
It is not suggested for clients who had liver cancer diagnosis secondary to hepatitis or liver cirrhosis.
It is considered best for liver tumors which cannot be removed by surgery.
Tumors that cannot be treated by embolization or ablation are treated with radiation therapy.
Metastatic liver cancer, where the tumor is spread to other major organs such as bones and brains is also best to be treated by radiation therapy. However, the cost of radiation therapy is quite expensive but the side effects and success rate is much higher than other treatment options.
When the client has a huge liver tumor, radiation therapy is given to shrink the size of the tumor. This therapy is given in the following ways:
- External beam radiation therapy:
EBRT focuses the radiation on the tumor from a source outside the body. The procedure is painless and each session lasts only a few minutes.
The treatment is continued over several weeks depending on the severity of the condition.
- SBRT:
This is a new technique where the tumor is targeted precisely to avoid damage to the surrounding healthy tissues.
The duration of the treatment is short and the beams are aimed at the cancer lump from different angles.
The treatment is ideal for those with small and localized cancers
- Radioembolization:
Tumors of the liver can be treated by injecting small radioactive beads into the hepatic artery.
These beads lodge in the liver next to the tumor and release small amounts of radiation, trying to shrink its size.
Embolization Treatment
Injecting substances directly into the hepatic artery to block the blood flow to the tumor is gaining popularity as the best hepatocellular carcinoma treatment option.
The liver has two blood supplies, the normal cells of the liver are fed by the portal vein, and in contrast, the tumors in the liver are fed by the hepatic artery. Blocking the portion of the artery that supplies the tumor cells helps in killing the cancer cells.
The procedure also leaves a majority of the healthy liver cells unharmed.
Embolization is the best option for those whose cancers cannot be removed by surgery or treated by other methods. Common types of embolization therapy are,
Trans-arterial embolization: A catheter is put into the hepatic artery by making a small incision on the thigh.
After the catheter has reached the tumor (the path of the catheter is monitored through a dye), small particles are infused to cut down oxygen and blood supply to the tumor.
Transarterial chemo-embolization: This is a combined embolization and chemotherapy.
Firstly, chemo drugs are infused followed by particles so drugs stay close to the tumor and destroy it.
Radioembolization: Small beads of radioactive elements are injected into the artery to shrink the tumor. The effects of the radioactive elements are limited to the tumor.
Surgical Treatment
The two surgical approaches for liver cancer are partial removal of the liver and total liver transplantation.
- Partial hepatectomy:
A portion of the liver containing the tumor is removed. This surgery is indicated for those with good liver function and those who have a single tumor without blood vessel involvement.
CT, MRI, and other imaging tests are first performed to confirm if the tumor can be removed completely or not.
- Liver transplantation:
This is the best treatment option for those people who have liver cancer.
Those who have liver cirrhosis along with tumors and large liver tumors are posted for liver transplantation.
With the transplant, the risk of cancer relapse is eliminated and there is also a guarantee that the new liver will function normally.
Transplants can be obtained from dead donors or from a close relative (part of the liver is removed) for surgery. To know more about getting a liver transplant in India.
Why Do People Choose India for Liver Cancer Treatment?
The Liver Cancer Surgery Cost in India is usually a fraction of the cost in the US and other developing countries for the same operation and care.
The cost can vary depending on the patient’s symptoms and conditions along with the services used. And if you equate the same with developing nations, the cost of surgery for Liver Cancer in India is always half what you can find in those countries.
The Liver Cancer Surgery Hospital in India that provides care for liver cancer will perform annual medical check-ups to see if cancer has recurred.
Moreover, the oncologist involved will also perform a set of physical examinations, diagnostic tests, or both approaches as follow-up treatment. The doctor will even check the changes you feel post-treatment to adjust the post-operative treatment accordingly.
Best Liver Cancer Treatment Center in India
Liver Cancer Treatment improvements are rapidly growing in India, and that makes it the cancer treatment hub.
Surgical procedures are mainly used in the removal of liver cancer treatment, along with chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and immunotherapy. Here are some of the Best Liver cancer Treatment centers in India.
Fortis Hospital Gurgaon, offers comprehensive care to patients who are suffering from liver cancer.
HCG Cancer Hospital has a world-class team of oncologists who are dealing with multi-disciplinary cancer treatment. They are offering a combination of experienced and skillful liver cancer specialists who gives you accurate diagnosis and treatment.
The offers the Best possible liver cancer treatment and stay in the same hospital as foreign patients.
They have been on the list of the best liver cancer treatment centers in India for many years.
When we are talking about the best liver cancer hospital in India, then Cancer Rounds provide you with expert oncologists who are proficient in all cancer-related terms like screening, diagnosing, and treatment of liver cancer.
In addition to that, they have collaborated with some leading Liver Cancer Treatment hospitals in India when it comes to innovative low-cost liver cancer treatment centers all over India.
Although, the Fortis and HCG cancer hospitals are considered to be the best hospitals for handling last-stage liver cancer patients.
Here you can get complete guidance and treatment regarding all available Liver Cancer Treatment hospitals in India, which has made India a favorite destination for global patients suffering from this life-threatening disease.
They are creating new benchmarks every day to get back the patients’ health in normal conditions.
