Radiation Therapy Cost in India
Radiation Therapy in India is a medical strategy that involves the use of ionizing radiation to cure, treat, control, or relieve symptoms of any disease. In general, radiation therapy is used to treat cancer disease, and it can remove, kill, or destroy cancer cells in a particular region of the body using various radiations.
Radiation therapy can also be used to treat cancer as well as other conditions such as thyroid issues, blood disorders, and non-cancerous development in some instances.
What are the Types of Radiation Therapy?
Radiation Therapy in India can be divided into two major categories:
- Internal Beam Radiation Therapy
- External Beam Radiation Therapy
External Beam Radiation Therapy
It is the most common form of “radiation therapy.” The high-energy beams used in this type of radiation are directed at a specific spot in your body by a machine outside of your body. Radiation is administered to your body during a different form of radiation treatment known as brachytherapy.
The most prevalent type of radiation therapy is external-beam. It uses a machine outside the body to deliver radiation. If necessary, it has the ability to treat huge regions of the body.
The radiation beam for x-ray or photon radiation therapy is created by a machine called a linear accelerator or linac. The size and form of the beam are adjusted using special computer software. This allows the tumor to be targeted while healthy tissue near the cancer cells is avoided.
For several weeks, the majority of treatments are administered every weekday. For radiation therapy to the head, neck, or brain, form-fitting supports or plastic mesh masks are used to keep patients motionless during treatment.
External-beam radiation therapy can be classified into the following categories:
- Three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy (3D-CRT)
- Intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT)
- Proton beam therapy
- Image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT)
- Stereotactic radiation therapy (SRT)
Internal Beam Radiation Therapy
Brachytherapy is a type of internal radiation therapy that uses a solid source. In this type of treatment, seeds, ribbons, or capsules containing a radiation source are inserted into your body, in or near the tumor.
For such kind of radiation therapy, radioactive material is injected into the tumor or surrounding tissue. Implants can be permanent or temporary, and patients may require a stay in the hospital.
Internal radiation therapy can take the following forms:
- Permanent Implants
- Temporary Internal Radiation Therapy
Read More – Proton Beam Therapy For Cancer Treatment
Radiation Therapy Cost in India
Radiation Therapy costs in India start from 4000 USD.
on the other hand, the cost can vary depending on several considerations:
- The cost of admission.
- The cost of an oncologist planning.
- The target area of the body to be treated and the patient’s other medical condition.
- The type of radiation therapy that will be used is yet to be determined.
- Complications occur after a therapy treatment.
- The type of hospital.
- Any other lab tests or examination tests, such as X-rays, ECGs, and so on, are chosen by the therapist.
When all of the criteria listed are taken into account, the cost of radiation therapy in India varies widely from around USD 5000-6000 and the cost of radiation therapy for breast cancer is around 2000-7000 USD.
Procedure
Many Factors Influence the Type of Radiation Therapy You Receive, Including:
- The course of radiation therapy is usually determined by the type of cancer, the size of the tumor, the location of the tumor and its surrounding tissues, the person’s age, and whether other medications are being used or not.
- For patients with advanced cancer, a combination of radiation therapy and chemotherapy is required to stop cancer from developing or spreading to healthy cells, tissues, and organs.
Who Gives Radiation Treatment?
A team of medical professionals will look after the overall patient’s body during radiation therapy.
Among the members of that group could be:
- Radiation Oncologist: A doctor who specializes in using radiation to cure cancer. Many of your treatment decisions will be made by this doctor.
- Radiation Physicist: A radiation physicist ensures that the radiation equipment is functioning properly and that the dose of radiation prescribed by your doctor is delivered.
- Dosimetrist: The dosimetrist assists the doctor in planning and calculating the number of treatments required. The radiation physicist supervises the dosimetrist.
- Radiation Technology Therapist: The radiation therapist is in charge of operating the radiation equipment and putting the patient in the best position for treatment.
- Radiation Therapy Nurse: A certified nurse with specialized cancer treatment training. He or she will be able to provide you with information on your radiation treatment as well as guidance on how to manage any potential adverse effects.
Is it Safe For Patients And Their Families to Receive Radiation Therapy?
For several years, doctors have employed radiation therapy to treat cancer in a safe and successful manner.
Radiation therapy raises the possibility of initiating second cancer by a minimal percentage. However, for many people, radiation therapy cures their cancer. This benefit optimizes the slight chance that the therapy will lead to the development of a new malignancy in the future.
The patient does not become radioactive during external-beam radiation therapy. The radiation is still present in the treatment room.
Internal radiation therapy, on the other hand, causes the patient to emit radiation. As a result, visitors should take the following precautions:
- If you are pregnant or under the age of 18, do not visit the patient.
- Each day, limit your stay to 30 minutes or shorter.
- Maintain a distance of at least 6 feet from the patient’s bed.
- After using the restroom, wash your hands thoroughly.
- To eliminate the residual radioactive substances from the body, drink plenty of water.
- Try to stay away from babies, children, and pregnant women.
Helpful –
Top Hospitals For Radiation Therapy
The Most Important Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What Should You Avoid During Radiation?
A: Avoid raw fruits and vegetables, as well as crunchy, dry meals like chips and pretzels. If you’re having these symptoms, it’s also a good idea to stay away from salty, spicy, or acidic foods. If you get mucositis or mouth sores as a result of cancer therapy, your healthcare team can offer nutrient-based oral care products.
Q: Do You Lose Hair with Radiation Therapy?
A: Hair loss in the portion of the body that is being treated can also be caused by radiation therapy. Hair loss is called Alopecia. Consult your doctor to see if the cancer therapy you’ll be getting will result in hair loss.
Q: Do Tumors Grow Back After Radiation?
A: Radiation can damage normal cells near the tumors, but most of them recover and resume their regular functions. If radiotherapy does not destroy all of the cancer cells, they will reappear at a future stage.
Q: Which Cancers Are Treated with Radiotherapy?
A: Brachytherapy is most commonly used to treat head and neck cancers, as well as breast, cervix, prostate, and eye malignancies. To treat certain kinds of thyroid cancer, a systemic radiation therapy called radioactive iodine, or I-131 is commonly used.
Q: How many sessions of radiotherapy are normal?
A: Most people have 5 treatments each week (1 treatment a day from Monday to Friday, with a break at the weekend). But sometimes treatment may be given more than once a day or over the weekend.