Advanced cervical cancer treatment in India | Cervical cancer treatment cost in India
An estimated 5,70,000 women were detected with Cervical Cancer worldwide and about 3,11,000 women passed from the disease.
However, with the advancement of technology, experience, and new protocols, the survival rates of cervical cancer patients are also increasing.
Though the detection of cervical cancer itself is a matter of concern but with the right treatment with the right doctor at the right time, you can beat cervical cancer.
Let’s understand Amy’s experience with cervical cancer treatment in India.
Amy, a 41-year-old woman from Abuja, Nigeria. Amy is a housewife she has two sons, a beautiful daughter, and a wonderful husband.
Three years back, Amy had vaginal bleeding for about a week followed by no period the next month which was abnormal. The abnormal bleeding was observed once again in the subsequent month along with severe pelvic pain. She decided to set up an appointment with her gynecologist. Her appointment was scheduled, the doctor examined Amy. The doctor had suggested a few investigations along with the PAP test.
After a few days, the result of the PAP test came and the hospital called Amy to visit the doctor. Amy visited the hospital and the gynecologist gave her the bad news that she had an aggressive form of cervical cancer.
The doctor told her to get an appointment with an oncologist as soon as possible.
After listening to the cancer news, Amy and her family were in shock. Amy’s husband Joseph supported her very well and wanted the best treatment for her wife. Joseph showed Amy to a nearby oncology hospital and admitted Amy for treatment. After a few day’s Joseph didn’t get convinced with the treatment as his wife’s health was deteriorating fast.
Joseph was looking for a second opinion with the best cervical cancer specialists. While researching online Joseph visited the MedicoExperts website and left an inquiry on the website and the MedicoExperts patient care department got in touch with Joseph.
Joseph sent all the medical reports of Amy to the MedicoExperts and MedicoExperts booked the online video consultation of Joseph with the best oncologist from the empanelled hospital. After the consultation, the doctor is able to clear all the doubts of Joseph regarding the treatment protocols.
Joseph understood the gaps in the ongoing treatment. He decided not to take any chance and visit India for treatment. However, Joseph was worried about the logistics support and requested the MedicoExperts team to guide him. MedicoExperts team, helped him to arrange Visa on priority, and all other arrangements in India.
After 15 days, Joseph and Amy came to India for treatment, and Amy got admitted to the hospital. Amy’s evaluation was done to check the current condition of cancer. The reports clarified that cervical cancer is identified in stage II. Stage II means that the cancer was extended beyond the cervix to the upper portion of the uterus. Amy’s treatment started and she was advised to undergo a radical hysterectomy followed by a course of radiation therapy.
After 3 months another evaluation test was performed to validate the outcome of the treatment. Reports came and the result was in favor of Amy.
Amy and Joseph were very happy to hear that and thanked the doctor and MedicoExperts.
This could be your story as well. You also need the right treatment at right time with the right guidance.
Before we start discussing the different treatment options, let’s first understand what cervical cancer is.
Cervical cancer is cancer that forms in the cervix, the lowermost portion of the uterus that connects to the vagina.
Vagina, the birth canal is the upper part of the uterus, and the uterus is where a baby grows when a woman is pregnant. It occurs more commonly in women over age 30.
What are the different types of Cervical Cancer?
There are two main types of cervical cancer that help to determine your prognosis and treatment:
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Squamous cell carcinoma
In this, cervical cancer starts in the thin cells (squamous cells) lining the outer part of the cervix which projects into the vagina.
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Adenocarcinoma
In this, cervical cancer starts in the glandular cells that line the cervical canal.
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Other Cervical cancer types
Few cervical cancer cells have feature characteristics of both squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma. These are called as “adenosquamous carcinomas” or “mixed- carcinomas”.
Let’s understand the different stages of cervical cancer.
In this early stage, cancer has spread from the cervix lining into deeper tissue but still within the uterus.
Stage IA
Here, the cervical tissues or cells are examined under the microscope, or imaging tests are used to determine the tumor size.
- Stage IA1 – At this stage, the tumor is less than 3mm in depth.
- Stage IA2 – At this stage, the tumor is between 3mm to 5mm in depth.
Stage IB
Here, the tumor is larger but still limited to the cervix.
- Stage IB1 – At this stage, the tumor is 5mm or more in-depth and less than 2cm wide.
- Stage IB2 – At this stage, the tumor is 2cm or more in-depth and less than 4cm wide.
- Stage IB3 – At this stage, the tumor is 4cm or more in width.
At this stage, cancer has spread from the uterus to nearby areas such as the vagina but still within the pelvic area.
Stage IIA
Here, the tumor is constrained to the upper two-thirds of the vagina and has not spread to the tissue next to the cervix which is called as parametrial area.
- Stage IIA1 – At this stage, the tumor is less than 4cm wide.
- Stage IIA2 – At this stage, the tumor is 4cm or wider.
Stage IIB
Here, the tumor has spread to the parametrial area but has not reached the pelvic wall.
The tumor affects the lower third of the vagina and has spread to the pelvic wall causing swelling of the kidney called hydronephrosis which stops kidney functioning and involves regional lymph nodes.
Stage IIIA
At this stage, the tumor involves the lower third of the vagina but has not grown into the pelvic wall.
Stage IIIB
At this stage, the tumor has grown into the pelvic wall.
Stage IIIC
At this stage, the tumor involves regional lymph nodes and can be detected using an imaging test or pathology.
- Stage IIIC1 – Here, cancer has spread to lymph nodes in the pelvis.
- Stage IIIC2 – Here, cancer has spread to para-aortic lymph nodes. These lymph nodes are discovered in the abdomen.
Stage IVA
At this stage, cancer has spread to the bladder but has not spread to other parts of the body.
Stage IVB
At this stage, cancer has spread to other parts of the body.
The most common Cervical Cancer signs and symptoms are:
- Bleeding between or following periods
- Bleeding or pain during sexual intercourse
- Bleeding post menopause
- Increased vaginal secretion with a strong odor
- Persistent pelvic pain
Any of these symptoms should be reported to a doctor, the earlier the cancer is found and treated, the better the chances of curing or preventing it.
Risk factors of cervical cancer that increase the risk of acquiring cervical cancer include:
HPV:
It’s a sexually transmitted virus and there are more than 100 different types of HPV that can occur and at least 13 of them lead to cervical cancer.
Many sexual partners or becoming sexually active early:
Women who have many sexual partners generally have the chances of getting in contact with an HPV-infected individual and are at higher risk of HPV infection. As a result, they are at a higher risk of developing cervical cancer.
Smoking:
This also increases the chances of developing cervical cancer.
Birth control pills:
Women using oral contraceptives for the long term have higher chances of risk to develop cervical cancers.
During this exam, the doctor checks for any signs of changes in your pelvic organs that include the uterus, cervix, vagina, and other pelvic organs. Here, the doctors use an instrument to keep your vaginal walls open. This is just a preliminary test and cannot conclude whether you have cervical cancer or not.
During this test, the doctor scrapes a few cells from your uterus or cervix which are examined for any abnormalities. This test detects if there is any abnormal or cancerous growth.
It is like a pap test where a small sample of cells is taken from the cervix to test for HPV. Certain types of HPV like HPV-16 and HPV-18 are prominent in women who are diagnosed with cervical cancer. But testing positive does not mean that you have developed cervical cancer hence this test alone cannot be used to determine cervical cancer.
A colposcopy which is a low-powered microscope is used to view your cervix to identify abnormalities. During this examination, the doctor might remove a small sample of tissue to check for malignant cells.
This is the only way for confirming cervical cancer. During this test, the doctor will remove a sample of tissue from your cervix and examine it under a microscope.
These scans are done to determine how far the cancerous cells have spread in your body.
Early-stage cervical cancer is usually treated with surgery when cancer has not spread from the cervix. This treatment is only possible if the disease is still confined to the cervix which is less than Stage II. There are different types of surgery performed that include:
Radical Trachelectomy for cervical cancer treatment in India
It is a type of surgery that removes the cervix but keeps the uterus intact. This is recommended for young women who want to preserve their fertility in the future.
Conization for cervical cancer treatment in India
In this, a laser or surgical knife is used to extract tissue from your cervix to get rid of cancerous cells which can only be done with a microscope.
Hysterectomy for cervical cancer treatment in India
This can further be divided into simple or radical. In simple hysterectomy, uterus and cervix are removed whereas in radical hysterectomy, uterus, cervix, upper vagina, and the entire tissue surrounding the cervix are removed.
This has consequences on the patient’s fertility and removing surrounding tissue makes it more complex than the hysterectomy done for other cases like fibroids.
Side effects from Cervical cancer surgery in India may vary depending upon the type of surgery done. Patients may occasionally experience bleeding, infection, or damage to the urinary and intestinal systems.
Talk with doctors before the surgery about the side effects since these procedures affect sexual health. The doctor may be able to help reduce the side effects and provide support resources to cope with any changes.
During this treatment, high-powered energy beams such as X-rays are used to kill cancerous cells.
It can be controlled in two ways:
- Externally by directing a radiation beam at the affected body parts.
- Internally by placing a small device with radioactive material inside the vagina.
You may have radiotherapy:
- As the main treatment of cancer has advanced
- After surgery usually with chemotherapy to stop cancer occur again
- To help improve symptoms like bleeding
For early-stage cervical cancer, a combination of radiation therapy and low-dose chemotherapy is often done. This combination is used to control cancer in the pelvis to cure cancer without surgery. Side effects from radiation therapy include fatigue, mild skin reactions, stomach upset, and bowel movements.
In this treatment, drugs are utilized to kill the cancerous cells. It can be either given orally or injected into your veins to target cancerous cells that surgery cannot remove. It consists of a specific number of cycles for a certain period. Each cycle is followed by a break that allows your body to rest for some time.
You may have chemotherapy:
- With radiotherapy as the main treatment for your cervical cancer
- Before surgery to make the cancer cells smaller
- After surgery usually with radiotherapy to stop cancer occur again
- If cancer has spread to other parts of the body or has occurred again.
The side effects of chemotherapy depend on the dose and the individual, which may include fatigue, infection, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, and diarrhea. These side effects are over once the treatment is finished.
It is a type of drug treatment that helps your immune system to fight cancer. The cancerous cells produce proteins that make it undetectable by your disease-fighting immune system hence immunotherapy interferes with that process and lets your immune system fight against the cancerous cells.
Different immunotherapy can cause different side effects that may include skin reactions, diarrhea, and weight changes.
To know more please visit the Immunotherapy page.
If you have advanced cervical cancer or cancer has occurred again, then you will be treated with targeted therapy. During this treatment, cancer cells with specific weaknesses are targeted to block them which causes cancer cells to die.
In this treatment, targeted medicine called bevacizumab also called Avastin is given to make the cancer cell smaller or stop it from getting larger. It is usually combined with chemotherapy.
To know more please visit the targeted drug therapy page.
The 5-year survival rate of cervical cancer is 66% and it can differ depending upon various factors such as race, ethnicity, and age.
For white women aged 50 and older, the 5-year survival rate is 71% and for young women less than age 50, the 5-year survival rate is 78% whereas for black women aged 50 or older, the 5-year survival rate is 46% and for young women less than age 50, the 5-year survival rate is 58%.
After understanding the survival rates, let’s check the cervical cancer treatment cost in India.
The Cervical cancer treatment cost in India can be between $5000- $7000 (377659 – 528722 INR) depending upon the type of treatment, infrastructure, and quality of medical services.
If the patient is in the early stages of cervical cancer, Trachelectomy, a highly-skilled fertility-sparing procedure is recommended.
There are specialist gynecologic oncologists and super-specialty hospitals in India to perform this surgery. If the condition of the patient is extremely grave, then hysterectomy is suggested.
The cost for a hysterectomy in India starts from 3000 USD (226595 INR). In cases of advanced cervical cancer, radiation therapy with or without chemotherapy is advised for a complete cure.
The cost of chemotherapy ranges between 500 to 1000 USD / cycle (37765 – 75531 INR).
Frequently Asked Questions and patient concerns:
Is Cervical Cancer curable?
Cervical cancer is often viewed as curable, especially when the cancer is diagnosed in the early stage. Like most cancers, early detection is the key to achieving a positive outcome.
How to prevent Cervical Cancer?
Young women are encouraged to go for a Pap test once every 3 years between the ages of 25 to 29 or an HPV test for age 30 and above even if they do not experience any symptoms.
What is the most common age to get cervical cancer?
Cervical cancer is most widely diagnosed in women between the age of 35 to 44 and it rarely develops in women younger than age 20.
Best hospital for cervical cancer treatment in India
India has many hospitals that are equipped with world-class facilities and have the most advanced technologies to provide the absolute best to all patients. The best hospitals for cervical cancer treatment in India are globally accredited and have a multi-disciplinary team to provide comprehensive and expert care. The list of associated hospitals in India are as follows:
MedicoExperts is a Global virtual hospital which is established to offer quality healthcare services at affordable pricing without compromising the success rates of the treatment.
MedicoExperts is having a network of highly experienced super specialist doctors and well equipped hospitals across the globe and offering second opinion through online video consultation and surgical interventions through its empanelled super specialist doctors at its network hospitals in 17 countries from 3 continents.
By the virtue of its approach and model, MedicoExperts is successfully achieve to deliver
- Latest and most advanced treatments with success rates of international benchmarks.
- Multiple cost options depending upon the hospital facilities, with the same doctor.
- Treatment option in multiple cities/state/countries.
- Trust and peace of mind.
Most suitable for patients who are looking for:-
- Planned Surgeries and treatment from most experienced doctors and at multiple cost options as per hospital facilities with best possible outcomes.
- Second Opinion from expert doctors.
- Complex cases involving multi specialities
- International patients looking for treatment from Indian doctors
Anthony, 58 yrs. old after undergoing radiotherapy and hormone therapy, shares his experience of getting prostate cancer treatment in India.
Tell us about yourself
My name is Anthony Igwe, and I am 58 years old and I am from Ghana. I was diagnosed with stage 3 prostate cancer in Jan 2010. I had all the symptoms, uncontrollable frequent urination, blood in the urine, and a lot of pain and discomfort. My local doctors said I should get a surgery done to remove it, but I was not sure. I wanted to seek second opinion, someone who could help me better.
How did you know about MedicoExperts?
I stayed positive and began looking for second opinion from my local doctors, but I was still worried about getting good treatment in my own country. A relative suggested I visit the MedicoExperts Connect Centre in Ghana. When I went there with my reports, they reconfirmed what the reports suggested, but said that they could get me in touch with a doctor in India who can help me evaluate my situation better. After speaking to the Surgeon from India, I was informed that it was not necessary I undergo surgery as it could do more damage than good, getting radiotherapy along with hormone therapy was a more logical option. They recommended sessions of radiotherapy. They asked me if I was willing to travel to India for my treatment. I had heard a lot of good things about the facilities in India and their doctors, and I felt I should get my treatment done in India. The team was kind enough to help me make a choice according to my preference.
How was your experience with MedicoExperts and the Indian Surgeon?
MedicoExperts team was really empathetic and caring throughout my treatment in India. They would check up on me and help me if I needed anything in particular. The team of doctors and attendants that I had too were very understanding and proactive. They genuinely cared about my well-being which also helped me stay positive and get better. Thank you team MedicoExperts.
Mr Daniel Banda never knew much about prostate cancer before his diagnosis. Now, after radical prostatectomy in India, he is surviving the odds and also spreading awareness.
Tell us about yourself
Hi, I am Daniel Banda, 49 years old from Nigeria. I decided to get a general check-up done, which included PSA test. When my results came, the PSA levels were surprisingly high and I was asked for further evaluation which included biopsy. After my results, I was told I had localized prostate cancer and could get a surgery done. I always believed that prostate cancer was the disease of an old man before my diagnosis.
How did you know about MedicoExperts?
I found out about MedicoExperts through a Facebook ad about prostate cancer. I dropped an inquiry and they got back to me pretty quickly. I discussed with them about my symptoms and conditions, and after sharing reports, they told me I could undergo radical prostatectomy. However, I had to travel to India for getting this treatment. I was a bit worried about travelling so far for surgery. MedicoExperts team got me to consult with the surgeon directly, which helped me build trust.
How was your experience with MedicoExperts and the Indian Surgeon?
After the initial doubting phase, I was able to make my decision to travel to India. I must say the MedicoExperts team is very thorough. They urged me to ask and clear all my doubts with the uro-onclogist in India before my travel plans. I discussed all the possibilities of side-effects and how long will I take to get back to my normal routine. This helped me prepare for the surgery better and also mentally be prepared for the side-effects. My overall experience was good and I would definitely recommend MedicoExperts for any treatment.
Author’s Bio
Dr. Yashashree Joshi is an MD from the Philippines with a focus on advanced oncological treatments. She has good knowledge about the latest oncological therapies that are an embodiment of the newest techniques and innovations in cancer care. Dr. Joshi has done extensive medical training in the Philippines, which added to her knowledge and experience in treating complicated cases of cancer. She is known for her kind attitude and creates an individual treatment plan that aids in curing the patient based on different disease states and requirements.
