Pancreatic Cancer Treatment In India For Highest Success Rate
Do you know advanced pancreatic cancer treatment in India can help you enjoy your life to the fullest and fight it successfully?
Though the detection of pancreas cancer itself is a matter of concern, with the right treatment, and the right doctor by your side you can beat pancreatic cancer.
That’s why early detection is important to cure the cancer as the tumor is generally operable in the early stages.
Let’s understand pancreas cancer in detail and how early detection impacts the success rate.
What is the pancreas?
It is an anatomical structure with two roles of secreting digestive enzymes and hormones regulating blood glucose levels.
Digestion – It facilitates the digestion of proteins and carbohydrates by releasing digestion enzymes in the body.
Hormones Secretion – It is known to secrete the insulin hormone which is responsible for reducing the blood sugar level of the body and the glucagon hormone which prevents low blood sugar.
The pancreas consists of exocrine and endocrine cells. Let us know the function and properties of these cells.
- The exocrine function involves the digestion of foods in the intestine.
- The endocrine function of the pancreas helps in blood glucose regulation by secreting the hormone insulin.
What are the different types of pancreatic cancer?
There are different types of Pancreatic cancer depending on the cell type and the area where the cancer originated.
There are three forms of pancreatic cancer:
1. Adenocarcinoma
Ductal carcinoma is the other name for the pancreatic cancer that develops in the pancreatic duct. This is by far the most common of all the pancreatic cancers.
Additionally, this cancer may arise from the cells that are the source of pancreatic enzymes. Generally, this type is called Acinar cell carcinoma, which results in about 1 percent to 2 percent of cancer originating in the exocrine glands.
2. Squamous Cell Carcinoma
The tumour is of a very rare kind, established in the ducts and made purely of squamous cells (flat cells that look like fish scale under a microscope). It is a nonendocrine cancer of the pancreas. Only 0.5% of all ductal pancreatic cancers are of this type.
3. Adenosquamous Carcinoma
These are exceptionally rare adenocarcinomas of the pancreas that are categorized as 1 to 4 percent of exocrine pancreatic cancers. Adenosquamous cancer is a very aggressive type of tumour which is associated with a poorer prognosis compared to adenocarcinoma. What is known is that they are presented with the signs of both ductal adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma.
Now that you know about various types, let’s know the signs of pancreas cancer.
What are the signs and symptoms of pancreatic cancer?
Symptoms may vary as per the location of the cancer and in which stage the cancer is.
These are common symptoms found in pancreas cancer:
- Unjustified weight loss and loss of appetite
- Itching skin
- Dark Urine
- Jaundice symptoms include yellowish skin and eyes
- Pain in the abdomen that radiates to the back
- Uncontrolled diabetes
- Blood clots
- Nausea and fatigue without any reason
If symptoms remain persistent for long, you should go for a screening.
What are the causes and risk factors in pancreatic cancer cases?
Several risks tied to pancreatic cancer can be called factors.
Factors are listed below:
- DNA level mutation in pancreatic cells.
- Diabetes
- Smoking
- Obesity
- Family history of pancreatic cancer
- Older age. The majority of pancreas cancer occurs after 65
- Frequent inflammation of the pancreas
Tests used to diagnose pancreatic cancer
Diagnostic tests employed in pancreatic cancer include the following:
Endoscopic ultrasound, also referred to as EUS, refers to the diagnosis of the digestive system through the use of imaging studies. The thin structure of a tube tipped with a camera is called an endoscope. An ultrasound next to the endoscope transmits ultrasound waves and is capable of generating images of nearby tissues. Also, the ultrasound can visualize images of the pancreas.
It is the procedure that is meant to take a small specimen of tissue for microscopic examination in the laboratory. In the majority of cases, the doctor requests the sample from the patient during an endoscopic ultrasound examination.
During the procedure of EUS, tissue from the pancreas is taken. Less frequently, a sample of pancreas tissue is taken from the human body by inserting a needle into the body via the skin and reaching the pancreas. It is carried out by using a thin needle to remove the suspicious materials.
The sample is sent to the lab to get tested to know the answer as to whether it is malignant or not. In addition, expert tests of the genes can reveal what DNA changes are involved in cancer. With the help of results, they come up with your treatment plan involved.
Blood tests of pancreatic cancer patients may identify proteins called tumour markers as they are produced by the pancreatic cancerous cells. CA19-9 just stands for one pancreatic cancer tumour marker test.
Doctors use, to a lesser extent, this exam when you are undergoing or completing treatment to determine your reaction to the cancer. Certain cases of pancreatic cancers don’t create extra CA19-9, which implies that this test is not useful for everyone, although it is beneficial for many of the cases.
You can talk to your healthcare team about the importance of genetic testing. The genetics of cancer risk is identified through blood or saliva sampling for genetic testing.
Staging of cancer can be done post-diagnostic procedure. Let’s understand the stages of pancreatic cancer.
What are the different stages of pancreatic cancer?
We can see that a system (TNM) categorizes stages of pancreatic cancer: T- T refers to the size of the tumour; N- it means that it has spread to the lymph nodes; M- it signifies that it has spread to other parts of the body.
There are different types of lesions on the walls of abnormal pancreas. The changing cells may become cancerous and find a way for infiltration into surrounding healthy tissue. Such type of stage is also known as (T0; N0; M0)
Stage I is differentiated into Stage IA and Stage IB.
Stage IA: There are no cancerous cells in any of the lymph nodes, and there are no cancerous cells found in any part of the body other than the primary tumour (T1; N0; M0).
Stage IB: Tumor size: >2 cm (T2); regional lymph nodes and distant metastases are not observed.
In this stage, the cancer spreads to adjacent tissue and tissues near the pancreas or lymph nodes where it is present.
Stage II is divided into the following stages based on where the cancer has spread:
Stage IIA: Cancer doesn’t extend beyond the organ in which it was found, and the nearby tissue, organs, and lymph nodes are also not involved in it at this stage. (T3; N0; M0).
Stage IIB: The tumour was found to be confined to the primary site with the involvement of some lymph nodes or surrounding tissues or organs (T1, T2, or T3; N1) but no known metastasis to distant regional lymph nodes, major blood vessels, or nerves (M0).
There is an enlargement of the adjacent blood vessels in the vicinity of the pancreas that may have reached the surrounding lymph nodes. (T1, T2, T3 or T4, N2, or M0).
The cancer may be the size of an orange and it may have reached the various organs in the body, such as the liver, lungs, and peritoneal cavities. Adenocarcinoma cells are capable of Invading lymph nodes and lymphatic vessels or adjacent pancreas and organs (T; any N; M1).
Pancreatic cancer treatment in India
Pancreatic cancer therapy options include surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and targeted therapy. This means that depending on the cancer type and stage, the doctor will prescribe certain treatments that can be applied.
Advanced cancer needs to be resected along with the adjacent blood vessels and lymph nodes.
1. Surgery for malignancies of the pancreatic head.
When a cancerous tumour presents in the head part of the pancreas, Whipple surgery is the choice of the surgeon.
Whipple’s procedure is a surgical process in which the head of the pancreas, gallbladder, first section of the small intestine, and surrounding lymph nodes are all removed.
The surgeon once again reconnects the detached parts of the pancreas, stomach, and intestine.
2. Endoscopic surgery for pancreatic tumours in the tail or body.
The surgeon removes the left side of the tail and body of the pancreas. The spleen is removed too if it is required.
3. Treatment of cancerous blood vessels just next to the pancreas
They remove and reconstruct blood vessels if the condition affects other blood vessels in the area.
Thereafter you are likely to vomit if you have challenging cases of digestion and emptying of your stomach.
Surgery is a lengthy process with recovery lasting for a long time. Several days of staying in the hospital after surgery and up to multiple weeks of post-operative care might be important.
Chemotherapy is used to eliminate cancer cells. It is used in advanced stages of cancer or after surgery to eliminate the growth of cancerous cells.
In chemotherapy, drugs are used to kill cancerous cells. It is either given orally or in a vein.
Pancreatic Arterial Infusion (PAI) chemotherapy at the same time can give more drugs to the pancreas without combining with other organs and has lower drug side effects than systemic infusion.
This is already the therapeutic approach tested in different types of tumors for example primary and metastatic liver cancers with some promise. Considering PAI in advanced pancreatic cancer, some trials in humans have shown good safety and preliminary effectiveness of PAI.
In radiation therapy, a high-energy beam is used to eliminate the growth of cancer cells. It is often used before or after surgery to reduce cancer growth.
High radiation beams like X-rays and protons are used for treatment.
Nowadays protons are used to eliminate cancer cells. Proton beams cause lower side effects than traditional X-ray beams.
Radiofrequency energy usage for the control of solid organ malignancies is in practice. Specifically, Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA) has been used more frequently due to its ability to offer a palliative intervention for patients with unresectable pancreatic cancer. RFA has tumor-killing effects via various mechanisms including denaturing of proteins and enhancing anticancer immunity.
Palliative care is often used as a form of treatment that aims at easing the distress that the patients may be experiencing. It assists in enhancing the health of the patient by making them feel comfortable at any given time. It is also used together with other treatments to make the patients feel better and should be used to increase the lifespan of the patients.
Supportive care can reduce the side effects of chemotherapy. It can also significantly improve the mental and physical health condition of the patient by making the patients do regular exercise.
Targeted therapy specifically targets a particular protein in the cancer cell which is helping the cancer cell to divide and grow. Destruction of pancreatic cancer cells by targeted therapy can be used as a maintenance therapy (ongoing cancer treatment after sessions of chemo and radiotherapy) or in combination with radiotherapy or chemotherapy.
Latest advancements in pancreatic cancer treatment options in India
There are certain advanced techniques which can successfully treat tumours, which are inoperable by conventional surgical techniques. These latest advancements require the skillfulness of surgeons or need clinical testing on a large number of patients. The surgical procedures are performed or inclinical interventions are done when there are few choices left for treating the case.
In this technique, the tumour is first frozen and then thawed using cryoprobes. The procedure is done along with an ultrasound or CT guidance and the inoperable tumors are destroyed. The temperature for freezing the tumours is generally reduced to a temperature as low as -160 degrees.
In CyberKnife treatment, high-dose radiation is provided with a robotic system. Another advantage of this treatment is that the number of sessions is much less as compared to conventional radiotherapy.
This treatment is based on irreversible electroporation of cell membrane ( cancer cell membrane is irreversibly damaged by making pores on it).
This is also a minimally invasive treatment carried out by robotics. This treatment has received some degree of success in renal cancer, prostate cancer, and pancreatic cancer patients.
Stage-wise pancreatic cancer treatment in India
Pancreatic cancer can be managed depending on the phase it has reached. The first two or three stages can be surgically managed while the rest cannot. In addition, some stage-IV pancreatic cancer cases are identified to be incapable of being operated upon.
At this stage, many tumours are either localized or locally advanced and most are still technically removable by surgical resection. Pancreaticoduodenectomy or Whipple operation is the type of pancreatic surgery that is done in this stage.
Preoperative treatment is sometimes offered to patients with pancreatic cancer who have borderline resectable disease. The current clinical research options include chemotherapy, targeted therapy, or radiation therapy either alone or in combination. This treatment is intended to remove or cut off the cancer to decrease its size to make it less difficult to remove in surgery. Neoadjuvant treatment is defined as any medical therapy as an application before surgical intervention.
Treatment options for those whose cancer cannot be removed by surgery could involve chemotherapy radiation and other conventional techniques.
The stage III tumours are no longer localized and the disease cannot be resected and is treated with agents that reach the cancer cells throughout the body via bloodstream.
The treatments for stage III might involve chemotherapy, radiation, or both.
Chemotherapy is normally employed during the treatment of stage IV. Clinical trials may also open new possibilities.
How did Schobitz’s mother from Ethiopia get cured of Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer?
The following video tells us about the cure for Shobitz’s mother‘s cancer. She was diagnosed with a pancreatic mass which was successfully removed in India by a renowned surgeon. Find out the detailed story of how MedicoExperts assisted the family in their experience in India.
Why tumour board approach is considered the best for the treatment of pancreatic cancer?
To answer this question, one must first understand how the tumour board approach differs from other methods of treatment.
It is best approached with a multi-disciplinary team of doctors.
Let’s learn about the tumour board approach in detail:
What is a tumor board?
The organization of a tumour board consists of the structural meeting of specialists to consider approaches to treating and managing cancer patients. It provides a full scope of the patient’s care.
How does the tumour board work?
When you are selected for a tumour board meeting, a group of specialists who deal with your case will sit together to decide the best treatment and care for your case.
Treatment plans may include standard-of-care treatments, surgery, additional testing, supplements, clinical trials, hospice services, and second opinions. Designing your care plan also means that your needs are looked after.
Benefits of the treatment plan from tumour board.
The surgical oncologist may consider surgery feasible and beneficial for you while the medical or radiation oncologist may offer preoperative therapy to prepare you for the surgery.
A pathologist in the process of trying to figure out your case may need a radiologist to call in a tumour board for support.
Moreover, cancer treatments change from time to time requiring combined and effective decisions of the doctors.
Why is India best for pancreatic cancer treatment?
India stands to be the best country to treat pancreatic cancer because doctors are trained and again the cost of conducting treatments in this country is fairly cheap.
Even though the cost of medical treatment of pancreatic cancer in India is comparatively cheaper than in the UK and even the USA, it offers quality medical treatment.
Several Indian hospitals dealing with pancreatic cancer have modern and well-equipped facilities.
Pancreatic cancer treatment in the USA costs on average about $65000 while the most costly treatment in India is up to a maximum of $25000.
How to choose the best hospital for pancreatic cancer treatment in India?
MedicoExperts presents the best medicine and hospital experience in India for pancreatic cancer. We have experienced professionals and the best equipment and thus patients can be guaranteed the best treatment.
Doctors with a strong background – We have doctors with 20 years of experience.
How to choose the best oncology team and tumour board for your pancreatic cancer treatment in India?
The best oncology team and tumour board can be chosen based on the following points:
Care and Precision – The tumour board works efficiently and effectively on every difficult case to achieve the best outcomes that are needed.
Modern technologies – There are modern technologies for the diagnosis and treatment of cases taking into consideration unconventional ways.
Individualizing the care – Tumor Board provides the right care for you with an individualized treatment plan.
Pancreatic cancer treatment cost in India
The cost of pancreatic cancer treatment can be influenced by different factors.
Factors for cost
The extent of physical facilities affects the cost since comprehensive facilities have been developed in the current state-of-the-art buildings.
Cancer at the advanced stage is very dangerous and needs various treatments, and this may pose a high cost to you.
City (Metro versus non-Metro) – While the countries’ most developed cities may provide great and comfortable accommodations, your expenses may go up.
The cost segment of the treatment charges may involve a minimum amount of 5,00,000 INR ($ 6,500) to the highest extent of 20,00,000 INR ($ 25,000) for pancreatic cancer in India
The estimated Whipple surgery cost will be approximately 13, 50,000 INR which is approximately 15,000 US Dollars.
Radiation therapy expenses are likely to be around 4,50,000 INR which is roughly 5000 US dollars.
The estimates of chemotherapy expenses will be around INR 36,000 ($400) for each cycle.
Accommodation costs will range between 1700 to 3500 INR ($20-$40) per night.
What is the 5-year survival rate of pancreas cancer in India?
The 5-year survival rate depends on the stage of the pancreatic cancer
What is a 5-year survival rate in cancer treatment?
A five-year survival rate is defined as the percentage of those participating in a research or treatment group who are alive at least five years after diagnosis of an illness, like cancer. The cancer may or may not be resolved and the disease may or may not return.
Stage-wise survival rates
If cancer remains in its initial location, which is the pancreas, the five-year survival rate is 44%.
Those surrounding the whole pancreas – have a survival rate of 16% after 5 years.
The five-year relative survival rate for pancreatic cancer patients whose cancer has spread (metastasized) to distant organs, such as the liver or the lung, is 3%
Takeaway
You must know that survival in pancreatic cancer depends on the stages. It has been noted that if cancer is found at an early stage, you are likely to live a disease-free life after the operation is accomplished.
Some of the common treatments that can be administered to patients suffering from pancreatic cancer include surgical treatments such as robotic surgery, and others include chemotherapy and radiotherapy. So to find out which one of the treatments can be the most effective for you, you require a medical team.
But herein comes the tumor board approach where you are greatly assisted. Generally, if you choose this, then you can be given an overall plan and treatment that suits your specific case.
Discuss with your doctor that each state of cancer is treatable provided that the right attitude and treatment methods are employed.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):
Q1. Can pancreatic cancer be cured?
A. Pancreatic cancer can be treated fully if diagnosed at an early stage. However, in the advanced state, the duration of lifespan can be increased by using chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and targeted therapy: individually or jointly.
Q2. What is the latest treatment for pancreatic cancer?
A. These are some of the new treatment procedures that are applicable in the treatment of pancreatic cancer; Targeted Therapy and Minimally Invasive Surgeries.
Q3. Is surgery the only cure for pancreatic cancer?
A. Surgery is one of the primary methods of treating the early stages of cancer as well as for curing the disease. However, in the subsequent stage, there are still other therapies such as anticancer drugs, to achieve more years of life.
Q4. How long is the hospital stay for the treatment?
A. It depends on the extent of the disease. Post-surgery, you can stay up to 4 weeks. Your stay in the hospital may be prolonged if you have major complications.
Q5. What is the recovery time for pancreatic cancer?
A. It might take more than a year to be fully free from this problem. The doctor will check you often with a test during your visit.
Q6. What are some lifestyle changes I can make to reduce my risk of pancreatic cancer?
A. You can quit smoking, move around, drink water, and eat good food to make it less likely to get this problem.
Q7. What are some side effects of pancreatic cancer treatment?
A. Some effects are skin issues, feeling sick, low blood cell count, stomach hurting, mouth sores, being very tired, and not wanting to eat.
Q8. How often should I follow up with my doctor after pancreatic cancer treatment?
A. It is based on how you are doing. After the pancreas cancer is treated, patients should see the doctor every 3 months.
Best Pancreatic Cancer Treatment Hospitals in India
The best hospital for pancreatic cancer treatment in India are equipped with cutting-edge technology and the latest innovation to provide the best cancer care. Here is a list of the best pancreatic cancer hospitals in India which provide the best cancer treatment and surgery:
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
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Medically Reviewed By MedicoExperts Editorial & Clinically Review Board On 25 May 2024
Author Bio:
Dr. Subhamoy Mukherjee is a molecular oncologist with experience working with genomic profiles. He has several years of experience in scientific writing. He takes a strong interest in making people aware of different treatment approaches in cancer, and acute and chronic diseases. He also has an interest in innovative approaches for treating different mental and physical illnesses. View all posts by Dr. Subhamoy Mukherjee
