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Metastatic Cancer Treatment
- Days In Hospital 21 days
- Outside Hospital Stay 60 days
- Success Rate 66%
Minimum Cost
$ 1500
Maximum Cost.
$ 8000
Overview of Metastatic Cancer Treatment in India
Metastatic cancers occur when tumor cells from one location invade multiple other locations in the body. However, metastatic tumors do not spread through blood. Instead, they spread by metastasizing to other regions by way of blood vessels. The metastatic process is often referred to as having multiple metastases or metastasized tumors. At the end stages of cancer when the main tumor has metastasized, treatment is rarely curative using currently accepted methods. In many instances, the only option available is to provide palliative care with a combination of therapies, concentrating primarily on improving the patient's quality of life. Each patient's metastatic signs and symptoms depend on where the metastasis has taken place.
Lung metastases can present with breathing complications while bone metastases frequently display symptoms of pain and exhaustion. Liver, lung, bone, and brain are the four most frequent sites of where metastatic cancer will develop in a patient's body. In many cases, patients receive a diagnosis of metastatic cancer before receiving a diagnosis of their primary cancer from which that metastatic process began. Patients receive treatment for metastatic cancer to alleviate the patient's symptoms rather than to cure the malignant condition. Life expectancies for patients diagnosed with metastatic cancer are generally determined by the patient's health status and the location in the patient's body where his cancer resides.
What Is Metastasis?
Metastasis refers to cancer that has spread from the original site to another part of the body. Not all cancers will metastasise; how likely or possible it is for a particular kind of cancer to do so depends on several factors: the size of the primary tumour, the type of cancer it is, and where the primary tumour was located when diagnosed.
There are three ways that cancers can metastasise. Cancer cells may:
- Invade the surrounding tissues where the primary tumour is located
- Circulate through the blood to other body parts, including distant organs and bone
- Move through lymphatic vessels to nearby lymph nodes or farther away.
Other terms used to refer to metastasis are:
- Metastatic Cancers;
- Stage IV Cancer;
- Secondary Cancer;
- Metastatic Cancer (or Mets Cancer).
Which Cancers Metastasise?
All cancer types have the potential to spread to other parts of the body. The following list contains the ten most common recipients of metastases from the most frequently diagnosed cancers:
- Breast
- Colorectal
- Esophagus
- Lung
- Ovaries
- Pancreas
- Prostate
- Skin cancers
- Stomach
- Uterus.
Where Does Cancer Metastasise First?
The primary (original) tumour's location determines where cancer spreads after metastasis. Some of the most prevalent sites of metastases are the:
- Adrenal glands.
- Bones.
- Brain.
- Liver.
- Lungs.
- Nodes of lymph.
- peritoneum.
Types of Metastatic Cancer Treatment:
The types of treatment options related to the treatment of patients who have metastatic cancer include:
Palliative Care
Explains how palliative care provides support for patients suffering from systemic pain due to hematogenous metastases. In addition, it provides mental and psychological support to patients diagnosed with metastatic malignancy and their primary/support system (family, friends, caregivers).
Surgery
Explains surgical treatment for patients diagnosed with metastatic cancer. Surgical procedures are performed when the tumor compresses local tissue resulting in impaired function (e.g., removal of a tumor in the brain to relieve patient symptoms that were due to the compressive effect of the tumor on brain tissue).
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy treatment is used to destroy cancer cells in patients' bodies chemically. Although chemotherapy may also be used in conjunction with other treatment options, chemotherapy is most commonly used as a method to treat metastatic cancer patients.
Radiation Therapy
Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to kill a tumor and relieve symptoms for the patient, as well as to combine therapies.
Targeted Therapy
Targeted drug therapy targets specific molecules or pathways that are instrumental in the development or spread of a particular type of cancer. This is an advanced form of cancer treatment.
Immunotherapy
The goal of immunotherapy is to inhibit proteins that serve to suppress the immune system's ability to fight against cancer cells. Vaccines facilitate this process.
Hormone Therapy
Hormonal therapy is for hormone-sensitive cancers such as breast and prostate cancer; it works by blocking hormone production and/or decreasing receptor sites on the cancer cells.
Procedure:
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Cost of Metastatic Cancer Treatment in India
The cost of metastatic cancer treatment varies depending on the patient's condition. The cost varies depending on the type of treatment employed for a patient. The cost of metastatic cancer treatment might also differ depending on where section of the body is affected.
|
Treatment |
Min |
Max |
|
Radiotherapy |
2273 USD |
2983 USD |
|
Chemotherapy |
532 USD |
710 USD |
|
Metastatic Cancer Treatment |
1598 USD |
5983 USD |
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Indications of Metastatic Cancer Treatment:
Depending on the type of cancer and the location where it has spread, metastatic cancer will present with different signs and symptoms. Some patients do not indicate that they have metastatic cancer; they do not display any visible signs of their disease at all.
Patients suffering from metastatic brain cancer may experience such symptoms as nausea, headaches, difficulty with speech, vision, dizziness, confusion, and difficulty walking.
Patients suffering from metastatic bone cancer may suffer from a broken bone (due to either a minor injury or no apparent injury). Additional potential presentations would include bone pain, urinary incontinence, severe back pain, and weakness in the legs or arms.
Signs and symptoms commonly associated with metastatic lung cancer would include cough, chest discomfort/pain, bloody cough, and shortness of breath.
General signs and symptoms associated with advanced cancers, such as metastatic breast cancer, would include headaches, pain for no explained reason, unexplained weight loss, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, and extreme fatigue.
Metastatic Tumour Diagnosis & Tests
Currently, there is no universal way to determine whether or not you have metastatic disease. Physicians will typically order specific tests based on the type of cancer as well as the manifestations of the disease that you are experiencing.
Blood tests
A routine blood test will allow the physician to assess the extent of damage to your liver. An elevation of the liver enzyme in the blood may indicate the presence of metastases to the liver; however, many patients with advanced cancer will have normal liver enzyme levels.
Tumor markers
Each type of cancer has its own specific markers that may aid in aiding your physician to monitor your condition postdiagnosis. An increase in the level of any given marker after a diagnosis could indicate the progression of your disease. Examples include:
- Colon Cancer: CEA or carcinoembryonic antigen
- Ovarian Cancer: CA-125
- Prostate Cancer: PSA or prostate-specific antigen
- Testicular Cancer: AFP or alpha-fetoprotein and HCG or human chorionic gonadotropin.
A multitude of tumor markers exist that have lower specificity than those listed above and therefore, cannot be reliably utilized for determining the presence of metastes.
The following list contains the types of tests that are often referred to as imaging tests that allow you to see different types of cancers and how those cancers look. It is important to remember, when determining which type of imaging test is best to use, to consider what type of symptoms someone has as well as the type of cancer they are dealing with (what cancer it might be).
Ultrasound is used to examine someone's abdomen and look for the presence of any tumours and also look for fluid within the abdomen that is present in both Cystic (fluid-filled) and solid (mass, typically a tumour).
Computed Tomography (CT Scan) is another type of imaging test that is used to see if there are any irregularities within the person's head/neck/chest/abdomen/pelvis, including whether or not they have any tumours located in their Lungs, Liver and Lymph Nodes.
Bone Scans utilise Radionuclides (radioactive isotopes) to identify damaged Bone using "hot spot" locations found on the Bone Scan itself as well as to see if there are any signs of cancer in the patient's Body. If the Physician believes that a Bone Fracture has occurred, he can also order X-rays to evaluate what has happened.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) utilises Radio Waves and Powerful Magnets to produce internal Body images. The MRI can also help identify whether or not there are injuries to the Spinal Cord or metastatic lesions have developed in the Brain.
Positron Emission Tomography (PET Scan) also assists in identifying any areas of abnormality. It does this by using a unique tracer, which is a radioactive dye, that highlights areas of concern.
Biopsy:
A sample of the tissue is taken from the site of the original tumour or from areas that are suspected of potentially being a tumour. The sample will then be looked at under the microscope in order to determine if there are cancer cells present, as well as help to determine the type of cancer.
Endoscopy:
Endoscopes are used to look at the inside of the body (usually in the case of creating a visual examination of the digestive tract) to find tumours (or other abnormalities).
Bone Marrow Aspiration and Biopsy:
A Bone Marrow Aspiration/Biopsy is performed when there is suspicion that the cancer has spread into the Bone Marrow (the area of the body where blood cells are produced). The sample obtained from Bone Marrow aspirations is then tested for evidence of cancer.
Genetic Testing:
Genetic testing may be performed when there is suspicion of a type of cancer that has certain genetic changes, as the results of this type of testing will aid in selecting treatment options.
Lymph Node Evaluation:
Some lymph nodes that are located near the primary tumour may be surgically removed for the purpose of evaluation or may also be assessed by means of a biopsy to see if the cancer has spread to those areas.
Risk Factors:
Below are the risk factors associated with metastatic cancer:
Primary Cancer
Metastatic cancer is a result of primary cancer, which originates in any part of the body. Without treating the primary cancer on time, you could end up with metastatic cancer.
Stage of Primary Cancer
The stage at which the primary cancer is first diagnosed can also raise the likelihood for developing metastatic cancer; the more advanced the cancer is at diagnosis, the higher the chances.
Tumour Size
If a tumour is larger in size then it has the higher probability of having already spread to distant organs to develop metastatic cancer.
Lymph Node Involvement
When cancer has affected local lymph nodes, there is an increased risk of additional metastasis occurring.
Genetic Influences
Patients with a primary cancer caused by genetic susceptibility are at an increased likelihood of developing that cancer to the metastatic stage.
Age
Metastatic cancers tend to occur more often among older adults than younger individuals; thus, the probability that someone over 60 years old will develop a metastatic tumor is greater than for those under 60 years old.
Sex
Some types of malignant tumours occur more commonly in women and some more frequently in men. An example is lung carcinoma which occurs predominantly in males and may also metastasise.
Health Status of the Immune System
A patient's immune system may not function optimally and is therefore less likely to control the spread of cancer cells. Hence, patients who have a weakened immune system have an increased susceptibility to developing a metastatic tumour.
Habits Related to Smoking and Lifestyle
Certain factors, such as smoking and unhealthy lifestyles, can raise the likelihood of developing certain types of tumours and promote their ability to spread to other organs.
Exposure to Carcinogenic Materials
Both environmental and job-related exposure to carcinogenic agents may raise a person's chance of becoming afflicted with cancer and developing a metastasised tumour.