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Chemotherapy
- Days In Hospital 1 days
- Outside Hospital Stay 21 days
- Success Rate 75%
Minimum Cost
$ 800
Maximum Cost.
$ 1500
Overview of Chemotherapy in India
Chemotherapy involves a category of treatment that acts on cancer cells. Chemotherapy agents kill cancer treatment through causing damage to them or limiting their growth. Chemotherapy can be administered orally or by injection. In both circumstances, chemotherapy enters the bloodstream and exerts its effects on tumor cells throughout the body. The class of chemotherapy agents used is typically determined by the type of cancer for which chemotherapy has been recommended or sometimes, the stage of cancer at diagnosis. Chemotherapy can also be administered pre-operatively to shrink tumor size and post-operatively to kill remaining cancer cells.
Chemotherapy is the most beneficial treatment for cancers that have also widely disseminated to other locations in the body. Chemotherapy is beneficial but can also cause harm to the body. However, advanced therapies have enabled the side effects to be reduced, resulting in better efficacy of killing cancer cells. Across the globe, there are many health care systems with systems, cancer centers, and health care providers who provide specialized consultants for treating and managing cancer treatment, including chemotherapy.
What Is Chemotherapy?
Chemotherapy is a form of cancer therapy. This treatment, sometimes referred to as 'chemo', is one of several different types of cancer therapy using drugs to fight cancer. Other types of drug therapies include:
- Hormone therapy: Medications that block certain cancers from receiving the hormones they need to develop.
- Immunotherapy: Medications that assist your immune system in combating cancer.
- Targeted therapy: Medicines that change how the cancer cells grow and behave.
A medical oncologist supervises the treatment. These are healthcare providers who specialise in chemotherapy and other cancer-fighting medications.
Chemotherapy may be combined with surgery or radiation therapy to heal cancer.
How Does Chemotherapy Work?
Cancer cells are able to develop and grow without restraint, and chemotherapy kills cancer cells or inhibits them from multiplying.
Your oncologist may use chemotherapy in many ways:
- Adjuvant therapy: Chemotherapy kills cancer cells just after surgery or radiation therapy.
- Curative therapy: Chemotherapy (may include radiation and/or surgery) eliminates the cancer and it does not come back.
- Neoadjuvant therapy: Chemotherapy kills a tumor before surgery or radiation therapy.
- Palliative therapy: Chemotherapy kills a tumor and reduces symptoms, but it does not cure the cancer.
Types of Chemotherapy:
Alkylating Agents
These agents injure the DNA of cancer cells thereby preventing them from matruing. These agents injure the main source which controls the cancer cell growth. Some examples are:
- Cyclophosphamide
- Cisplatin
- busulfan
Antimetabolites
These agents injure or prevent the DNA or RNA synthesis of cancer cells and don't allow them to generate proteins which are necessary for cancer cell growth, so in a way, these agents drive growth. Some examples are:
- Methotrexate (MTX)
- 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)
- gemcitabine
Anthracyclines
These drugs prevent the synthesis of DNA and RNA and also disrupt DNA structure. Examples include:
- Doxorubicin
- Daunorubicin
- Epirubicin.
Topoisomerase Inhibitors
These drugs inhibit the enzymes called topoisomerases, which allow for organised conditions of normal synthesis of DNA strands during the division of cells. When the vital enzyme called topoisomerase is absent or blocked, the DNA that resides within those classic cancer cells would degrade and die. Examples include:
- Etoposide
- Topotecan
- Irinotecan
Mitotic Blockers
The use of these medications inhibit or block mitosis, or cell division, by disrupting the structural elements that facilitate chromosome partitioning. Examples include:
- Paclitaxel
- Docetaxel
- Vinblastine
Hormonal Therapy
This includes chemotherapy in which drugs inhibit hormone production, or block hormone receptors that these hormones act on. Examples of hormonal therapies include:
- Tamoxifen
- Letrozole
- Bicalutamide
Immunotherapy
These medications activate the immune system to attack the malignant cells. Examples of immunotherapy include:
- interleukin-2 (IL-2)
- interferon-alpha
- pembrolizumab.
Target drug therapies
These medications target specific proteins that regulate cancer growth and persistence. They can inhibit angiogenesis and cause cancer cell death. Some examples are:
- tyrosine kinase inhibitors
- monoclonal antibodies
- proteasome inhibitors
Procedure:
Depending on the specific type of cancer and the chemotherapy medications being used, chemotherapy may be given in a variety of ways.
- Chemotherapy is generally administered through a vein (intravenously) and is commonly referred to as intravenous chemotherapy.
- Some chemotherapy drugs are given in the form of a tablet or capsule (oral chemotherapy).
- Some chemotherapy drugs may be given by intramuscular injection into a muscle.
- Some may be administered by subcutaneous injection into the area just under the skin.
Methods of administration listed above allow for chemotherapy to be transported into the bloodstream and spread throughout the body to enable drugs to reach cancer cells. In some cases, chemotherapy may be administered intrathecally, or injected into the fluid surrounding the spine for specific cancer types. Chemotherapy is sometimes delivered in a body cavity, such as the pelvic cavity or bladder, also referred to as intracavity chemotherapy.
Drugs that are administered via these methods tend to stay at the site of administration and typically do not affect cells in other tissues of the body. In some cases, particularly skin cancer, chemotherapy creams may also be used in which they only affect cells locally in the area where the cream is applied to the skin.
Best Doctors in India
Cost of Chemotherapy in India
Several factors influence the price of chemotherapy treatment in India, including the type of cancer, the stage of cancer, the drug type, the duration of the treatment, the facilities available in the hospital and of course, the city. Chemotherapy in India for an Indian Patient costs approx. USD 600 to USD 800. For International patients, the cost of chemotherapy is approx. USD 900 to USD 1100.
Top Hospitals in India
Indications of Chemotherapy:
Chemotherapy can be utilised for a variety of cancers, including:
- Primary cancer: Cancers that do not extend to other regions of your body.
- Metastatic cancer: Cancers that have metastasised to other parts of your body.
The type of chemotherapy you receive is based on several factors:
- Where the cancer is located.
- The stage of the cancer, or how advanced the cancer is.
- Your overall health.
Risk Factors:
The side effects you experience will vary depending on which normal cells are harmed by chemotherapy. Much depends on which chemotherapy medications you're receiving and the doses. Common side effects are:
Fatigue. Fatigue is the most commonly reported side effect of chemotherapy. The simple act of your body fighting cancer while also trying to rest and recover from treatment can leave you fatigued. Chemotherapy can also result in low blood counts (anemia) that will contribute to feeling tired.
Hair loss. Hair loss generally will begin within the first three weeks of starting chemotherapy. Hair loss may be permanent; however, hair usually starts to grow back in two to three months after treatment has stopped. It may be a different color or texture than prior to chemotherapy.
Skin changes. Chemotherapy can irritate your skin. Rashes, including hand-foot syndrome, are likely to occur during chemotherapy. Chemotherapy may also provoke sensitivity to sunlight, which may increase the chances of getting sunburned.
Nausea and vomiting. Nausea and vomiting due to chemotherapy (CINV) occurs in as many as 80% of people receiving chemotherapy. Your stomach will probably feel nauseous at some point.
Changes in bowel habits. Your bowel habits may change with chemotherapy. Constipation and diarrhea can occur, and some people become intolerant of lactose on a temporary basis.
Loss of appetite. Chemotherapy can cause your sense of taste to change and you also may lose your appetite. For example, bitter foods may taste very bitter to you. All foods may present a metallic taste.
Difficulty with eating. Mouth sores and a sore throat, which would make it difficult to eat, are common side effects of chemotherapy.
Bladder and kidney issues. Certain chemotherapy drugs will make it more difficult for you to pee and to empty your bladder. You will notice you may pee or dribble on yourself (urinary incontinence), you may notice pain or burning when you pee, or you may have the feeling you have to pee all the time.
An impaired immune response. Chemotherapy agents lower your white blood cell count. This increases your chances of falling sick. People receiving chemotherapy are especially at risk of developing neutropenia, which is low clue count of cells that fight infections.
Bruising and bleeding. Chemotherapy can lower your platelet count. Low platelets (thrombocytopenia) can cause more bleeding when injuring yourself. You may notice bruising easier than usual or observe small red spots of bleeding under your skin (petechiae).
Peripheral neuropathy. Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) can arise and cause feelings of pain, numbness or tingling (such as a ‘pins and needles’ sensation) in parts of your body, mostly your hands and feet. You may also feel uncoordinated and unable to control your muscles.
Cognitive issues. Chemobrain can make it hard for you to think the same way as before. Some people getting chemotherapy feel they have memory issues, especially concerning their short-term memory.
Sex and fertility issues. Chemotherapy can decrease levels of estrogen and testosterone. This can affect your libido and ability to conceive a child or get a partner pregnant, and may lead to the onset of early menopause. Some chemotherapy medications can hurt a fetus if you become pregnant or impregnate another person during treatment.