According to the American Cancer Society, over 800,000 people are diagnosed with liver cancer every year. It is also the leading cause behind cancer-related deaths, amounting to over 700,000 deaths every year.
Given how critical the liver is for our existence, struggling with liver cancer is every person’s worst nightmare, not to mention that liver cancer treatment is extremely expensive in the developed Western countries.
India is a leading country for liver cancer treatment, providing affordable therapy with top-notch facilities and care. In case you have doubts about liver cancer treatment in India, we hope this article answers all your questions.
Table of Contents
Feel free to skip ahead if one topic catches your eye:
- How to prepare for your medical tour to India for Liver Cancer Treatment?
- What can you expect while considering liver cancer treatment in India?
- Alternative Treatment Methods for Liver Cancer
- Why Choose India for Liver Cancer Treatment?
- What is the cost of Liver Cancer Treatment in India?
1. How to prepare for your medical tour to India for Liver Cancer Treatment?
When diagnosed with Liver Cancer, it is common for people to fumble their way around, especially with the treatment options, affordability, and the ideal doctors for the procedure. India takes care of all those needs and shortcomings.
If you are planning your liver cancer treatment in India, there are a few essential factors that you need to keep a check on.
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Make a checklist of the required documents.
As a foreign individual, the patient will need to provide the necessary documents to get the treatment started.
Some of the essential documents for the medical tour include:
- Hospital recommendation letter
- Patient’s photo
- Scanned copy of the Passport
- e-Medical Visa
- Proof of residential address
- Proof of required fund
- Recommendation and statements of the primary diagnosing doctor in the patient’s hometown
- Medical documents of the diagnosis
- Health insurance details
- Scanned copy of the attendant’s passport and address proof
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Prepare your body and mind for the treatment.
Undergoing rigorous cancer treatment can be taxing on your mental and physical health. This is why you must prepare yourself for the process, from the start till the end. Following are the essential pointers that you need to consider before the treatment.
- Prepare your mind
- Have realistic expectations and realize that complications might happen
- Focus on leading a healthy lifestyle
- Be optimistic
- Keep up with the prescribed medications by the surgeon
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Consultation with surgeon
Besides your documents and the healthy lifestyle, another factor worth considering is talking to your surgeon in India. If you have any queries concerning the treatment procedure, you should discuss the same with the doctor. Medinirvana arranges an online video call with the doctor, so that you can have a conversation and clear any doubts about the treatment.
India is also known to provide the best treatment for liver cancer with optimal care and assistance from the doctor and the remaining medical staff. The country also has multi-linguistic interpreters, making communication easy between the patient and the doctors.
2. What can you expect while considering liver cancer treatment in India?
Depending on the severity of liver cancer and the prior diagnosis, the doctors in India will suggest to you all the steps involved in pre and post-surgical care.
If the cancer is rough and has spread to other parts of the body, the surgeon will suggest surgical procedures like partial hepatectomy or liver transplant. Some of the things you can expect during the treatment include:
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Pre-surgical Care
Consultation with the experienced and highly-skilled oncologists in India to draw out a treatment plan for the patient.
Physical examination – before the surgeon proceeds with the final treatment plan, it is necessary for them to get the latest look into the state of the cancer spread, especially for the metastasis of the cancerous cells from the liver to the other organs in the body. Some of the physical tests that need to be done are imaging tests, blood tests, ultrasound, CT scan, MRI, and angiograms.
Biopsy – Other than the necessary tests mentioned above, the doctor might suggest getting a biopsy done from a high-tech lab.
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Post-surgical Care
Once the surgery is done, the patient needs to be under strict observation and optimal care to ensure a faster recovery. Some of the essential tips to keep in check include:
Follow-up – generally, the patient has to be hospitalized for a minimum of 3-5 days for partial hepatectomy and 3-4 weeks in case of a liver transplant. During and after the hospital stay, the patient needs follow-up consultations to ensure better care after the treatment.
Moreover, the patient needs to take care of the following:
- Incision care
- Taking the prescribed pain relief medications
- Avoid heavy-lifting and operating heavy-duty machinery
- Maintaining a healthy lifestyle with a nutritious diet
- Optimal care for any complications (if any)
Recovery timeline
The recovery timeline for liver cancer treatment varies from patient to patient. Moreover, it is also dependent on the procedure used for the treatment. In case the patient is getting a surgical procedure, the recovery timeline will be more compared to the non-surgical procedures like chemotherapy and radiation.
Some of the other factors that affect the recovery of the patient are:
- Immunity and healing capabilities of the patient
- The extent of the surgery and the severity of the condition
- The general health of the patient before the surgery
- Age of the patient
- Post-operative care
3. Alternative Treatment Methods for Liver Cancer
Apart from the four major types of treatment options for liver cancer, there are a few alternative options that one can look into. The top choices include:
Ablative therapies – In patients with poor general health, conducting surgery for removing the tumor is difficult and risky. Ablative treatments are ideal for liver cancer tumors that measure less than 3cm.
Radiofrequency ablation – It is one of the most common types of ablation therapies that uses high-energy radio waves to eliminate the small tumors in the liver.
Photodynamic therapy – It is useful for treating hepatocellular carcinoma, hepatoblastoma, cholangiocarcinoma, and liver metastases. It is a form of mesothelioma treatment that makes use of light to kill the cancerous cells.
Targeted therapy – This is a drug treatment that directly targets the cancerous cells’ protein composition, genetic disposition, and tissue environment to kill them. It helps inhibit the growth and spread of cancer in the liver and the rest of the body.
4. Why Choose India for Liver Cancer Treatment?
Other than the affordable cost of liver cancer treatment in India, the country is also known for providing the absolute best in terms of the success rate and post-treatment care for the patient.
Some of the most convincing reasons why India is the ideal country for liver cancer treatment include:
- The country has a panel of skilled, highly-qualified and experienced urologists, oncologists, and radiation oncologists
- There are leading cancer research institutes and hospitals in India that provide the best treatment and hospitality
- Hospitals are equipped with advanced and top-notch facilities that enable prompt diagnosis for a quicker treatment plan
- Acquiring a medical visa is hassle-free
- Meticulously followed safety protocols during Covid-19
- Pre and post-operative care with prompt privacy policies
- No language barrier
- Higher success rate
5. What is the cost of Liver Cancer Treatment in India?
Generally, the cost of liver cancer treatment in India depends on several factors.
The price depends on the severity of the condition and the treatment the patient needs. On average, the treatment costs start from INR 3,00,000 and will be more depending on the patient’s needs.
Factors affecting the cost of the treatment:
- The severity of the patient’s condition
- Age of the patient
- Prior lifestyle and general health of the patient
- Type of liver cancer the patient is suffering from
- Stage and grade of the cancer
- Charges imposed by the surgeon and the hospital
- Cost of accessory accommodation, travel expenses, and the food costs for the patient and the attendant
Take Away
India is growing as a center for affordable and world-class cancer treatment. With an increased number of cases of liver cancer worldwide, the patients must learn about the necessary inputs required for undergoing successful treatment for liver cancer in India. Medinirvana provides you with assured systematic planning for your visit to India to help have a smooth journey.
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