Breast Cancer Treatment in India: Costs, Treatments and Hospitals

Breast cancer is the most prevalent cancer in the world. A woman’s chance of dying from breast cancer is about 1 in 39 (about 2.5%). In 2020, there were 2.3 million women diagnosed with breast cancer and 685 000 deaths globally. As of the end of 2020, there were 7.8 million women alive who were diagnosed with breast cancer in the past five years. Breast cancer treatment in India is one of the most sought-after treatments.

Keep reading!

 

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An Overview of Breast Cancer Treatment in India

 

Indian hospitals are highly equipped. The cost of breast cancer treatment in India ranges from $2000 to $8000, depending on the type and stage of breast cancer.

 

All About Breast Cancer

 

Breast cancer is a cancer that starts in the breasts. It occurs when the cells in the breast start dividing and growing abnormally. This abnormal spurt in cell division leads to the formation of tumors. However, breast cancer can be found in both males and females; it’s far more common in females.

 

breast cancer treatment in india

 

Stages of Breast Cancer

 

Staging is a way to determine the extent of cancer in your body, considering factors such as tumor size, location, and whether it has metastasized to other areas. The stages of breast cancer are:

 

  • Stage 0: This is a precancerous condition as the cells haven’t broken out of the breast ducts.
  • Stage 1: The cancer cells have spread to nearby tissues.
  • Stage 2: Tumors can either be less than 2 centimeters and have spread to underarm lymph nodes or greater than 5 centimeters in size but without any spread to underarm lymph nodes. In this stage, tumors may measure between 2 to 5 centimeters, and their impact on nearby lymph nodes may or may not be present.
  • Stage 3: Also called locally advanced breast cancer, cancer has spread beyond the point of its origin but is yet to spread to distant parts of the body.
  • Stage 4: Metastatic breast cancer means the cancer cells have spread to distant body organs.

Types of Breast Cancer

 

There are various types of breast cancer, depending on its origin, namely:

 

  • Ductal carcinoma in situ: It is a precancerous condition where the cancer cells are still within your milk ducts. This condition is very much treatable.
  • Lobular Carcinoma in situ:
  • Infiltrating Duct Carcinoma: A most common type of breast cancer, it starts in your milk ducts. The cancer cells tend to break through the wall of your duct and spread to the surrounding tissue.
  • Infiltrating Lobular Carcinoma: This type of breast cancer occurs in your breast lobules, where milk production occurs.
  • Triple Negative Breast Cancer: It is one of the most challenging breast cancers to treat due to the difficulty in its diagnosis. This happens due to the absence of three primary markers associated with other forms of breast cancer.
  • Paget’s Disease of the Breast: This form of breast cancer affects the skin of the nipple and the one surrounding it, called the areola.
  • Inflammatory Breast Cancer: Resembling an infection, this type of skin cancer occurs due to the collection of cancer cells in your breast skin’s nymph nodes/vessels.

 

When discussing breast cancer, we generally discuss those originating in the milk ducts. Other rare forms of breast cancer are:

 

  • Angiosarcoma: Rare type of breast cancer that builds up in the cells lining the blood or lymph vessels.
  • Phyllodes Tumors: These start in the connective tissues as benign tumors but can sometimes turn into malignant ones.

What Causes Of Breast Cancer?

 

Breast cancer occurs when a genetic mutation happens in the breast cells, dividing them uncontrollably. But just like any other cancer, scientists have yet to know the reason behind this mutation.

 

What are the Early Signs and Symptoms of Breast Cancer?

 

The signs and symptoms of breast cancer can differ from person to person. The possible signs and symptoms of breast cancer are:

 

  • Change in the size, shape, or appearance of your breast.
  • A breast lump or thickening (may feel as small as a pea) that feels different from the surrounding tissue
  • A newly inverted nipple
  • Redness or pitting of the skin over your breast, like the skin of an orange
  • A blood-stained or clear fluid discharge from your nipple
  • A marble-like hardened area under your skin
  • Peeling, scaling, crusting, or flaking of the pigmented area of skin surrounding the nipple (areola) or breast skin

 

What are the Risk Factors of Breast Cancer?

 

There are many risk factors associated with the onset of breast cancer. Something as simple as gender can increase or decrease your chances of getting breast cancer. Some risk factors associated with breast cancer are:

 

  • Sex: Women are much more likely to develop breast cancer as compared to men
  • Smoking: Consumption of tobacco has been linked to many cancers, and breast cancer is no exception
  • Genetics: If any of your blood relatives have been diagnosed with breast cancer, chances are you might also develop the condition
  • Alcohol Use: Having alcohol can increase your chances of developing certain types of breast cancers
  • Age: Your chance of getting breast cancer increases with age, especially if you are above 55
  • Obesity: Being obese increases your chances of getting breast cancer
  • Radiation Exposure: Your chances of betting breast cancer increase if you have undergone radiation treatments in the past
  • Hormone Replacement Therapy: Undergoing HRT can increase the chances of getting breast cancer

 

There are many more risk factors, such as taking hormonal pills to treat signs and symptoms of menopause, having breast cancer in one breast, getting pregnant after 30, etc.

 

How to Diagnose Of Breast Cancer?

 

Your medical practitioner will look into your medical history and will perform a breast examination, post which you may be recommended the following tests:

 

  • Mammogram: It uses X-rays to detect changes or abnormal growth in your breasts.
  • Ultrasonography: Sound waves are used to take pictures of your breast tissues to diagnose breast lumps.
  • PET Scan: A special dye is injected into your veins, and images are taken with a scanner to highlight suspicious areas.
  • MRI: A detailed structure of your breast is created using magnets and radio waves.
  • Biopsy: A specialized needle guided by X-rays is used to extract a core of tissue from the suspicious area. The sample is then analyzed to determine whether there are cancer cells.

After breast cancer diagnosis, staging is done to determine the further course of action. The following tests are done to determine the stage of the breast cancer:

  • Blood tests, such as a complete blood count
  • Mammogram of the other breast to look for signs of cancer
  • Breast MRI
  • Bone scan
  • Computerized tomography (CT) scan
  • Positron emission tomography (PET) scan

 

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How can Breast Cancer be Treated?

 

The type and stage of breast cancer generally determines the treatment for breast cancer. Most women opt for surgery as its affordable and hassle-free. The reoccurrence of breast cancer highly decreases with surgery.

 

Various surgeries available for breast cancer are:

 

  1. Lumpectomy: Removal of tumor and the surrounding healthy tissue around it
  2. Mastectomy: Removal of the entire breast
  3. Sentinel Node Biopsy: Removal of only affected lymph nodes
  4. Axillary Lymph Node Dissection: Removal of lymph nodes under your arm
  5. Radial Mastectomy: Removal of your entire breast, nipple, underarm lymph nodes, and chest wall muscles.
  6. Modified Radial Mastectomy: Removal of your whole breast and nearby lymph nodes.

Read more here.

 

Other options for breast cancer treatment in India include:

 

  1. Chemotherapy: Cancer drugs are administered regularly to shrink or kill cancer cells.
  2. Hormone Therapy: Patients are given pills and shots to block the hormones the cancer cells need to grow.
  3. Immunotherapy: The treatment ropes in your body’s immune system to fight off the cancer cells or control the side effects of other cancer treatments.
  4. Radiation Therapy: High-intensity X-ray beams are used to kill cancer cells.
  5. Targeted Therapy: Medicines targeting specific proteins in the cancer cells are used to stop their growth.

Cost of Breast Cancer Treatment in India

 

The cost of breast cancer treatment in India depends on the treatment recommended for the patient. This depends upon the type and stage of cancer that the individual had. The treatment cost ranges from $2000 to $8000.

 

Top Hospitals for Breast Cancer Treatment in India

 

  1. Fortis Hospital, Bangalore
  2. MGM Healthcare, Chennai
  3. Venkateshwar Hospital, New Delhi
  4. Batra Hospital and Medical Research Centre, Delhi
  5. BLK Super Specialty Hospital, Delhi
  6. Max Super Specialty Hospital, Delhi
  7. Medanta the Medicity, Gurgaon
  8. Care Institute of Medical Sciences, Ahmedabad
  9. Gleneagles Global Hospital, Hyderabad
  10. Lilavati Hospital and Research Centre, Mumbai

FAQs on Breast Cancer Treatment in India

 

What is the cost of breast cancer treatment in India?

 

The cost of breast cancer treatment in India depends on the treatment recommended for the patient. This depends upon the type and stage of cancer that the individual had. The treatment cost ranges from $2000 to $8000.

 

Is India good for breast cancer treatment?

 

India is known for its world-class healthcare chains. We have one of the best oncologists and surgeons worldwide, with vast years of experience. The overall success rate of breast cancer surgery in India is around 80%.

 

Is breast cancer curable?

 

It all depends on the stage and type of breast cancer that an individual is afflicted with. Breast cancer surgery drastically reduces the chances of reoccurrence of breast cancer.

 

Choose GoMedii for an affordable Breast Cancer Treatment in India

 

If you are looking for affordable breast cancer treatment in India, you are at the right place and time! Trust GoMedii with your treatment; we assure you of a top-notch and hassle-free process.

 

Choose GoMedii as your treatment partner to get the best treatment at an affordable cost, and through a hustle-free process. You can simply Drop a query to experience revolutionized treatment services via Whatsapp (+91 9311101477) or email us at connect@gomedii.com our team will contact you as soon as possible. To make things easier for you, just download our app from your Google play or app store!

 

Feel free to drop your queries through this form. Our team of experts will contact you!

 

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