Did you know that prostate cancer is the second most prevalent cancer globally? It is also the fifth-leading cause of cancer-related deaths among men. But why such a high number for this type of cancer? Mainly because of a lack of awareness and the subsequent roadblocks in its treatment.
GoMedii is here to bring a change with its affordable prostate cancer treatment in India – making the information and the treatment more accessible. Read on to learn how!
An Overview of Affordable Prostate Cancer Treatment in India
Indian hospitals offer some of the most affordable prostate cancer treatments in India. You can get the same procedure done in India at almost one-fifth of the cost compared to countries such as the USA and the UK.
All about Prostate Cancer
Prostate cancer is a type of cancer that occurs in the prostate gland of a man. The prostate is a walnut-sized gland of the male reproductive system that lies just below the bladder, surrounding the urethra. The prostate gland produces the seminal fluid that helps nourish and transport sperm during ejaculation. When the cells in the prostate gland start dividing uncontrollably, it forms a tumor. This eventually leads to prostate cancer.
The cause of prostate cancer is still not clear to scientists. Like most cancers, prostate cancer also starts because of the changes in a person’s DNA. These mutations result in rapid growth and division of the cells, leading to cancer. In such cases, the cancerous cells tend to live while the healthy cells die. These abnormal cells can also break off from the primary tumor and spread to other body parts.
Symptoms of Prostate Cancer
Prostate Cancer acts slowly, due to which there are no signs and symptoms in its early stages.
More advanced prostate cancer may cause signs and symptoms such as:
- Trouble urinating
- Decreased force in the stream of urine
- Blood in the urine
- Blood in the semen
- Bone pain
- Losing weight without trying
- Erectile dysfunction
What are the Risk Factors Associated with Prostate Cancer?
Factors that can increase your risk of prostate cancer include:
- Older age: Your risk of prostate cancer increases as you age. It’s most common after age 50.
- Race: For reasons not yet determined, Black people have a greater risk of prostate cancer than people of other races. In Black people, prostate cancer is also more likely to be aggressive or advanced.
- Family history: If a blood relative, such as a parent, sibling, or child, has been diagnosed with prostate cancer, your risk may be increased. Also, if you have a family history of genes that increase the risk of breast cancer (BRCA1 or BRCA2) or a very strong family history of breast cancer, your risk of prostate cancer may be higher.
- Obesity: People who are obese may have a higher risk of prostate cancer than those who have a healthy weight, though studies have had mixed results. In obese people, the cancer is more likely to be more aggressive and more likely to return after initial treatment.
Diagnosis of Prostate Cancer
By the time a person gets himself tested, the prostate cancer would have already reached the advanced stage. The diagnosis is made in two phases – screening and diagnosis. You may need further tests if the doctor finds any abnormality during the prostate screening.
Prostate screening tests might include:
- Digital rectal exam (DRE). It’s done by inserting a gloved and lubricated finger into the rectum to examine your prostate gland for abnormalities.
- Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test. PSA level is analyzed from your blood sample. If it’s more than recommended, then further tests may be required
If further tests are required, then the following is done:
- Ultrasound: A small probe (about the size and shape of a cigar) is placed inside your rectum to create a picture of your prostate gland using sound waves.
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI): MRI will aid your doctor in planning a procedure to remove prostate tissue samples.
- Prostate Biopsy: A thin needle is inserted into the prostate to collect tissue. The tissue sample is then analyzed in a lab to determine the presence of cancer cells.
Other tests include Genomic testing (which analyzes your prostate cancer cells to determine which gene mutations are present) and Gleason Score (for grading your biopsy report) to check the aggressiveness of cancer. You may also need a Positron emission tomography (PET) scan, bone scan, or Computerized tomography (CT) scan to check its spread.
What are the Treatment Options of Prostate Cancer?
Doctors may recommend active surveillance for low-grade prostate cancer. It involves regular follow-up blood tests, rectal exams, and prostate biopsies to check the progression of prostate cancer. If tests indicate a growth in your cancer, you may opt for a prostate cancer treatment such as radiation or surgery.
If the tests show a progression in prostate cancer, you may opt for prostate cancer treatment such as:
Surgery of Prostate Cancer
The surgeon will fully remove the prostate gland and a few nymph nodes.
The most common surgical technique is laparoscopic prostatectomy. The surgical instruments are attached to a mechanical device (robot) and inserted through several small incisions in your abdomen. The surgeon then guides the robot using hand controls to perform the surgery. The other one is retropubic surgery. In this one, a long incision is made in your lower abdomen to access and remove the prostate gland.
Non-invasive treatments of Prostate Cancer
Non-invasive treatments include:
- Chemotherapy: Cancer drugs are administered regularly to shrink or kill cancer cells.
- Hormone Therapy: Patients are given pills and shots to block the hormones the cancer cells need to grow.
- 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.
- Radiation Therapy: Cancer cells are killed using high-intensity X-ray beams.
- Brachytherapy: Rice-sized radiation seeds are placed inside the prostate tissue to deliver a low dose of radiation over a long period.
- Stem Cell/Bone Marrow Transplant: It involves restoring the stem cells that grow into blood cells in people who have had theirs lost due to high doses of radiation therapy or chemotherapy.
- Targeted Therapy: Uses medicines to target specific proteins in the prostate cancer cells to inhibit their growth.
- Hyperthermia/Thermal Therapy: This treatment uses lasers, perfusion, or radio waves to heat body tissues as high as 113 °F (45 °C) to kill cancer cells. Thermotherapy causes minimal harm to the tissues.
- Photodynamic Therapy: PDT uses photosensitizer (a drug activated by light) to kill cancer cells.
- Cryoablation: Gas is pumped into the tissue to freeze it, then it is left to thaw. This process is done multiple times to kill cancer cells.
How affordable is prostate cancer treatment in India?
Affordable prostate cancer treatment in India aims to make cancer therapies accessible to the global communities. The prostate cancer treatment cost in India ranges from $3500 to $11,500, depending upon the severity of cancer and the type of treatment chosen.
Top Hospitals for Affordable Prostate Cancer Treatment in India
The following hospitals provide affordable cancer treatment in India. These hospitals are equipped with the latest medical equipment and house some of the best oncologists in India. Besides offering affordable prostate cancer treatment in India, they also provide highly-specialized palliative care to their patients.
Team GoMedii has compiled a list of top hospitals for affordable prostate cancer treatment in India.
- Sri Ramchandra Medical Center, Chennai, Tamil Nadu
- Lilavati Hospital and Research Centre, Mumbai, Maharashtra
- Gleneagles Global Hospital, Hyderabad, Telengana
- Batra Hospital and Medical Research Centre, Delhi
- Fortis Hospital, Ahmedabad, Gujarat
- Venkateshwar Hospital, Delhi
- Sri Balaji Action Medical Institute, Paschim Vihar, Delhi
- Care Institue of Medical Sciences, Ahmedabad, Gujarat
- Nanavati Super Specialty Hospital, Mumbai, Maharashtra
- Medanta The Medicity, Gurugram, Haryana
Indian hospitals offer some of the most affordable prostate cancer treatments in India. You can get the same procedure done in India at 1/5th of the cost.
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