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The True Cost of Chemotherapy in India: Beyond the Hospital Bills
By Raveena M Prakash
Chemotherapy is an integral part of cancer treatment. Chemotherapy, or chemo, is a powerful drug treatment often used to destroy the cancerous cells in your body. According to some studies, the incidence of cancer cases in India is estimated to increase by 12.8% in 2025 as compared to 2020!
Whether you have been diagnosed with cancer and your doctor has recommended undergoing chemotherapy alone or combined with other treatments and you are wondering about the average cost of cancer treatment in India, especially the chemotherapy cost in India, then this blog is for you!
In this article, we’ll explore more into chemotherapy cost, what the average cost of cancer treatment in India is, factors affecting chemotherapy cost, what the additional bills are apart from your hospital bills, and much more!
Cost of Chemotherapy in India
Chemotherapy costs in India are changed according to hospitals in India. The average cost of chemotherapy in India starts at 12,000 rupees for one session. However, the cost of chemotherapy in India is often influenced by the type of cancer, stage of cancer, specific medicine used, duration and frequency of chemo used, and which cancer hospital and specialist you are consulting. Mostly, 5 to 6 sessions of chemo are needed. In some rare cases, the cycles of chemo are increased depending upon the patient's medical condition.
Chemotherapy cost: Oncare vs. other hospitals in India
Chemotherapy costs at Oncare cancer centers are comparatively less than other cancer hospitals in Delhi. Oncare offers chemotherapy treatments at 40 to 50% lower prices when compared to other cancer hospitals in India.
The chemotherapy price at Oncare Cancer Center starts at 12,000 to 14,000 rupees. Meanwhile, in other corporate hospitals in India, the cost of chemotherapy starts from 25,000 to 40,000 rupees.
If you are looking for high-quality cancer treatments in an affordable price range with experienced specialist consultation, visit Oncare Cancer Center’s official website now!
Cancer treatment cost of India: Oncare vs. other cancer hospitals in India
Here is the accurate comparison of cancer treatment cost at Oncare vs. other Cancer hospitals in India:
Oncare Cancer Center | Other Cancer hospitals in India | ||
|---|---|---|---|
Treatment Procedure | Price range | Treatment Procedure | Price range |
Chemotherapy | 12,000-35,000 | Chemotherapy | 25,000-75,000 |
Targeted Therapy | 25,000-50,000 | Targeted Therapy | 50,000-1,00,000 |
Surgery cost | 75,000-5,00,000 | Surgery cost | 2,00,000-10,00,000 |
PET CT | 12,000 | PET CT | 25,000-40,000 |
Oncare is the best cancer hospital in India; this prestigious cancer care institution provides access to various cancer treatments at affordable prices. We are committed to supporting and guiding our cancer patients to focus solely on their healing journey rather than worrying about the cost of their cancer cure.
How are the type of cancer and treatment regimen affecting the cost of chemotherapy?
One of the significant factors affecting the cost of chemotherapy is the type of cancer and cancer stage; additionally, the treatment regimen is followed to cure cancer in patients. The chemotherapy regimen in a cancer patient includes a combination of drugs and their dosage, and the frequency and duration of the chemotherapy procedure lead to the overall cost of the procedure.
If a patient is diagnosed with a rare type of cancer, to treat these types of cancer, advanced types of drugs are required, which are often more expensive than common chemo drugs.
Factors affecting Chemotherapy cost
There are some important factors influencing the cost of chemotherapy in India. Including the type of cancer, stage of cancer, medication, overall duration of treatment, hospital infrastructure and personal medical conditions.
Here’s a list of factors affecting the overall cost of chemotherapy:
1. Type and stage of cancer
- Type of cancer: There are some rare types of cancer that require a more aggressive and extended time period for chemotherapy treatment. This often leads to an expensive price range when compared to the typical chemotherapy price range.
- Cancer stage: Rare and advanced stages of cancer might require a more intensive and prolonged time period for treatment, which will eventually result in the rise in the price range of chemo.
2. Chemotherapy drugs
- Types of drugs: There are several types of drugs used to perform chemotherapy depending upon the patient’s specific cancer, and some drug costs might be more expensive than other drugs.
- Dosage and frequency of chemotherapy: The amount and frequency of chemotherapy drugs used for the treatment might impact the overall cost of treatment.
3. Treatment plan and duration
- Treatment cycle: The number of chemotherapy sessions required will affect the overall cost of chemotherapy.
- Duration of treatment: When the treatment duration takes longer than usual, either due to the type of cancer and/or the extent of growth, the number of chemotherapy treatments will increase.
- Combined cancer treatments: If the cancer treatment needs to have combined therapy including surgery, radiation therapy, or immunotherapy, then the overall cost might increase.
4. Hospital infrastructure and Location
- Hospital Infrastructure: Some corporate cancer hospitals in India charge more than expected because of their treatment facilities, demand for medical oncologists, and advanced amenities for treatments.
- Location: Chemotherapy costs often vary according to the city and region you are consulting; if you are visiting a cancer hospital in a metropolitan city, it might result in a higher cost for the treatments.
5. Patient related factors
- Patient’s individual health conditions: If the patient has some medical conditions prior to cancer diagnosis, it might require additional medications or specific treatments, which directly affects the cost of chemotherapy.
- Response to chemotherapy or cancer treatments: If a cancer patient is not responding well to the chemotherapy, then specific adjustments are needed, which often leads to an increase in the price of treatments.
Additional bills apart from hospital bills
- Diagnosis and Tests: Performing some additional tests and procedures to monitor the patient’s health condition might also increase the overall cost of treatment.
- Travel and accommodation: Traveling to your specialized cancer center and staying there for a long time period for treatment might also increase the cost of your treatment.
- Additional medicine cost: Undergoing treatment such as chemotherapy might cause some side effects. To manage the side effects of chemotherapy, you need to take additional medicine, which adds up to your overall cost.
Consult Today
The true cost of chemotherapy in India extends far beyond the hospital bills. This starts from expensive medical bills to diagnosis, tests, transportation, loss of income, and emotional suffering. Cancer treatment often places a significant burden on cancer patients’ lives, both financially and emotionally. However, Oncare Cancer Center has transformed the landscape of traditional cancer treatments while providing high-quality cancer treatments along with experienced specialist consultation in an affordable price range.
Oncare is the best cancer hospital in India. Oncare stands out from other cancer hospitals because of its affordability and accessibility. We are committed to providing high-quality cancer treatments with expert oncologist consultation to all in an affordable price range.
Whether you or your loved ones need chemotherapy treatment for their cancer journey, then trust Oncare Cancer Center and call us now; get an appointment today!
A Day In The Life Of A Chemotherapy Patient
Frequently Asked Questions
The average cost of chemotherapy in India can vary depending on the hospital and location you are consulting. The cost of chemotherapy in India starts from 12,000 rupees per session.
Chemotherapy can be used to treat the terminal or last stage of cancer to manage and reduce the symptoms of cancer. However, in the majority of cases, it can’t cure cancer in the terminal stages of cancers.
Yes, if you are about to undergo chemotherapy, it can significantly impact the quality of your life, both physically and emotionally. It's important to understand it's a crucial treatment for cancer.
Here’s how chemotherapy will impact your life:
- Side effects: some of the side effects are temporary, while some side effects stay for months and years even after completing the treatment.
- Common short term side effects of chemotherapy: Fatigue, Nausea, diarrhea, constipation, hair loss, mouth sores, and memory issues.
- Long term side effects: Chronic fatigue, Peripheral neuropathy, brain fog and bone loss.
Chemotherapy typically lasts 3-6 months, depending on the patient's treatment response, type of cancer, and stage of cancer. A medical oncologist might plan to manage and control chemotherapy cycles in 1 to 5 days each, with 2 days off, for a total of 7 days known as the 7-day rule of chemotherapy. Sometimes the treatment will continue for 1-5 days per session, and then rest for 3-4 weeks to allow the blood cells and body to recover and get ready for the next session.
Chemotherapy often causes neuropathic pain, which is caused by peripheral and central nerve damage, and this will further result in numbness, burning, tingling, or extreme pain, especially in hands and feet.