What is the Cost of a Lung Cancer Test?

Lung Cancer Detection: Test Costs, Diagnosis & Treatment Overview

Lung cancer has become a common cause of death globally, with a high fatality rate. Most people believe that smoking and tobacco are the cause of lung cancer, where everyone breathes in chemicals and dangerous smoke. Early detection through diagnostic tests of lung cancer can increase the chances of improving health and successful treatment. Additionally, the tests and treatment costs depend on the severity, stage, type of test, number of treatment sessions, and specific medical requirements.

Symptoms of Lung Cancer

The disease, lung cancer, is caused by uncontrollable cell division in the lungs. These damaged and uncountable dividing cells create tumours or masses of tissues that stop the proper function of organs in the body. Lung cancer symptoms do not appear early; they usually become noticeable at an advanced stage of the disease. Significant symptoms may include:

Chest pain
Blood with cough
Breathing shortness
Hoarseness
Wheezing

When lung cancer spreads to other parts of the body, it may exhibit the following symptoms:

Headache
Bone pain
Face or neck swelling
Appetite loss
Losing extreme weight

Lung Cancer Diagnosis Tests

Health professionals prefer several laboratory tests to detect cancerous cells, as well as their size and other details. Tests include:

Imaging Test:Provides visualisation details of cancer or tumour cells with proper size and location. Doctors usually prescribe MRI, CT, Chest X-ray, PET scan (Positron Emission Tomography), ultrasound, etc., as imaging tests to detect lung cancer.
Biopsy:This is a process that involves testing tissue samples to determine the type and stage of growth of cancer cells. Lung cancer biopsy is performed in several ways, including bronchoscopy, needle biopsy, liquid biopsy and mediastinoscopy.
Sputum Cytology:Helps to detect centrally placed squamous cell carcinoma if lung cancer cells grow or spread in the sputum.
Molecular Tests: In the diagnosis of lung cancer, molecular tests, including those for KRAS, EGFR, BRAF, ROS1, ALK, and MET, help identify genetic alterations. Detection of genetic changes, such as fusion, mutation, and amplification, in cancer or tumour cells guides the development of a treatment plan.

Cost of Lung Cancer Tests

In India, lung cancer diagnosis tests are expensive, depending on the clinical facilities and specific tests required. All tests for this disease may cost between Rs. 35,000 and Rs. 80,000, including X-ray, CT scan, PET scan, biopsy, and a few molecular tests. The following table highlights the lung cancer tests package and cost:

Tests Included in Package	Cost (INR)
Chest X-ray	Rs. 450 - 500
CECT Chest Scan	Rs. 3,500 - 7,000
Molecular Tests (Prescribed by Doctor)	Rs. 500 - 1,000
PET Scan of the Whole Body	Rs. 12,000 - 23,900
Whole Abdomen Ultrasound	Rs. 1,000 - 2,000
Liquid Biopsy Test	Rs. 33,000
Lung Marker Profile Test	Rs. 4,000 - 7,580
Total	Rs. 54,450 - 74,980 (Maximum)

Besides diagnosis tests costs, additional expenses and treatment of lung cancer may increase a large number of financial demands, including:

Hospitalisation
Specialist fees like oncologists, nurses and anaesthesiologists
Medication
Chemotherapy cost
Radiation therapy
Pneumonectomy
Lung tumour resection
Follow-up consultation and tests

Benefits of Performing Diagnostic Tests

Managing lung cancer with laboratory examination may include significant benefits, such as:

Detecting cancer cells in the early stage of growth.
Determining the spread of cancerous cells from the lung to other body areas.
Helping doctors to customise treatment plans and prevent cancer from spreading rapidly.
Increasing the high chance of survival of lung cancer patients.

Managing the Cost of Lung Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment

It is best to opt for the Critical Illness Health Insurance Plan from Star Health to manage the financial burden of cancer tests and treatment. With yearly or monthly premium payments, you can get relief from financial pressure in an emergency. This critical illness insurance policy covers huge healthcare services and economic benefits, including:

You can receive a lump sum amount to cover diagnostic tests and hospitalisation costs for early lung cancer detection.
Also covers chemotherapy, radiotherapy and surgery costs.
Provides flexibility in selecting policy maturity time and premium payment frequencies.

Doctors usually prefer X-rays, CT scans, PET scans, biopsies, and marker profile tests for detecting the location, spread and growth of cancer cells. Lung cancer test costs are high and can deplete anyone's savings. Investing in Star Health Critical Illness Health Insurance can ensure financial support for diagnosis, hospitalisation and treatment expenses.