Immunotherapy is a treatment that strengthens the immune system to fight against various types of cancer. Generally, immunotherapy is a more affordable treatment option compared to other cancer therapies, such as radiation therapy and chemotherapy. India has become a medical tourism hub due to the high availability of world-class clinical facilities and comparatively lower treatment costs. In India, the cost of this effective treatment depends on several factors, including doctor-suggested medications, type of treatment, cancer type, and stage.
Immunotherapy has become the most promising clinical option for treating cancer patients in India. It helps to boost the immune system and creates a need for large amounts of proteins to identify cancer cells and fight against disease.
This therapy does not work as conventional treatments like radiation and chemotherapy for targeting and killing cancer cells. Immunotherapy introduces large amounts of cytokines and molecular proteins to regulate the activity and growth of individual cells. These proteins detect cancer cells in the body and help generate a stronger immune system to fight against them.
The cost of Immunotherapy in India can range from Rs. 25,000 to Rs. 4,50,000 per session. Besides that, pre and post-treatment tests, drugs, and patient care expenses are included in treatment costs.
Let us review the table to determine the approximate cost of different types of immunotherapy.
Types of Immunotherapy Treatment | Cost of Treatment (INR) | Additional Information |
Checkpoint Inhibitors | Rs. 25,000 - Rs. 1.5 lakhs | Per cycle of therapy, and applicable for melanoma cancer. |
Monoclonal Antibodies | Rs. 1.5 lakhs - Rs. 4 lakhs | Costs per cycle are used in various types of cancer. |
CAR T-Cell Therapy | Rs. 30 lakhs - Rs. 60 lakhs | Cost depends on the cancer type. |
Cytokines | Rs. 50,000 - Rs. 2 lakhs | Cost per dose varies by cancer type. |
Cancer Vaccines | Rs. 50, 000 - Rs. 2 lakhs | Cost depends on the vaccination type. |
Targeted Antibodies | Rs. 1.5 lakhs - 5 lakhs | The cost is based on the cancer type and target. |
Immunomodulators | Rs. 1 lakh - Rs. 3 lakhs | Combination with other therapy treatments. |
Being mindful of dependable factors and the cost of immunotherapy treatments. Individuals must apply for a health care insurance plan to cover the entire treatment cost in India.
In India, around 2.5 million people will be living with cancer in 2021. Every year, the estimated number of cancer patients is growing in India, and more than 7 lakh people are registering as new cancer patients. In 2022, approximately 20 million new cases of cancer were reported, with 9.7 million deaths related to cancer.
The Indian Government is making significant strides in treating and preventing cancer. The Government of India introduced strategic intervention, technical infrastructure, robust policies, and financial schemes to improve treatment, prevention, early detection, and nationwide patient care.
The listed factors contribute to determining the cost of immunotherapy in India:
● Severity of Cancer
● Cancer Stage
● Cancer Type
● Size of Tumour cells or cancer
● Patient Age
● Location of Cancer
● Type of Immunotherapy
● Overall health examination of the patient
Significant advantages of immunotherapy include:
Immunotherapy has certain disadvantages, such as side effects:
● Fatigue
● Loss of appetite
● Breathing difficulties
● Fever
● Skin rashes and swelling
● Muscle pain
● Organ damage, such as to the kidneys, heart, lungs, etc.
The cost of immunotherapy depends on the severity of the cancer, hospital charges, the location of the tumour, the type of cancer, and the treatment duration. This therapy helps improve and restore immune function, producing proteins that enable the immune system to search, detect, and kill cancer cells.