Expert Doctors and World-Class Care: Appendix Cancer Treatment in India

Expert doctors and world-class care for appendix cancer treatment in India. GetWellGo guides international patients with trusted hospitals & specialists.

Expert Doctors and World-Class Care: Appendix Cancer Treatment in India

Appendix cancer treatment in India

Appendix cancer (appendiceal cancer) is an uncommon cancer that occurs in the appendix. Treatment is dependent on the nature of the tumor on the appendix, their stage, the extent to which the cancer has spread and the overall health of the patient. This is an overview of treatment options:

Main Treatment Options for Appendix Cancer:

Primary Treatment- Surgery

  • Appendectomy: the performance of the appendix; usually performed when cancer is discovered during surgery caused by appendicitis. Can be used on small, localized, small-grade tumors.
  • Right Hemicolectomy: This is the removal of the right colon and some of the nearby lymph nodes. 

Recommended if:

  • Tumor size is > 2 cm,
  • Causes lymph nodes, or
  • The malignancy of aggressive nature (e.g., adenocarcinoma).
  • CRS- Cytoreductive surgery is a thorough operation to remove visible tumors in the abdomen which is usually used with HIPEC in advanced disease.

HIPEC (Hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy)

  • Directly into the abdomen, being delivered as a heated chemotherapy during surgery
  • Efficacious against pseudomyxoma peritonei (PMP) and cancer in the appendix, which grow in the cavity of the abdominal cavity.
  • Aids in the destruction of microscopic tumor cells to remain after surgery

Systemic Chemotherapy

  • Chemotherapy is given by intravenous treatment when cancer reaches outside the peritoneum or when surgery is not available
  • Standard regimens: FOLFOX (5-FU, leucovorin, oxaliplatin) or FOLFIRI (5-FU, leucovorin, irinotecan) *with or without targeted drugs.
  • Applied in appendiceal adenocarcinoma and virulent malignant tumors the likes of colon cancer.

Specific Medicine / Immunotherapy

  • According to molecular profiling of the tumor.
  • Colorectal cancer drugs (such as bevacizumab, cetuximab, and pembrolizumab) should be considered when there is a mutation/marker identified.

Palliative Care

  • When cured treatment is not possible in advanced, widespread, or recurrent cases.
  • Concentrates on pain management, management of ascites (build-up of fluid), symptom alleviation and continuity of good quality of life.

Best hospitals for appendix cancer in India

  • Artemis Hospital, Gurgaon
  • Medanta-The Medicity, Gurgaon
  • Fortis Memorial Research Institute, Gurgaon
  • Max Hospital, Saket

Appendix cancer surgery in India

Appendix cancer is mostly treated by surgery and the procedure varies with the type of tumor, its size, grade and metastasizing. 

Surgery Types of Appendix Cancer:

Appendectomy

The majority of the time this is done after:

  • Tumor is small (<2cm),
  • But restricted to the appendix,
  • Mucinous neoplasm of low grade or small carcinoid cancer.
  • Often incident (occuring after appendicitis surgery).

Right Hemicolectomy

  • Appendix and parts of the right colon and associated lymph nodes are removed.

Recommended if:

  • Tumor >2 cm
  • High grade adenocarcinoma, goblet cell carcinoma or signet-ring type,
  • There is the evidence of lymph node involvement.
  • Gives improved cancer clearance and staging.

Cytoreductive Surgery (activities (CRS)

  • In advanced appendix cancer with the spread within the abdominal cavity (peritoneal carcinomatosis or pseudomyxoma peritonei).
  • Eliminates all visible abdominal cavity tumors (can include sections of the colon, spleen, gallbladder, ovaries or peritoneum).
  • This is normally used together with HIPEC (Hyperthermic Intraoperative Peritoneal Chemotherapy).

HIPEC (Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy)

  • Carried out in CRS surgery
  • Heated chemotherapy is then pumped into the abdomen that destroys even the microscopic cancerous cells that are left behind.
  • Especially useful in tumors of the mucinous appendix, as well as pseudomyxoma peritonei.

Factors Affecting Appendix cancer treatment cost in India

There are a few key factors that must be taken into consideration when it comes to the cost of appendix cancer treatment in India, particularly surgery such as cytoreductive surgery (CRS) and HIPEC. These determine the final spending- and the knowledge on them can allow better planning among the patients and their families.

The Key Influencing Factors are:

Type and Stage of Cancer

  • More minor tumors or those detected early and/or local may need just appendectomy or even smaller resection which is far much cheaper.
  • Complex surgery due to advanced disease- including peritoneal spread or pseudomyxoma peritonei requires complex surgery (CRS) with HIPEC, and it is more expensive 

The Surgery and its Complication

  • Simple cytoreductions are more costly; HIPEC is included
  • Greater numbers of involved organs or multivisceral resections, of course, raise the surgery duration, duration of ICU stay, and operative complexity 

Hospital Type & Accreditation

  • Treatment in JCI/NABH-accredited private hospitals is much more expensive, but the infrastructure there is better and results are superior 

The location (city / tier)

  • Metros Located in metropolitan cities are more expensive (Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru) 
  • Around Tier-2 cities such as Chandigarh and Kolkata has slightly lower rates 

Team Experience & Surgeon Expertise

  • High skilled or internationally trained surgeons- those which have multidisciplinary experience charge more payment 

Diagnosis & Pre-operative Work up

  • The imaging (CT scan, MRI and PET), tumor markers, pathology and anaesthetic clearance costs are included. In-depth workups in the privacy of a facility may be costly 

Post op and ICU Care

  • Critical care (particularly ICU stays) is a significant cost driver-ICU charges can be more, and longer ward stays, imaging, nutrition, and rehabilitation expenditures can be additional cost drivers 
  • The post-surgery complications are very high and increase costs significantly. As an example, even the problems that occur after the CRS + HIPEC may increase the expenses of the hospitals by more than 3x compared to the uncomplicated cases 

Consumables, Drugs/NON-HIPEC Equipment

  • HPEC-specific consumables, heated chemotherapeutic agent use, equipment use, and disposable all play a major role in cost.

Non-Medical & Indirect Costs 

  • The costs in traveling, accommodation, the working expenses of a caregiver and the loss of income also contribute to the burden. In oncology, these incidental expenses may add up to about 25 percent of the overall cost at least and loss of income is an additional factor.

Top appendix cancer doctors in India

Dr. Tapan Singh Chauhan

Dr. Tapan Singh Chauhan is MCh Surgical Oncologist with special interest in Gastrointestinal, Hepatopancreaticobiliary Oncology and Peritoneal Surface Malignancy (HIPEC). 

Dr. Kunjahari Medhi

Dr. K Medhi is Senior Director Medical Oncology & Hemato-oncology at Medanta, Gurugram. He practices both solid tumour Oncology and Hematolymphoid Oncology in both adults and pediatric patients. His area of expertise is diagnosis and systemic cancer management including all chemotherapy, immunotherapy, targeted therapy, hormonal therapy, biological therapy etc. 

Dr. Vedant Kabra

Dr. Vedant Kabra is Principal Director of Surgical Oncology at Fortis Memorial Research Institute, Gurugram. Dr. Kabra has experience of over 12000 cancer surgeries and has successfully performed various complex oncosurgical procedures including Robotic Surgery for Cancer. 

Dr. Harit Chaturvedi

Dr Harit K Chaturvedi is the Chairperson of Max Institute of Cancer Care. He joined Max Healthcare in 2009 and has passionately built one of the largest and finest oncology programs in the country. With continuous focus on specialisation, clinical quality, research and academics he has steered his team of over hundred oncologists, into the Disease Management Group (DMG) model, to help position Max Institute of Cancer Care (MICC) as one of the most respected brands in the oncology space.

Advanced appendix cancer care in India

Advanced stages of appendix cancer treatment are much complicated than initial stages of the disease as most of the time they require spread to the lining of abdomen, lymph nodes or other body organs. The treatment normally requires multimodal therapy with surgery, chemotherapy, and supportive therapies.

Cytoreductive Surgery (orig. CRS)

  • Gold-standard in the treatment of appendix cancer with carcinomatosis in the abdominal cavity (peritoneal carcinomatosis, pseudomyxoma peritonei).
  • This involves surgical excision of all visible tumors of the peritoneum and the near-by organs (may include sections of the intestine, spleen, ovaries, gallbladder or the peritoneal lining).

HIPEC 

  • This was performed as soon as possible following surgery on CRS
  • A circulating heated chemotherapy dwells in the abdomen between 60 and 90 minutes.
  • Aids in killing microscopic tumor cells that are left behind after surgery.
  • Efficient against mucinous appendix malignancy and PMP.

Systemic Chemotherapy

Used if:

  • Cancer is imperfectible
  • There is seeding of peritoneum outside the peritoneum (seeding to liver and lungs).
  • Recurrence postoperative
  • Regimens typically are identical to colorectal cancer (e.g. FOLFOX, FOLFIRI, with bevacizumab).
  • Aids in the control of the disease process and symptoms.

Targeted Therapy and Immunotherapy

On the basis of the genetic profile of tumor:

  • The use of EGFR inhibitors (cetuximab, panitumumab) in the RAS wild-type tumors.
  • To cut off blood supply to the tumors, use of VEGF inhibitors (bevacizumab) is also used.
  • Pembrolizumab is a potential treatment in case of gene expression of MSI-H (microsatellite instability-high)/dMMR (deficient mismatch repair).

Supportive and 24/7 Care

  • In those patients who cannot have curative treatment.
  • Focus: management of symptoms, enhancement of the good quality of life.

May include:

  • Palliative chemotherapy, radiation or radiation
  • Draining ascites (Abdominal fluid),
  • Pain management,
  • Nutritional support.

Appendix cancer treatment in India by GetWellGo

  • Pseudomyxoma Peritonei (PMP) a mucus producing ailment and is usually accompanied with advanced cancer of the appendix is on the roster of Oncology services offered by GetWellGo to international patients. They provide treatment to PMP with advanced care. 

  • Another offering on the platform is Cytoreductive Surgery (CRS), which is a form of cancer care, highlighting the key aspect of advanced yet affordable care to the patients travelling outside their countries.

Why Choose GetWellGo for Appendix Cancer Treatment?

GetWellGo is regarded as a leading supplier of healthcare services. We help our foreign clients choose the best treatment locations that suit their needs both financially and medically.

We offer:

  • Complete transparency
  • Fair costs.
  • 24 hour availability.
  • Medical E-visas
  • Online consultation from recognized Indian experts.
  • Assistance in selecting India's top hospitals for Appendix Cancer treatment.
  • Expert oncologists with a strong track record of success
  • Assistance during and after the course of treatment.
  • Language Support
  • Travel and Accommodation Services
  • Case manager assigned to every patient to provide seamless support in and out of the hospital like appointment booking
  • Local SIM Cards
  • Currency Exchange
  • Arranging Patient’s local food

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