Advance Radiotherapy in India for International Cancer Patients

Advanced radiotherapy in India

India has been turning into a center of radical therapies and provides the world with the top-quality cancer treatment at a small part of its cost regarding many other countries in the West. The top hospitals in all big cities are provided with the state of the art radiotherapy equipment and skilled oncology doctors.

Advanced radiotherapy types available in India:

Image Guided Radiotherapy (IGRT)

• Takes pre-treatment and in-treatment imaging in order to increase accuracy.
• Excellent in mobile organs tumors (e.g. prostate, lungs).

Intensity-Modulated Radiotherapy (IMRT)

• Administrations radiation in regulated doses which is very accurate in targeting.
• Lowers destruction of the healthy tissues around the targeted tissue.

Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy (SBRT)

• Offers high dose radiation using fewer sessions.
• It is applied in small, discrete tumors of lungs, liver, spine, etc.

Stereotactic Radiosurgery (SRS)

• Brain tumors and AVMs: mostly used high-precision technique.
• Not surgical, done once.

Volumetric Modulated Arc (VMAT)

• Employs radiation over a 360° arc hence cutting short the treatment time.
• Employed in prostate cancer, head-neck cancers and gynaecological cancers.

Proton Therapy (on request in certain centers)

• Its treatment uses protons with very high precision as compared to the use of X-rays.
• Reduces the dose of radiation exposure to normal tissues especially in pediatrics and brain malignancies.

Brachytherapy

• Internal radiation treatment in which the radioactive seeds or sources are introduced in or beside the tumor.
• Typical of cervical, prostate and breast cancer.

Best hospitals for radiotherapy in India

Top cancer hospitals for radiotherapy in India:

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

Factors Affecting Cost of advanced radiotherapy in India

The price of advanced radiotherapy in India can be quite varied depending on various important factors. Knowing them will enable better planning and decision-making by patients and caregivers.

• Type of Radiotherapy Technique
• Number of Sessions (Fractions)
• Type and Stage of Cancer
• Hospital and City
• Oncologist's Expertise
• Treatment Planning & Imaging
• Hospital Stay and Supportive Care
• Brachytherapy Addition
• Use of Immobilization Devices
• International Patient Services

Radiation therapy for cancer in India

In India, radiation therapy plays a major role in cancer treatment with or without other procedures as surgery or chemotherapy. India has become one of the icons of low-cost and high-end radiation oncology promising treatments that include modern-day machines, a skillful group of oncologists, and affordable therapy.

What is Radiation Therapy?

Radiation therapy is a technique of killing or shrinking cancerous cells using high-energy rays (such as X-rays, gamma rays or protons). It is:

• Non-invasive
• Pain-free
• It is usually done on an outpatient basis

Radiation Therapies offered in India:

Extracorporeal Radiotherapy (EBRT)

It is most popular form. Administered externally to the body, by means of machines such as:

• 3D-CRT (3D Conform RT)
• IMRT (Intensity Modulated RT)
• IGRT (Image-Guided RT)
• Stereotactic Body RT (SBRT)
• SRS(Stereotactic Radiosurgery) - brain/spine tumors
• Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy (VMAT)
• TomoTherapy and CyberKnife
• Proton Therapy Unlike conventional radiations, this kind of therapy is only available at some centers 

Internal Radiation (Brachytherapy)

• Radioactive sources put in the tumor or near it
• Applied on cervical, prostate, breast cancer and oral cancer

Systemic Radiation Therapy

• Oral or injected radioactive materials (e.g. radioactive iodine) used primarily to treat thyroid and bone malignancies

Latest radiotherapy treatment in India

India has embraced next-generation radiotherapy technologies at a very fast pace that come with more precision, less side effect, and shorter duration of treatment. Such techniques are comparable to global standards and are present in the best cancer institutions throughout the nation.

Recent Radiotherapy Technologies in India

• Proton Beam Therapy
• Most advanced, precise type of radiation
• Utilizes protons rather than X-rays
• Best suited for brain cancer, children's cancer, spinal tumor
• Reduces harm to adjacent normal tissue

CyberKnife Stereotactic Radiosurgery (SRS) / Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy (SBRT)

• Non-invasive, robotic treatment that focuses radiation
• Treats brain, spine, lung, liver, and prostate cancers
• Sub-millimeter precision, reduced side effects

Tomotherapy (Helical IMRT)

• Ties CT imaging with intensity-modulated radiation therapy
• Treats tumors of complicated shape and location
• Suitable for head & neck, pelvic, and spinal tumors

Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy (VMAT)

• Distributes radiation in a smooth 360° arc
• Treatment time shorter, more comfortable
• Ideal for breast, head-neck, prostate, and gynecologic cancers

4D Image-Guided Radiotherapy (4D IGRT)

• Compensates for the motion of tumors during breathing (e.g., in lung tumors)
• Improves accuracy in targeting moving tumors

Adaptive Radiotherapy (ART)

• Adjusts the treatment according to daily anatomical changes in the body
• Customized therapy sessions for better outcomes

MRI-Guided Radiotherapy (MR-LINAC) (Emerging)

• Combines real-time MRI imaging with radiation delivery
• Allows clinicians to visualize the tumor and surrounding tissues live while treating
• Introduced recently in India's best cancer centers

Other Innovations

• Artificial Intelligence (AI) in treatment planning: Improved accuracy and efficiency of radiotherapy plan
• FLASH Radiotherapy (research phase): Doses radiation in milliseconds, lowering toxicity
• Hydrogel spacers: Applied in prostate cancer to spare the rectum during radiation

Advantages of New Radiotherapy Techniques

• Reduced treatment duration (SBRT, VMAT)
• Pain-free & outpatient treatments
• Less damage to surrounding tissues
• Less side effects
• Improved tumor control & survival rates

Factors Affecting Affordable radiation therapy in India

The cost of radiation therapy in India is cheaper as compared to other Western countries although it is not done at a similar price. Availability of radiation therapy is made possible by a number of factors such as medical, technological, institutional, and logistic factors which determine its affordability.

• Type of Radiation Therapy Used
• Number of Treatment Sessions (Fractions)
• Hospital Type
• City and Geographic Location
• Technology and Equipment Used
• Oncologist’s Experience and Custom Planning
• Inclusion of Imaging & Immobilization Devices
• Stage and Complexity of Cancer
• Combination with Other Therapies
• Support Services & Accommodation

Best oncologists for radiotherapy in India

• Dr. S Jayalakshmi
• Dr. Tejinder Kataria
• Dr. Anil Kumar Anand
• Dr. Charu Garg

Advanced radiotherapy in India with GetWellGo

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 advanced radiotherapy 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