How much does Lung Cancer treatment cost in India?

In order to give patients a better chance of recovery and an enhanced quality of life, lung cancer treatment attempts to eradicate or manage cancer cells and stop recurrence. However, certain treatments may come with potential side effects, which experts carefully monitor and manage to support the patient’s overall well-being.

Lung Cancer Treatment Complications

Following are the risks associated with Lung Cancer treatments: 

• Chemotherapy: Short-term side effects include nausea, vomiting, fatigue, constipation or diarrhea, and hair loss, which may subside after treatment but sometimes persist. Additional effects can include mouth sores, changes in skin and nails, and nerve damage.
• Targeted Therapy: Can result in nausea, vomiting, fatigue, diarrhea, mouth sores, skin rashes, dryness, and sensations of pain or numbness in fingers and feet.
• Radiation Therapy: When directed at the chest, radiation therapy may cause long-term lung damage, including inflammation, loss of lung function, and thickening of the lung lining, which can lead to breathing difficulties.
• Surgery: Surgical interventions can lead to pain, swelling, tightness, and the formation of scar tissue. In some cases, there is a risk of bleeding or hematoma, particularly if lymph nodes are removed.
• Immunotherapy: Generally well-tolerated but may cause fatigue, skin rashes, flu-like symptoms, and, in rare cases, more serious immune-related side effects affecting organs like the liver or lungs.

Other potential complications include:

• Cardiotoxicity and Heart Complications: Some lung cancer treatments may cause cardiotoxicity, damaging the heart muscle, which is often irreversible. Other heart-related risks include hypertension, arrhythmias, and coronary artery disease.
• Lymphedema: When cancer affects the lymph nodes, removal may be necessary, potentially leading to lymphedema (chronic swelling) due to lymph fluid accumulation, commonly affecting the hands and feet.