Prostate Cancer Treatment and Surgery Cost Guide: Expected Costs Breakdown, Best Hospitals

Sections Covered under Prostate Cancer Treatment Cost Guide:

1. Introduction
2. The Average Cost of Prostate Cancer Treatment: Top Countries
3. Cost of Prostate Cancer Surgery
4. Other Treatment Options For Prostate Cancer
5. Other Factors Affecting Prostate Cancer Treatment Cost
6. Prostate Cancer Surgery Cost Itemized Breakdown
7. Internationally Recognized JCI-certified Hospitals For Prostate Cancer Treatment

Introduction

The purpose of this Prostate Cancer Treatment and Surgery Cost Guide is to provide a detailed cost break up of the expenses that a patient is expected to incur during the course of consultation and medical and surgical intervention at an average prostate cancer treatment hospital.

The prostate is a walnut-sized gland in the male reproductive system that produced seminal fluid. Prostate cancer is characterized by an uncontrolled growth of cells in the prostate that turn cancerous. There are several treatment modalities that are available for patients who are diagnosed with prostate cancer.

In the US, prostate cancer is the second leading cause of death among men. It is the most common malignancy among the male population of America. However, the death rate associated with prostate cancer is continuously declining. This is primarily because of the advances in the prostate cancer treatment.

Nonetheless, there are millions of men around the world who are currently living with prostate cancer. It is important for men to undergo prostate cancer screening at least once a year after they turn 40 as it helps reduce the cost of treatment later, reduces the chances of dying because of it, and also, makes the treatment and management less complicated.

Late diagnosis of prostate cancer may prove fatal in some cases. Additionally, such cases require tedious medical and surgical management and the duration of treatment is typically longer than a patient who diagnosed with it at an early stage. All these reasons increase the total cost of prostate cancer treatment.

The Average Cost of Prostate Cancer Treatment: Top Countries

Like any other cancer, prostate cancer treatment is delivered with the help of different modalities. Thus, the total treatment package cost differs from one patient to the other. The selection of treatment modalities that are best expected to work in the case of patients further depends on certain factors, including the following:

• Age of the patient
• The weight of the patient
• Type of prostate cancer
• The extent of cancer (Stage and grade)
• The overall health of the patient
• Previous medical history

Cost of Prostate Cancer Surgery

A surgery is most often recommended for prostate cancer patients. However, again, the selection of treatment mode depends on the patient’s health and the extent of cancer. The following table highlights the average cost of prostate cancer surgery options in some of the top medical tourism destinations in the world:

Procedure	Radical Prostatectomy (Laser)	Transurethral Resection of the Prostate (TURP)
India	$3600	$3000
Thailand	$5300	$2900
Singapore	$25000	$8900
UAE	$2100	$4000
Turkey	$15000	$6000
US	$55000	$11500

There are several other types of prostate cancer surgeries apart from prostatectomy and TURP. Two of the other types of surgeries include CyberKnife treatment (da Vinci), high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU), cryosurgery, and orchiectomy. However, these two forms of surgeries are less common and largely depend on the preference of the surgeon and the condition of the patient.

The exact prostate cancer surgery cost depends on several factors. The following are some of the factors that dictate the overall prostate cancer surgery cost:

• The type of incision and its location
• The type of technology used (laser, laparoscopic, or robotic)
• Type of procedure (open or minimally invasive)

Other Treatment Options For Prostate Cancer

There are several other prostate cancer treatment options that are available for the patients. Chemotherapy is one of the other popular treatment modality that may be used after surgery for patients with the cancer of the prostate.

The following table highlights the average cost of chemotherapy for prostate in some of the top medical tourism destinations in the world:

Countries	Cost of Chemotherapy (USD)
India	$1000
Thailand	$3800
Singapore	$5000
UAE	$1500
Turkey	$700
US	$5500

Apart from chemotherapy, some of the other treatment methods include the following:

• Brachytherapy
• Hormone therapy
• External beam radiotherapy

Thus, the total cost of prostate cancer treatment varies greatly from one individual to another, depending on the individual medical case.

Other Factors Affecting Prostate Cancer Treatment Cost

Apart from the type of surgery or treatment and the choice of technology, the following are some of the factors that affect the overall prostate cancer treatment cost:

Type of Hospital

There are several hospitals around the world that provide world-class medical treatment to patients. The greater the number and quality of services offered by the hospital, the expensive is the treatment at the hospital.

Therefore, the total cost of prostate cancer treatment that you have to pay actually depends on the level of services that you expect from the hospital. To be able to receive five-star services from the hospital, you must be willing to pay lavishly for it.

Experience of the Surgeon

Expertise and skills of the treating doctor matter a lot when it comes to successful treatment of any cancer type. It takes a lot of patience, courage, and knowledge to treat a cancer patient and this is the reason why the most experienced surgeons tend to charge a greater fee for their services.

However, that does not mean that all the experienced and qualified surgeons charge fees that an average patient cannot afford. There are many highly educated and skilled doctors for prostate cancer treatment that offer their services with an equal compassion at a reasonable rate. Therefore, one must try to find a credible doctor with required credential who charges a fee that a patient can afford.

Length of Stay at the Hospital

The length of stay at the hospital depends on the type of surgery that you undergo. Additionally, it depends on the technology being used to conduct the surgery. For example, patients who undergo open prostate removal are required to stay longer in the hospital than those who undergo laparoscopic or robotic surgery. The length of stay at the hospital has a direct impact on the overall treatment package.

Incidental Costs

Like any other surgery, there are a few risks associated with prostate surgery as well. You may have to incur incidental costs in case of any surgical complications. Additionally, the costs may increase when the duration of stay inside the ICU post surgery is extended.

Lastly, there is a cost associated with the medical management of some of the side effects of prostate removal. For example, a patient who undergoes prostate removal surgery may experience erectile dysfunction and urinary incontinence for some time, in addition to other side effects. The medical and psychological management of such issues comes at an extra cost.

Cost of Accommodation, Food, and Local Travel

Patients who travel from abroad to a particular country for treatment have to bear an additional cost of hotel accommodation, local traveling, and food. This additional cost on top of the treatment cost depends on individual preferences. For example, a patient may decide to stay in a 3-star, 4-star or a 5-star accommodation and prefer to eat exquisite cuisine during his or her stay. The cost increases with an increase in the level of luxury that a patient looks to have.

The following table highlights the approximate cost of accommodation and food in some of the most popular medical tourism destinations:

 

Cost per Day (USD)	3 Star Stay	4 Star Stay	5 Star Stay
India	$30	$40	$75
Thailand	$25	$36	$76
Dubai	$70	$80	$115
Hungary	$30	$45	$80
Turkey	$20	$30	$44
Singapore	$60	$90	$120

Prostate Cancer Surgery Cost Itemized Breakdown

• Physical examination
• Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) analysis
• PET-CT Scan
• MRI
• Biopsy (fine needle under ultrasound guidance)
• Transrectal ultrasound
• Blood workup (if required)

Pre-surgery Costs	Surgery Cost	Post-surgery Costs
Investigations:	Surgery team fees Anesthesia charges OT charges Other consumables and medicines Blood transfusion, if needed ICU charges Use of technology Cost of urinary catheter	Medications for pain relief Other special consumables Hospital bed charges Any additional service availed Any other consultation Complications management Unanticipated care Follow-up cost PSA tests Screening for cancer recurrence

Internationally Recognized JCI-certified Hospitals For Prostate Cancer Treatment

Country	Hospital
India	Indraprastha Apollo Hospital (Delhi NCR)
	Artemis Hospital (Delhi NCR)
	SevenHills Hospital (Mumbai)
	Fortis Group of Hospitals (Pan India)
Turkey	Hisar Intercontinental Hospitals
	Medicana International
	Memorial Healthcare Group
Thailand	Vejthani Hospital Bangkok Hospital
UAE	Zulekha Hospital (Dubai)
	Aster DM Healthcare (Dubai)
	Al Zahra Hospital (Sharjah)
	NMC Royal Hospital (Abu Dhabi)
Singapore	Gleneagles Hospital
	Parkway East Hospital
	Mount Elizabeth Hospital

Tips To Choose A Hospital Overseas For Prostate Cancer Treatment

• Select a JCI-certified hospital that has been catering to the needs of international patients.
• Ask for the profile of the doctor. Check the background of the doctor, his experience, and education before choosing one.
• Check if the treatment is covered by insurance and check with the hospital if they accept the insurance provider.
• Seek clear information on the cost of treatment, the estimated duration of stay, and the expected outcomes.
• Choose a hospital that provides visa assistance by sending a visa invitation letter directly to the embassy.
• Choose a hospital that is willing to provide additional services such as airport and hotel pickup and drop, overnight stay arrangement for the attendant, and translator services.