Ovarian Cancer Treatment Cost in Malaysia

A. After discharge from the hospital, the patient has to stay for another 21 days or more in the country for complete recovery. This period is important to conduct all the follow-up tests to ensure that the surgery was successful and the patient can go back to the home country.

A. The patient has to spend about 5 or more days in the hospital after Ovarian Cancer Treatment for proper recovery and to get clearance for discharge. The patient is subjected to several biochemistry and radiological scans to see that everything is okay and the recovery is on track. After making sure that the patient is clinically stable, discharge is planned.

A. Apart from the Ovarian Cancer Treatment cost, there are a few other daily charges that the patient may have to pay. These are the charges for daily meals and accommodation outside the hospital. The per day cost in this case may start from USD 100 per person.

A. Some of the best cities in Malaysia which offer Ovarian Cancer Treatment are:

• Subang Jaya
• Shah Alam
• Kuala Lumpur
• Port Klang

A. There are more than 5 hospitals that offer Ovarian Cancer Treatment in Malaysia. Such hospitals have the required infrastructure and a dedicated unit where patients can be treated. These hospitals comply with all the rules and regulations as dictated by the regulatory bodies and medical associations in Malaysia.

A. The disease has been described as “silent” because often the symptoms are mild or similar to those of other diseases. Common symptoms include:

• Pain or swelling of the abdomen
• Pelvic or abdominal pain
• This applies to food that is hard to chew, and situations where one can easily feel full shortly after eating.
• Frequent urination or urgency
• Alteration to the stools (Constipation)
• Sudden periods of weight loss or weight gain
• Fatigue
• Back pain
• Menstrual irregularities (in some instances)

A. Diagnosis of ovarian cancer typically involves:

• Pelvic exam: A physical examination to assess whether or not the ovaries look healthy.
• Imaging tests: Bimanual exam, transvaginal ultrasound, CT scan, and MRI to find out how the ovaries look and if they contain any tumor or mass.
• Blood tests: The CA-125 test determines the amount of protein that can be present in ovarian cancer (however, it can also be high in other diseases).
• Biopsy: A biopsy, or the surgical removal of a tumor, may sometimes be necessary to arrive at a diagnosis.
• Genetic testing: To find out other possible harmful genes, such as BRCA1 and BRCA2, which increase the chance of ovarian malignancy.

A. Treatment for ovarian cancer often involves a combination of the following:

• Surgery: Surgery is the most conventional form of treatment, and it involves the removal of the ovaries, fallopian tubes, uterus, and regional lymph nodes is highly preferred for patients with early-stage cancer.
• Chemotherapy: It involves the use of drugs in an attempt to obliterate or retard the growth of cancerous cells. Chemotherapy may be given before the operation or after the surgery.
• Targeted therapy: Targeted therapies (for example, bevacizumab) inhibit the development of cancer cells through the inhibition of certain proteins or through pathways.
• Immunotherapy: A newer treatment that enables the body’s immune system to identify and destroy cancer cells.
• Hormone therapy: May be used for some specific kinds of ovarian cancer that tend to be hormone-dependent.
• Radiation therapy: You do not tend to find them used as commonly for ovarian cancer, but they may be utilized occasionally nonetheless.

A. The survival rate for ovarian cancer depends on the stage at diagnosis:

• OA: Stage 1A and 1B of ovarian cancer has about 90% survival rate within five years of diagnosis.
• Stage 3 or 4 ovarian cancer tends to have a relatively low survival rate, typically in the range of 30 to 40 percent for five years survival. This is a rather aggressive cancer, and many people are diagnosed when the disease has advanced stages.

A. The time taken in the treatment of Ovarian Cancer depends with the stage of the cancer and the method to be used. Typically:

• Surgery might be 2- 4 hours and recovery period may range between 4- 6weeks.
• The usual chemotherapy regimen is 3-6 cycles of treatment, which are delivered every three weeks, meaning that treatment could take between six and eighteen weeks.
• Subsequent therapy (maintaining therapy or directed therapy) is usually possible for several months.

A. Chemotherapy for ovarian cancer can cause a range of side effects, including:

• Nausea and vomiting
• Hair loss
• Fatigue
• Weakened immunity (vulnerability to disease).
• Low red blood cell count is known as anemia.
• Diarrhea or constipation
• Peripheral neuropathy
• Loss of appetite
• Learning disorders: among them being memory and concentration.
• Changes in skin and nails

A. Ovarian cancer is a very curable disease if diagnosed early and there are many effective treatments for this disease. The main treatments are surgery and chemotherapy, and although there are often positive outcomes contained in this, many women successfully undergo the treatment, in case of early diagnosis. Nonetheless, the prognosis for ovarian cancer is poor if it is discovered in the later stages, and may involve a multiple therapy regime to attain useful outcomes.

A. In the case of ovarian cancer, it is well established that surgery is the most appropriate management although this is best done early.. The aim is to excise as much of the tumour as is practicable and, if this is possible, survival can be enhanced considerably. However, later it may become curative surgery that’s why in the last stages, surgery can provide only palliative care, trying to remove the maximal amount of tumor to relieve symptoms.

A. Recent advancements in ovarian cancer treatment include:

• PARP inhibitors: We see that drugs targeting cancer cells with BRCA mutations, have achieved a survival advantage and lower subsequent recurrence risk.
• Immunotherapy: There are new therapies under consideration involving immune checkpoints, and some of them demonstrate a level of efficiency against ovarian cancer.
• Targeted therapies: Currently, target therapies are utilized to cut off blood vessels to the tumor and arrest the growth of the tumor.
• Genetic testing: Targeted therapies – utilization of BRCA for mutations, etc – are enhancing results and outcomes.
• Enhanced chemotherapy delivery: New developments are being made in method with intraperitoneal chemotherapy – injecting it into the abdomen – to increase the impact of treatment.