Medical tourism is on the increase with more people coming to India for their medical treatment. The increase in the medical tourist happens due to the high proficiency of the Indian doctors who show a 60-80% rate of success, which is significantly higher than that of UK or the USA.
Comparable Cost of Treatment in India
Due to an efficient infrastructure and a stable government, patients enjoy the medical treatment without any hassles. The cost of brain tumour surgery in India is about one-fifth of that in the US. Knee joint replacement surgery costs $5,000 in India while it costs $15,000 in the UK. Bypass surgery costs $6,000 in India and the same costs $35,000 in the US.
Types of Tumours
We have different types of brain tumours. They are as given below :
a)Meningioma tumour: These tumours occur on the membranes that cover the brain and spinal cord on the inside of the skull. It has three layers called meninges where the tumour forms. About 90% of these tumours are non-cancerous and grow slowly. The remaining 10% are cancerous, grow fast, and spreads to other organs in the body. Surgery is the last option in these cases.
b)Gliomas tumour: These occur in the brain or spinal cord. The cancer cells develop from the glial cells that support the structure of the central nervous system. The glial cells supply the nutrition.
c)Pituitary adenomas: This develops in the pituitary glands present in the bottom of the brain. However, this is mainly non-cancerous. The benign tumours spread from the pituitary gland throughout the body.
d)Schwannomas: These are nerve sheath tumours, which are non-cancerous. These develop on the nerves leading from the inner ear to the brain that control the balance and hearing.
e)Medullablasotmas: These cancerous tumours usually affect the children. It starts from the lower back portion of the brain and spreads throughout the spinal fluid.
f)Primitive Neuroectodermal tumours: This kind of cancer is very rare. The cancerous tumour occurs on the embryonic cells of the brain.
g)Germ cell tumours: These tumours occur in the childhood. They spread to other parts of the body.
h)Craniopharyngiomas: These are non-cancerous and rare. It occurs on the pituitary glands, which control many functions of the body.
Causes for Brain Tumour
You have two types of tumour – primary and secondary. The primary brain tumour occurs within the brain tissue or tissues in the close vicinity. The normal cells acquire DNA mutations and then become cancerous. These mutations allow the cells to divide and multiply fast while the healthy cells die. These abnormal cells results in a tumour.
The secondary tumour occurs when the cells break away from the primary tumour and enter the blood stream or the lymph system. They go to another part of the body where they form a tumour. This kind of tumour is more common.
Stay During Surgery
The average number of days of stay in the hospital is 5 -7 days. Due to the low brain tumor surgery cost in India, medical tourists flock to India every year. You have good hotels to stay in when you have your surgery in India. Sometimes, you get accommodation from the hospital.
If you have a tumour, do not hesitate to consult your physician at once. You must begin treatment as soon as possible. This improves your chances.
