Prostate Radiation Treatment

[Negita43]

Can anyone give me a ballpark figure for the cost of this treatment?

 

Thanks

[lopburi3]

According to King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, one of the national leading cancer centres, approximate cost of radiation therapy in common cancers are listed below:

Breast cancer: 69,300 – 84,500 baht
Cervical Cancer: 145,000 baht
Lung cancer: 141,100 – 197,600 baht
Prostate cancer: 182,400 baht
Colon cancer: 103,000 baht

https://www.lumahealth.com/cancer-treatment-cost-thailand/

[doctormann]

17 minutes ago, lopburi3 said:

According to King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, one of the national leading cancer centres, approximate cost of radiation therapy in common cancers are listed below:

Breast cancer: 69,300 – 84,500 baht
Cervical Cancer: 145,000 baht
Lung cancer: 141,100 – 197,600 baht
Prostate cancer: 182,400 baht
Colon cancer: 103,000 baht

https://www.lumahealth.com/cancer-treatment-cost-thailand/

Sounds about right.

 

When I had my prostate sorted, back in 2013, the cost of the radiotherapy was 4000 Baht per session and I had 39 sessions in all, so 156,000 Baht.  There were some additional costs related to MRI scans - maybe another 20,000 Baht.

 

I also had some hormone therapy that was quite expensive - nine injections at 20,000 Baht each so another 180,000 Baht there.

 

All good,  ten years down the line.

 

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[Ben Zioner]

OP you should be a bit more specific about your treatment as there is a wide range of possibilities and combinations Brachytherapy, SBRT, IMRT, VMAT etc..). SBRT, hypofractionated  to 5 sessions is rapidly becoming the standard of care.

[Negita43]

9 minutes ago, Ben Zioner said:

OP you should be a bit more specific about your treatment as there is a wide range of possibilities and combinations Brachytherapy, SBRT, IMRT, VMAT etc..). SBRT, hypofractionated  to 5 sessions is rapidly becoming the standard of care.

Unfortunately at this time I don't know as the radiation place hasn't called me and I just wanted to get an idea before they do - all I know at the moment is that the doctor has suggeted this as a treatment path.

[Sheryl]

Cost varies greatly drpending on type of radistion treatment and hospital.

 

Would this be at government or private hospital?

[Negita43]

Government - Korat

[Sheryl]

1 hour ago, Negita43 said:

Government - Korat

Probably below 200k total but it will depend on type of radiation

[newbee2022]

On 2/1/2024 at 9:55 AM, Negita43 said:

Can anyone give me a ballpark figure for the cost of this treatment?

 

Thanks

You would have to specify the procedure.

[TigerandDog]

Depending on your PSA level, brachytherapy might be an alternative treatment to consider, and it could most likely be considerably less expensive than radiation therapy (Kemo) as it would be a once only treatment. It's still a form a radiation treatment. See link to May Clinic hereunder:

 

Prostate brachytherapy - Mayo Clinic

 

Cheryl would be most likely able to give you further advice on this option, as I believe she has a medical background based on a lot of her posts.

[Sheryl]

I am actually assisting a friend from Cambodia through this right now. (biopsy today, but high suspicion of cancer so we are already exploring options).

 

Brachytherapy is an option if the prostate is not too large but not for very large prostates. A big advantage to it is that it does nto need many repeat visits unlike wide beam RT.

 

The choice of treatment for clinically significant prostate cancer needs to factor in many things including:

- patient's age and overall fitness

- how aggressive the tumor is

-size of the prostate

and of course patient preference

 

Note I say "clinically significant prostate cancer". This excludes very slow growing cancers especially in older people.

[Jumbo1968]

When I had radiotherapy 6 years ago in the U.K. for Prostate Cancer I took part in a trial called PACE where you only had 5 sessions of radiotherapy over a period of 2 weeks, initially it was 1 week but they reverted to 2 weeks.with no hormone treatment. Prior to that it was 20 sessions, I don’t know how long for though but you also had hormone treatment. I  believe now the NHS are going to adopt this method as it was deemed a success,

https://www.royalmarsden.nhs.uk/news-and-events/news/higher-doses-radiotherapy-cuts-treatment-time-75-localised-prostate-cancer

[SmokeandIce]

I have a quote from Chula Hospital for 29 days of radiation to the prostate for THB 10000 per session for a total course of treatment of THB 290,000.

 

Bangok Hospital for the 29 sessions of radiation was THB 18,000 per treatment for a total cost of THB 500,000

 

All in Bangkok

[Jumbo1968]

8 minutes ago, SmokeandIce said:

I have a quote from Chula Hospital for 29 days of radiation to the prostate for THB 10000 per session for a total course of treatment of THB 290,000.

 

Bangok Hospital for the 29 sessions of radiation was THB 18,000 per treatment for a total cost of THB 500,000

 

All in Bangkok

I am no medical expert, I had 5 sessions on a trial, at the time it was 20 sessions of radiotherapy normally, does appear to be a lot of sessions ?

[SmokeandIce]

12 hours ago, Jumbo1968 said:

I am no medical expert, I had 5 sessions on a trial, at the time it was 20 sessions of radiotherapy normally, does appear to be a lot of sessions ?

For most types of external radiation, treatments are given 5 days a week in an outpatient center, for at least several weeks.  I was advised 29 sessions by Samitivej, Phyathai, Bangkok Hospital and Chula.

[SmokeandIce]

12 hours ago, Jumbo1968 said:

I am no medical expert, I had 5 sessions on a trial, at the time it was 20 sessions of radiotherapy normally, does appear to be a lot of sessions ?

 

[Jumbo1968]

15 minutes ago, SmokeandIce said:

 

Originally 20 in the U.K. I volunteered for a trial, 5 doses at a higher rate of whatever they call it over around 2 weeks. Yes there were side effects over the years but nothing I couldn’t cope with apart from radiation cystitis which was very painful for a couple of weeks.

[newbee2022]

On 2/2/2024 at 3:35 PM, Sheryl said:

I am actually assisting a friend from Cambodia through this right now. (biopsy today, but high suspicion of cancer so we are already exploring options).

 

Brachytherapy is an option if the prostate is not too large but not for very large prostates. A big advantage to it is that it does nto need many repeat visits unlike wide beam RT.

 

The choice of treatment for clinically significant prostate cancer needs to factor in many things including:

- patient's age and overall fitness

- how aggressive the tumor is

-size of the prostate

and of course patient preference

 

Note I say "clinically significant prostate cancer". This excludes very slow growing cancers especially in older people.

The question is if it makes sense to administer medication (or other kind of treatment) or just monitoring. And this has to do with the age of the patient and depends if the tumour is slow or fast growing.

Also some compounds in your daily food can have a positive influence as extracts from pomegranate, green tea, broccoli, turmeric, flaxseed, and soybean.

[Jumbo1968]

14 minutes ago, newbee2022 said:

The question is if it makes sense to administer medication (or other kind of treatment) or just monitoring. And this has to do with the age of the patient and depends if the tumour is slow or fast growing.

Also some compounds in your daily food can have a positive influence as extracts from pomegranate, green tea, broccoli, turmeric, flaxseed, and soybean.

My cancer was contained within my prostate, I was monitored every 3 months with a PSA Test and a biopsy every I think 6 months it might have been 12 months I can’t remember exactly. The last biopsy indicated the cancer had gone up a stage,  had radiotherapy after that, that was 6 years ago.

[newbee2022]

1 hour ago, Jumbo1968 said:

My cancer was contained within my prostate, I was monitored every 3 months with a PSA Test and a biopsy every I think 6 months it might have been 12 months I can’t remember exactly. The last biopsy indicated the cancer had gone up a stage,  had radiotherapy after that, that was 6 years ago.

May I ask you how old you are?

[norbra]

1 hour ago, Jumbo1968 said:

My cancer was contained within my prostate, I was monitored every 3 months with a PSA Test and a biopsy every I think 6 months it might have been 12 months I can’t remember exactly. The last biopsy indicated the cancer had gone up a stage,  had radiotherapy after that, that was 6 years ago.

Mine was similar PSA 42,MRI at Chula confirmed,

Had external radiation 36 doses over 6 weeks,that was 12 years ago,no side effects apart from discoloured semen for about a month after radiation course finished

[Jumbo1968]

5 hours ago, newbee2022 said:

May I ask you how old you are?

I was diagnosed when I was 62, now 72.

[newbee2022]

17 hours ago, Jumbo1968 said:

I was diagnosed when I was 62, now 72.

You mentioned your cancer. What stage is it precisely? Do you know the Gleeson score?

[Jumbo1968]

13 minutes ago, newbee2022 said:

You mentioned your cancer. What stage is it precisely? Do you know the Gleeson score?

I had 5 sessions of radiotherapy over 6 years ago, I don’t have a Gleason score, my PSA is around 0.015 now.

[KannikaP]

On 2/2/2024 at 2:51 PM, TigerandDog said:

and it could most likely be considerably less expensive than radiation therapy (Kemo)

Are you suggesting that Radiation therapy and Kemo (Chemo) are the same thing?

[newbee2022]

30 minutes ago, Jumbo1968 said:

I had 5 sessions of radiotherapy over 6 years ago, I don’t have a Gleason score, my PSA is around 0.015 now.

Well, your PSA is called slightly abnormal. In general we would start a treatment when it's going to 1.0. Monitoring is an option combined with some food as I wrote before.

 

[Jumbo1968]

1 hour ago, newbee2022 said:

Well, your PSA is called slightly abnormal. In general we would start a treatment when it's going to 1.0. Monitoring is an option combined with some food as I wrote before.

 

Slightly abnormal I don’t know where you are getting your info from, Google ? my PSA level is fine, my prostate cells produce little or no PSA due to the radiotherapy which killed most of the cells which produce PSA hence the low levels of PSA in my blood tests.

 

[newbee2022]

13 hours ago, Jumbo1968 said:

Slightly abnormal I don’t know where you are getting your info from, Google ? my PSA level is fine, my prostate cells produce little or no PSA due to the radiotherapy which killed most of the cells which produce PSA hence the low levels of PSA in my blood tests.

 

Then enjoy your time being🙏

[newbee2022]

13 hours ago, Jumbo1968 said:

you are getting your info from, Google

Sure, as every responsible recommended Doc will get it.😵‍💫

[TigerandDog]

15 hours ago, KannikaP said:

Are you suggesting that Radiation therapy and Kemo (Chemo) are the same thing?

Brachytherapy and Chemo are BOTH forms of radiation therapy BUT they are very different treatments.

 

Brachytherapy is a one off treatment whereby radioactive pellets, each around the size of a grain of rice, are implanted into the prostate ( see the link I included in my original comment ) whereas chemo requires multiple visits to the hospital for treatment.

 

When I was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2012 my PSA level was too high (although still within range) for brachytherapy so I had a radical prostatectomy. Unfortunately by the time my scheduled surgery arrived in mid 2013, the cancer had spread and I was given a 5 year use by date. I was referred to a specialist with regards to having chemo but the specialist was of the opinion that, in my case, chemo would not be of any benefit to me so he recommended that I have the brachytherapy with the explanation that this would not remove the cancer but it would slow the spread down and give me around 10-15 years for my use by date. Only the one visit to hospital for the treatment, under general anesthetic. When I had my 2 regular PSA tests in early & mid 2015 the readings had reduced to zero, much to the surprise of the specialist, and I've been cancer free ever since.

 

I'm not saying that brachytherapy is a superior treatment to chemo, but it is worth considering if PSA levels are low enough.