Cost Of Treating A Cancer Patient In Bangkok

[shonkho]

Good day good people of that forum

My father who lives in Bangladesh is diagnosed with cancer ( prostrate/bowel/bladder not sure) as doctor found a malignant tumor in his pelvic region which is also poorly differentiated. It also may spread to various areas of his body. My dad has blood pressure, diabetic ( controlled ), enlarged prostrate.

I have decided to bring my father in Bangkok and do diagnosis again and get second opinion

I have contacted all the international medical hospitals( Bangkok hospital,Bumrungrad and Samitivej) with patient's info . I have been waiting for more than 3 business days with out any answers

At that stage I have decided to make appoinments with couple of surgeons (Dr. Pongnares Purasiri, looking for more ) with all patient's info.

Then I will do the diagnosis suggested by them .

Then I will meet them all again and decide after hearing all their suggestions.

I want to know whether I am doing it right or should I do in some other way,what will be the approximate cost of diagnosis, treatment and post treatment. Name of surgeons who specialise in colorectal surgery, the best hospitals ( in Bangkok) to go to in terms of English speaking, cost and treatment facilities.

Advice on ways of reducing cost ( like should I be a member of Chivawattana MyHealth Membership, accomodation, post treatment )

I would also like to know whether we have to wait long to get medical appointments from specialists

Thanks in advance for help

Shonkho

[lopburi3]

If you asked the hospitals for cost estimates with the little information you seem to have they probably don't know what to tell you. It would probably be best to visit or call them directly. Another hospital in Bangkok that is active in Bangladesh treatment would be Vejthani.

Vejthani Bangladesh Office

Planners Tower, Suite 1, Level 15, 13/A Sonargaon Road, Dhaka 1000, Bangladesh

Tel./Fax: +8802-8650671

Contact Persons:

Mr. Mahbub (Mobile : 01716275853)

Mr. Faisol (Mobile : 01732166641)

Dr. Imrose (Mobile : 01711303801)

Email : [email protected]

Website: www.vejthani.com

[shonkho]

Well I sent them enough info to make a decision on cost.

I never heard of Vejthani . Do they have good oncologists?

Thanks

If you asked the hospitals for cost estimates with the little information you seem to have they probably don't know what to tell you. It would probably be best to visit or call them directly. Another hospital in Bangkok that is active in Bangladesh treatment would be Vejthani.

Vejthani Bangladesh Office

Planners Tower, Suite 1, Level 15, 13/A Sonargaon Road, Dhaka 1000, Bangladesh

Tel./Fax: +8802-8650671

Contact Persons:

Mr. Mahbub (Mobile : 01716275853)

Mr. Faisol (Mobile : 01732166641)

Dr. Imrose (Mobile : 01711303801)

Email : [email protected]

Website: www.vejthani.com

[ballbreaker]

Cost on diagnosis will depend on testing ordered by doctor. I think it will be consist of one of the following three (ultrasound, CT scan or MRI scan) plus urine and blood analysis.

My wifes abdominal diagnosis cost slightly over 3000 baht for test, hospital and doctor fees when done at St. Marys Hospital in Korat. In her case they used ultrasound. I know CT scans in the same hospital cost 4000 baht alone and I am told the MRI cost even more but I do not know how much.

Once they have the diagnosis they will then give you an estimate for surgery and hospital stay. It will not include follow up treatment because until they get inside and have biopsy done on tissue they will not commit.

[shonkho]

Thanks my man

Cost on diagnosis will depend on testing ordered by doctor. I think it will be consist of one of the following three (ultrasound, CT scan or MRI scan) plus urine and blood analysis.

My wifes abdominal diagnosis cost slightly over 3000 baht for test, hospital and doctor fees when done at St. Marys Hospital in Korat. In her case they used ultrasound. I know CT scans in the same hospital cost 4000 baht alone and I am told the MRI cost even more but I do not know how much.

Once they have the diagnosis they will then give you an estimate for surgery and hospital stay. It will not include follow up treatment because until they get inside and have biopsy done on tissue they will not commit.

[Tigs]

Shonkho

I am afraid i do not have an answer for you regarding the costs, but whatever happens, you are doing the right thing by bringing your father to you, and doing the best that you can for him, iI am sure he is very proud of you. Good luck to you, but especially to your Dad.

Tigs

[shonkho]

Does anyone know about Piyavate hospital for treating cancer patient?

[Prakanong]

Hi

I just asked one of our senior managers in Bangkok about this - we work in clinical trials.

Basically she is asking exactly what tyope of cancer as that will effect the choice of Dr - she can ask around about a good one.

In Thailand as she pointed out the Dr's work in govt hospitals and then go and work in private hospitals - the patient who is going private follows the Dr and not like us in the west who usually go to the closest hospital and take whatever (there are exceptions I know but mainly the NHS works like this).

I work with two Oncologists here in Singapore - if i ask them they will always sy come to Singapore for "Gold Standard" treatment rather than take chances in Thailand. Recently a friend had prostate problems and they put him on radiation without first doing bone scans. After 6 weeks of treatment in thailand they found the cancer in his bones - colleagues here say the scans should have all been done prior to any treatment - not shoot and then look.

[shonkho]

Ok folks here are how I went with my dad's treatment in Bangkok Hospital. Hope you will get a general understanding about the treatment standard in this hospital.

We made appointment with Dr Tanaphon Maipang. He checked all the tests and scans and advised us to do PET scan. He also instructed to do all other tests as well and so we did. After examining the PET and other results he said we had good news and said the tumour was localised in terminal ileum/colon area and we had to do the operation asap.He was all good and quite amicable at that time.

We then decided to see Assoc Prof Dr Somboon Leungwattanakij of Urology dept as my dad had prostate problem and also to get a second opinion about my dad's cancer

Dr Somboon decided to do a cystoscopy test on my dad and from that test, the lab test results and referring back to his experience he advised that my dad had Urachal cancer. He then talked to Dr Tanaphon and told us that Dr Tanaphon also agreed to his (Dr Somboon) assessment and advised us that if we agreed to the operation and they both would be present during the operation

To my dismay I saw Dr Somboon didn't maintain any privacy during the cystoscopy test ( he did the test in front of the interpreter without giving a dam_n to my dad's modesty) .

I was quite surprised to hear Dr Somboon's assessment of Urachal cancer and Dr Tanaphon's support for the assessment

We then go back to dr. Tanaphon and asked about the potential cost.

We didn't like the way two doctors made their decisions and changed their decisions and we also thought the cost was prohibitive (no less than the cost of treating a patient in Australia). We decided to do it in Bangladesh.

We then advised our intention to Dr Tanaphon and requested to give us a medical report which he rudely denied. All subsequent requests to talk to him about my dad were refused rudely.

Some points to make about Bangkok hospital

1. Customer service staff at the hospital were extremely helpful and polite but understood little English (lucky they also had interpreter)

2. We stayed at hospitals accommodation which I thought wonderful (breakfast was good, customer service was fantastic)

3. The hospital will treat you like a king if you have money

4. Dr Tanaphon probably the only one in the hospital who treated us badly, once we told him our intention of doing operation in Bangladesh

5. The hospital is bloody expensive

Any way we admitted our dad in Square hospital under Prof. Dr. Sanawar Hossain . We again had all the lab tests and we had the operation. the tumour was removed and according to biopsy it was assessed as GIST. Dad again had a CT scan after 3 months which showed the tumour hadn't come back. He is also seeing Prof Dr. Karim ( Japan Bangladesh friendship hospital). The whole cost was much less than the only surgery cost quoted by Bangkok hospital

My dad is ok these days

Some points to make about Bangladeshi treatment standard

1. Most of the time they are accurate if you go to the right place. We have good doctors and pathologist but they all belong to expensive hospitals.

2. Have faith on our doctors and respect them and try to stick to them

3. We have a tendency to take advice from everyone and believe them except the doctors. Try not to do that. Talk to wise people about the doctors you think you should visit to. Select them all and visit them all and then decide who is best and stick to him.

Thanks for all the advice I received from the forum and thank you all

Edited January 11, 2009 by shonkho

[mrtoad]

Ok folks here are how I went with my dad's treatment in Bangkok Hospital. Hope you will get a general understanding about the treatment standard in this hospital.

We made appointment with Dr Tanaphon Maipang. He checked all the tests and scans and advised us to do PET scan. He also instructed to do all other tests as well and so we did. After examining the PET and other results he said we had good news and said the tumour was localised in terminal ileum/colon area and we had to do the operation asap.He was all good and quite amicable at that time.

We then decided to see Assoc Prof Dr Somboon Leungwattanakij of Urology dept as my dad had prostate problem and also to get a second opinion about my dad's cancer

Dr Somboon decided to do a cystoscopy test on my dad and from that test, the lab test results and referring back to his experience he advised that my dad had Urachal cancer. He then talked to Dr Tanaphon and told us that Dr Tanaphon also agreed to his (Dr Somboon) assessment and advised us that if we agreed to the operation and they both would be present during the operation

To my dismay I saw Dr Somboon didn't maintain any privacy during the cystoscopy test ( he did the test in front of the interpreter without giving a dam_n to my dad's modesty) .

I was quite surprised to hear Dr Somboon's assessment of Urachal cancer and Dr Tanaphon's support for the assessment

We then go back to dr. Tanaphon and asked about the potential cost.

We didn't like the way two doctors made their decisions and changed their decisions and we also thought the cost was prohibitive (no less than the cost of treating a patient in Australia). We decided to do it in Bangladesh.

We then advised our intention to Dr Tanaphon and requested to give us a medical report which he rudely denied. All subsequent requests to talk to him about my dad were refused rudely.

Some points to make about Bangkok hospital

1. Customer service staff at the hospital were extremely helpful and polite but understood little English (lucky they also had interpreter)

2. We stayed at hospitals accommodation which I thought wonderful (breakfast was good, customer service was fantastic)

3. The hospital will treat you like a king if you have money

4. Dr Tanaphon probably the only one in the hospital who treated us badly, once we told him our intention of doing operation in Bangladesh

5. The hospital is bloody expensive

Any way we admitted our dad in Square hospital under Prof. Dr. Sanawar Hossain . We again had all the lab tests and we had the operation. the tumour was removed and according to biopsy it was assessed as GIST. Dad again had a CT scan after 3 months which showed the tumour hadn't come back. He is also seeing Prof Dr. Karim ( Japan Bangladesh friendship hospital). The whole cost was much less than the only surgery cost quoted by Bangkok hospital

My dad is ok these days

Some points to make about Bangladeshi treatment standard

1. Most of the time they are accurate if you go to the right place. We have good doctors and pathologist but they all belong to expensive hospitals.

2. Have faith on our doctors and respect them and try to stick to them

3. We have a tendency to take advice from everyone and believe them except the doctors. Try not to do that. Talk to wise people about the doctors you think you should visit to. Select them all and visit them all and then decide who is best and stick to him.

Thanks for all the advice I received from the forum and thank you all

I'm glad to hear that your father is well.

On Bangkok Hospital, your points on thwe hospital.

1. That is why the employ interperters, although I find it hard to beleive that CS department could not speak English. The International Dept at Bangkok Hospital has plenty of English speakers.

2. Yes, it is good.

3. Of course they will. It is a Private hospital. If you can pay then you will get the service. No difference than anywhere.

4. OK, that is an individual.

5. Of course it is. It is one of the top hospitals in Thailand. You shoulkd have looked at some of the other options. No different than booking a hotel. Top place +Top Dollar. There are othe options in Thailand.

Regards the Bangladeshi Standards, you seem to contradict a lot of things in relation to Thailand.

One thing for Sure, Bangladesh is cheaper in general, but if you want top quality service, then you have to pay top dollar.

The main thing though, is that your Father has made a recovery.

[mijan24]

Could you tell us the cost of the PET Scan please?