Best Clinics and Costs for Oncology in India 2026

Our team has performed 410 robotic surgeries in 16 months with a greater than 99% success rate. We have performed robotic surgeries for both malignant and non-malignant diseases, including bariatric surgery. These surgeries come with an increased success rate and minimal morbidity; hence they are highly preferred by the patients.

The Indian Council of Medical Research projected a total of 1.39 million new cancer patients in 2021, making cancer one of the most common ailments for the Indians. The main problem in cancer treatment is the exuberant expense, especially in developed countries. India provides all the latest treatments (surgical and non-surgical) at a much lower cost than most countries. Treatment quality is not compromised and is as effective as in other countries. Most Indian doctors are dedicated to their work and patients and are experienced, highly trained, and surgically skilled. 

Full recovery from cancer is a debatable topic. When one is affected by cancer, there is always a chance of the disease coming back sooner or later. We have treated over 90,000 cancer patients for 14 years in Nashik, Maharashtra. Many patients lived disease-free during their entire follow-up period. Some had recurrences after the prompt and adequate treatment. A few with very advanced disease and late presentation, unfortunately, succumbed to the disease. Curing cancer is our ultimate goal, but we also believe in "adding life to the years." Regardless of the number of years a patient might live, there should be no compromise in their life quality.

A tumour board is a multidisciplinary team of specialists. It includes surgeons, oncologists, and pathologists who decide on a cancer treatment plan together. For oncology cases in India, this review is the standard approach. It ensures balanced care by removing individual bias and following international guidelines.

• Multidisciplinary team: Includes experts in medical, surgical, and radiation oncology, plus radiology and pathology.
• Clinical benefit: Boards catch staging errors and adjust the timing of chemotherapy, surgery, or radiation.
• Quality signal: Structured reviews at centres like Artemis Hospitals suggest higher coordinated decision-making standards.
• Efficiency: One review replaces multiple second opinions, saving time for complex or rare cases.

Bookimed Expert Insight: Patient volume directly affects tumour board efficacy. Clinics like Apollo Hospital Indraprastha and Manipal Hospitals serve over 1,000,000 patients annually. This case volume means their boards have reviewed almost every cancer subtype. This gives them a deeper database for comparison than smaller, local facilities.

Patient Consensus: Patients in India feel more confident when a panel reviews their actual imaging and pathology. They appreciate friendly staff and doctors who clearly explain these collaborative plans. Many suggest having a companion to help navigate hospital logistics.

Leading Indian oncologists provide remote second opinions through digital consultations. Patients can access specialist reviews for various cancers, including leukaemia and breast tumours. They do this by submitting pathology reports and radiology scans. These reviews often include a multidisciplinary tumour board assessment to confirm diagnosis and staging.

• Specialist expertise: Dr Sidharth Sahni serves as a breast surgical oncologist for multiple international embassies.
• Expert review: Dr Surender Dabas has performed over 8,000 head-neck and thoracic cancer surgeries.
• Bone marrow insights: Dr Dharma Choudhary leads the Bone Marrow Transplant Department at BLK Hospital.
• Radiation oncology: Dr S Hukku has over 40 publications in international scientific journals.

Bookimed Expert Insight: Clinics like Artemis or Manipal handle many international patients. These centres have streamlined systems for remote file review. They treat 1,000,000+ patients annually, which leads to faster processing of digital files. This setup allows specialists to return structured treatment recommendations within days without immediate travel.

Patient Consensus: Patients find that Indian specialists explain all treatment options clearly. They provide new drug suggestions and hope for recovery. While some mention hospital wait times, they praise the surgical expertise and the thorough digital test results.

Indian oncology centres provide precision therapies including immunotherapy and targeted therapy. Major facilities in Delhi and Bengaluru use next-generation sequencing to create personalised plans. These treatments target specific genetic mutations and proteins to treat breast, lung, and blood cancers effectively.

• Therapy range: Immunotherapy ranges from Price on request to Price on request for various stages.
• Specific drugs: Immunotherapy including Keytruda costs between Price on request and Price on request per cycle.
• Diagnostic tools: PET/CT scans for precise staging cost from $400 to $600.
• Personalised care: Specialists like Dr Sarat Chandra P at Manipal Hospitals focus on precision medicine.

Bookimed Expert Insight: India is becoming a hub for indigenous precision medicine breakthroughs. Global drug brands are available. However, homegrown innovations like NexCAR19 therapy offer cellular treatment at significantly lower costs than imported alternatives. This makes high-level biological therapy accessible to international patients who find Western prices prohibitive.

Patient Consensus: Patients in India find the clinical level of surgery and drug selection impressive. They recommend having support for logistics. They also note that medical expertise and English-speaking doctors provide high-quality care.

Indian oncology centres use the same primary chemotherapy medications as Australia. Both nations follow international standards like guidelines from NCCN and ESMO. While active chemical compounds are identical, India relies on domestically produced generics. This reduces medical costs while maintaining efficacy for standard cancer treatments.

• Drug overlap: Clinics use standard agents including Cisplatin, Paclitaxel, and 5-Fluorouracil.
• Generic manufacturing: Indian facilities primarily use high-quality local generics instead of originators.
• Regulatory speed: India often approves and stocks new immunotherapy drugs very rapidly.
• Accredited facilities: Leading centres like Apollo Hospital Indraprastha hold JCI accreditation.

Bookimed Expert Insight: Leading Indian specialists like Dr Sidharth Sahni at Apollo Hospital serve high-level Australian entities. This helps local treatment plans align with Western expectations. Our data shows JCI-accredited clinics in major cities manage 1,000,000+ international patients yearly. These high volumes mean hospital pharmacies stock fresh batches of chemotherapy drugs. This constant turnover helps maintain medicine potency at its peak.

Patient Consensus: Patients find that Indian oncologists prescribe innovative drugs and internationally recognised regimens. These plans closely match Australian protocols. The clinical care and surgical results are highly professional. However, navigating hospital organisation is easier with an accompanying person.

Oncology patients in India typically move from consultation to diagnosis within 32 days. Treatment starts quickly after, averaging 20 days. Private centres like Apollo Hospital Indraprastha often fast-track this process. They coordinate staging and surgery within 7 to 14 days for urgent cases.

• Diagnostic turnaround: Definitive tests including biopsy and PET-CT usually take about 32 days.
• Treatment initiation: Median time from confirmed diagnosis to starting therapy is 20 days.
• Clinical variation: Urgent haematological cases start in 11 days. Radiotherapy requires 27–30 days.
• Hospital systems: Integrated centres like Manipal Hospitals coordinate pathology and radiology to reduce delays.

Bookimed Expert Insight: Large Indian networks often re-validate pathology slides from smaller clinics for accuracy. Patients can save roughly 5 to 7 days by bringing original biopsy slides to their first appointment. This prevents the need for a new biopsy before starting treatment.

Patient Consensus: Patients note that major hospitals move very fast once you arrive. While repeat testing is common for safety, international visitors appreciate how specialists coordinate care in one location. India provides a good level of care at high-volume tertiary centres.

International patients access supportive and palliative care through India’s major private hospital networks and oncology hubs. Leading centres integrate pain management, nutritional counselling, and psychosocial support into treatment. Facilities like Apollo Hospital Indraprastha and Manipal Hospitals use specialised international desks to coordinate these services.

• Multidisciplinary approach: Major hospitals include symptom relief in active chemotherapy and radiotherapy protocols.
• Specialised pain management: Care teams use medications and localised therapies for chronic pain.
• Psychosocial resources: Counselling services help international patients and their families navigate intensive treatment.
• Nutritional support: Targeted dietary plans offset side effects from surgeries or systemic therapies.

Bookimed Expert Insight: India’s third-largest healthcare provider, Manipal Hospitals, manages roughly 2,000,000 patients annually. Data shows that larger systems like this or Apollo Hospital Indraprastha provide robust infrastructure. Patients should confirm that symptom management teams are available from the day of diagnosis.

Patient Consensus: Patients report that while medical treatment is high-quality, having a coordinator is essential. They note that hospital food is excellent and private bays provide comfort during recovery.

Healthcare in India is based on cost-effective models. Most of the hospitals are private — 65% of annual GDP is out-of-pocket medical payments.

1.4 mln doctors provide excellent treatments in the country. 74% of the Indian medical care is private. The local healthcare centers have international and national certificates that confirm the high quality of services and patients' safety:

• JCI (Joint Commission International) — the international improver of healthcare quality and safety across the globe
• NABH (National Accreditation Board for Hospitals & Healthcare Providers) — the Indian quality council establishing healthcare accreditation for medical centers within the country.

India has 39 JCI-accredited medical centers in contrast with 20 JCI-certified facilities in Germany and 10 hospitals in Israel.

In India, hotels of different price ranges and service levels are presented. Most tourists choose 4 and 5-star hotels. Such hotels have everything for a comfortable stay: varied European and Asian food, a vast, well-groomed territory, animation for children and adults. Some hotels have a water park available to guests. Budget travelers can afford to book an economical 3-star hotel with half board or no meals at all.

International patients are required to receive an electronic visa (e-Visa). The maximum period of stay in the country with this visa type is 6 months. Read more about the visa terms for treatment in India here.

Visa for travel to India requires a number of documents. The necessary list of documents includes:

• ID card
• copy of online visa application form
• certificate of income and availability of funds
• recent size 2 photos
• proof of residential address
• booking of flight and hotel
• medical opinion about the need for treatment in India.