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oncology · IN
Medical visa (M visa) available for up to 60 days, extendable. Requires letter from Indian hospital. Medical attendant visa available for companions.
Chemotherapy is the systemic delivery of cytotoxic drugs to kill or slow the growth of cancer cells. The term spans many drug classes — alkylating agents, antimetabolites, antimicrotubule agents, topoisomerase inhibitors, anthracyclines and others — and many delivery routes (intravenous, oral, intrathecal, intra-arterial). Regimens are typically defined by cancer type, stage, and patient fitness, and are delivered as a sequence of cycles with rest periods to allow normal tissues to recover. Modern oncology increasingly combines cytotoxic chemotherapy with targeted therapies, immunotherapies, hormonal agents, and radiotherapy in carefully sequenced protocols. Travelling abroad for chemotherapy is uncommon and should be considered cautiously: continuity of care across cycles, access to emergency services for febrile neutropenia, and integration with home-country surveillance imaging are easier to manage when treatment is delivered close to where the patient lives.
Full procedure guide →Indian oncology at Apollo, Tata Memorial, and similar centres offers chemotherapy at fractions of Western prices. Confirm oncologist DM Medical Oncology certification and that the specific regimen matches international guidelines.
India's framework is unusual in giving consumer-protection forums a primary role in clinical negligence claims. Following the Supreme Court's 1995 decision in Indian Medical Association v VP Shantha, medical services fall within the Consumer Protection Act, which means patients can bring claims before consumer commissions at district, state, and national levels — typically with lower court fees, faster timelines, and simpler procedures than ordinary civil courts. The Consumer Protection Act 2019 has expanded jurisdiction and introduced product-liability principles. Disciplinary oversight sits with the National Medical Commission (NMC), which superseded the Medical Council of India in 2020, and with state medical councils. NABH operates the leading national hospital accreditation programme and publishes inspection-pass status. Civil litigation under tort principles remains available but is rarely the first route for foreign patients given the timelines involved. International patients should retain documentation in English where possible; Indian courts and consumer commissions accept English-language filings.
Full country profile →1 clinic in our registry
Chennai, India·Est. 2002·Verified 2y ago
A dedicated oncology centre within the Apollo Hospitals network in Chennai, offering chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and surgical oncology. JCI- and NABH-accredited with a multidisciplinary tumour board.
The M-category medical visa requires a letter from the treating Indian hospital confirming the appointment and nature of treatment, along with a standard visa application. It can be obtained for stays of up to sixty days, extendable within India, and includes a companion (attendant) visa for an accompanying family member or carer. Applications are made through the Indian embassy or high commission in the patient's home country.
India uses the Indian Rupee (INR). Major international hospitals in Delhi and Mumbai accept payment by international credit card and can provide cost estimates in US dollars or other currencies. Currency exchange facilities are available at international airports. Bringing a small amount of cash in US dollars or euros provides a useful backup.
English is an official language of India and the working language of the medical profession throughout the country. At JCI and NABH-accredited hospitals catering to international patients, all clinical communication — consultations, discharge summaries, operative notes — is conducted in English as standard. This is one of India's significant practical advantages as a medical tourism destination.
India's the registry-listed private hospitals have twenty-four-hour emergency departments equipped to manage complex medical emergencies. Travel insurance with medical emergency and repatriation coverage is essential, as uninsured emergency care at private hospitals can be expensive. The national emergency number in India is 112, and most major hospitals have dedicated emergency helplines.
The Consumer Protection Act 2019 covers medical negligence, and patients can file complaints with the District, State, or National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission. This system is more accessible than traditional civil litigation and has a track record of awarding compensation. The National Medical Commission also handles professional misconduct complaints.
Indian hospitals at the international standard routinely prepare comprehensive discharge packages including operative notes, imaging, pathology reports, and post-operative instructions in English. Before discharge, confirm that all documents have been provided and share them with your GP or relevant specialist at home. The international patient department can liaise directly with home-country physicians if needed.
The major medical tourism cities — Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, and Hyderabad — are navigable and generally safe for international patients when using established transport and accommodation. The hospitals themselves provide comprehensive support including airport pickup, accommodation assistance, and security within the hospital campus. Standard urban precautions apply in the wider city.
Delhi experiences extreme heat in summer (April to June, exceeding 40°C) and a cool winter (November to February). Mumbai is hot and humid year-round with a heavy monsoon season from June to September. For elective procedures requiring outdoor activity during recovery, the October to March window in northern India is generally the most comfortable. Patients recovering in air-conditioned hospital accommodation are less affected by seasonal variation.
NABH — the National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare Providers — is India's domestic hospital accreditation body and operates to standards broadly comparable with JCI, though the two are separate schemes. NABH accreditation is widespread across the Indian private hospital sector and provides a meaningful quality signal for domestic and international patients alike.
Yes. The Indian medical visa includes provision for a companion (attendant) visa for one accompanying family member or carer, which allows them to stay for the duration of the patient's treatment. This is a practical and valued feature for patients undergoing complex or lengthy procedures who require support during their stay.
Hair loss depends on the specific drugs used. Some regimens cause complete hair loss, others cause thinning, and some cause none at all. Hair typically begins to fall out one to three weeks after the first treatment and regrows within two to three months of completing chemotherapy.
Many patients continue working during chemotherapy, particularly in less physically demanding roles. The ability to work depends on the regimen's intensity, the individual's response, and the nature of the job. Planning around the nadir period — when fatigue and infection risk peak — is advisable.
A varied, nutritious diet is important to maintain strength and support immune function. Nausea may limit appetite, and a dietitian can advise on strategies to maintain adequate intake. High-risk foods such as raw meat, unpasteurised dairy, and unwashed produce should be avoided during immunosuppressed periods.
Response to chemotherapy is assessed through regular imaging — CT scans, PET scans, or MRI — and blood tumour markers if applicable. These are typically performed after two to three cycles to determine whether the regimen is achieving the intended response. The treating oncologist will discuss findings and adjust the plan if necessary.
Febrile neutropenia occurs when chemotherapy reduces white blood cell counts to critically low levels and an infection develops, causing fever. Because the immune system cannot mount a normal response, this can progress rapidly to life-threatening sepsis. It requires emergency hospitalisation and prompt intravenous antibiotics.
Most side effects — including nausea, fatigue, and hair loss — are temporary and resolve after treatment ends. Some drugs carry a risk of longer-lasting or permanent effects, including peripheral neuropathy (tingling or numbness in the hands and feet), cardiac effects with certain agents, and in rare cases, secondary malignancies.
Travel is generally best avoided during the nadir period when infection risk is highest. Short trips between cycles may be feasible when blood counts have recovered, but patients should carry medical records, have access to emergency care at the destination, and avoid crowded public spaces and sick contacts.
Chemotherapy directly kills rapidly dividing cells using cytotoxic drugs. Immunotherapy works differently — it activates or modulates the patient's own immune system to recognise and attack cancer cells. Many patients now receive combinations of both approaches, and immunotherapy has dramatically improved outcomes for certain cancers including melanoma and lung cancer.