Plaque Brachytherapy in India

Treatment overview

Plaque brachytherapy is an eye-preserving radiation treatment for cancers and certain tumours inside the eye, most commonly uveal melanoma and, in children, retinoblastoma. A small curved gold disc containing radioactive seeds is surgically sutured onto the outer wall of the eyeball directly over the tumour, where it delivers a precisely targeted dose of radiation from millimetres away. The plaque remains in place for three to seven days while the radiation destroys the tumour cells, after which it is removed in a second short operation. This approach allows a high radiation dose to reach the tumour while minimising exposure to surrounding eye structures and tissues. For medium-sized choroidal melanomas, large clinical trials have shown that plaque brachytherapy produces survival outcomes equivalent to removing the eye, making it the standard eye-sparing alternative for suitable patients.

Comprehensive Investigations

Estimated cost: ~$500 – $1,000

Typical tests for this treatment: Dilated fundus examination and slit-lamp biomicroscopy, Ocular ultrasound (A-scan and B-scan) for tumour dimensions, Fundus photography and autofluorescence imaging, Optical coherence tomography (OCT), Fluorescein angiography, Liver function tests (LFT), CBC and coagulation profile (PT/INR), Liver imaging (ultrasound or MRI abdomen) for staging. Done in India before hospital admission. Cost varies with case complexity.

Treatment / Procedure estimate

Estimated cost in India: $6,000 – $9,000

Stay in India

Pre-procedure stay (outside hospital): ~4 days

Hospitalisation: ~8 days

Recovery period (outside hospital): ~10 days recommended

Total stay: approx 22 days

Usually Included in Hospital Package

• Two short operations under anaesthesia — plaque placement and plaque removal
• Inpatient hospital stay for the duration the plaque is in situ (typically 5–7 nights)
• Radioactive plaque, seeds, and all radiation physics planning
• Surgeon, radiation oncologist, medical physicist, and anaesthesiologist fees
• Nursing care, pain management, and eye drops during hospital stay
• Radiation safety monitoring during the inpatient period
• Pre-procedure ophthalmic workup and imaging performed at hospital
• Initial follow-up consultation before discharge

Usually Not Included

• Travel and accommodation
• Visa processing and travel insurance
• Systemic staging investigations (PET-CT, full-body MRI) if required
• Additional intraocular injections (anti-VEGF) for radiation complications post-discharge
• Management of distant metastatic disease (priced separately)