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CION Cancer Clinics
What immunotherapy for MSI-high colon cancer costs | CION Cancer Clinics
Immunotherapy for colon cancer is costly because the drug is given repeatedly, often for many months. It is used mainly when the tumour is MSI-high or dMMR, so the first cost is the tumour test. This page sets out indicative Hyderabad ranges per cycle, explains what makes one family's total higher than another's, and shows how to get a written estimate and use your insurance or scheme. At CION Cancer Clinics, we explain costs in writing and help families from across Telangana and Andhra Pradesh plan treatment in Hyderabad.
NG
Medically reviewed by Dr. Naresh GunduConsultant Medical Oncologist · MBBS, DNB (Internal Medicine), DM (Medical Oncology, AIIMS) · last reviewed October 2026, next review due October 2027
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On this page
- How much does immunotherapy for colon cancer cost in India?
- What each part of immunotherapy usually costs in Hyderabad
- What happens at each immunotherapy visit?
- Why two families can be quoted very different totals
- How do you get a written estimate and use your cover?
- What this page cannot tell you
- Common questions about immunotherapy cost
The short answer
How much does immunotherapy for colon cancer cost in India?
Immunotherapy is one of the costlier parts of colon cancer care, because the same drug is given again and again, often for many months. Most of the bill is the drug itself, so the total depends on the dose and on how long treatment continues. The indicative Hyderabad range for one cycle of pembrolizumab, the drug most often used, is set out below.
Who it is for, and why that comes first
Immunotherapy works well in one group: colon cancers that are MSI-high or dMMR, meaning the tumour has lost its ability to repair copying errors in its own DNA. This is a minority of colon cancers, and the drug is mostly used when the cancer has spread. So the first cost is not the drug. It is the tumour test that shows whether immunotherapy fits at all. Our page on MMR and MSI testing explains why every colon cancer should be tested.
Why nobody can give one total on day one
The number of cycles is not fixed at the start. If the drug is working and side effects stay manageable, treatment can continue for up to about two years. If the cancer grows, or side effects build up, it stops sooner. A family is really budgeting for a plan that changes with each scan. Read when immunotherapy is an option for how that decision is made.
A per-cycle price multiplied by a guess is not an estimate. Ask the treating team for a written one.Indicative cost
What each part of immunotherapy usually costs in Hyderabad
These are 2026 Hyderabad estimates, not quotes. The final figure depends on the drug, the dose, how long you stay on it and your insurance or scheme.
₹15,000 – ₹60,000
Molecular profiling (MSI/MMR, RAS, BRAF, HER2)
The tumour test that decides whether immunotherapy is an option. Usually done once, on tissue from the biopsy or the operation.
₹1,20,000 – ₹2,75,000
Immunotherapy (pembrolizumab), per cycle
The drug is most of this figure. The range moves with the dose, the brand and how the day-care visit is billed.
₹5,000 – ₹12,000
Staging CT (chest, abdomen, pelvis)
Repeated every few months during treatment to check whether the cancer is shrinking, stable or growing.
₹15,000 – ₹25,000
PET-CT (selective use)
Not routine. Used only when a CT scan leaves a question that changes the plan.
Indicative only. Blood tests, consultations, day-care charges and treatment of side effects are billed separately and vary by hospital. Insurance or a government scheme can change what you pay out of pocket a great deal. Call the helpline for a written estimate against your own cover.
On a treatment day
What happens at each immunotherapy visit?
- A review with your medical oncologist before the dose
- Blood tests, including liver and thyroid checks
- The drip itself, usually given over about half an hour
- A day-care bed and nursing time
- Questions about new symptoms, especially loose motions
- A date for the next dose. Ask which of these the quoted figure covers.
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What moves the bill
Why two families can be quoted very different totals
The per-cycle range is only the start. Four things decide what a whole course costs.
How long treatment continues
This is the biggest factor. Immunotherapy is continued while it works and side effects stay manageable, which can mean many months. Some people stop early because the cancer grows or the side effects become too much.
Which drug, and how often
Pembrolizumab is the drug most often used. Some plans use nivolumab, alone or with ipilimumab, and these are quoted separately.
Also changes the total
- A dose every three weeks or every six weeks
- A fixed dose or one based on body weight
- The brand the pharmacy stocks
Side effects that need treatment
Most side effects are mild. A few people develop inflammation of the bowel, liver, lungs or hormone glands, which needs steroids, extra tests or a hospital stay. Severe loose motions are an emergency on immunotherapy and are billed separately.
Scans, tests and travel
Blood tests before every dose and scans every few months add up over a long course. Families from the districts also carry bus fares, lodging in Hyderabad and days off work for the person who comes along.
Before the first dose
How do you get a written estimate and use your cover?
Confirm the MSI or MMR result
Ask to see the report that says MSI-high or dMMR. Without that result, immunotherapy on its own is unlikely to help, and the cost question does not arise.
Ask for the plan in writing
The drug name, the dose, how often it is given, how long it is planned for and when the first scan will be. With that, you can budget in blocks instead of one visit at a time.
Ask for an itemised estimate
Drug, day care, blood tests and scans listed separately, with a line on what is excluded. Ask what happens to the bill if a dose is delayed or a side effect needs a hospital stay.
Start insurance or scheme paperwork early
Insurers usually want pre-approval, sometimes for each cycle. Many policies now cover immunotherapy, but some cap modern treatments. Our page on insurance cover for colon cancer explains what to ask before treatment starts.
Being straight with you
What this page cannot tell you
It cannot tell you whether immunotherapy will work for you, or how long you will need it. Those answers come from your own tumour result, your scans and how you respond over the first few months. Nobody can promise them in advance, and you should be wary of anyone who does.
Who this page does not apply to
Most colon cancers are not MSI-high. They are called MSS, or mismatch repair proficient. For them, immunotherapy alone usually does not work, and chemotherapy with or without targeted therapy is the main treatment. Read about immunotherapy in MSS colorectal cancer before paying for it. This page also does not cover rectal cancer, which is planned differently and has its own hub.
It cannot quote your bill
Drug prices, brands and hospital charges change. Only the team that will give the treatment can put a figure in writing against your policy or scheme. Use the ranges here to prepare questions, not to decide.
If you are holding a report that says MSI-high or dMMR, call the helpline. A medical oncologist can tell you whether immunotherapy fits and what to plan for.Questions we are asked
Common questions about immunotherapy cost
Is immunotherapy cheaper than chemotherapy for colon cancer?
Usually not, cycle for cycle. The drug costs more. But in MSI-high colon cancer that has spread, immunotherapy may be offered instead of chemotherapy as the first treatment, so the fair comparison is the whole plan, not one visit. Ask your oncologist to set both plans side by side.
Does health insurance cover immunotherapy in India?
Many policies now cover modern treatments including immunotherapy, often as day care without an overnight stay. Some apply a cap or need approval before every cycle. Read the clause on modern treatments and speak to the insurer's desk before the first dose, not after the bill arrives.
Is immunotherapy covered under Aarogyasri or Ayushman Bharat?
Government schemes pay for treatments listed in their packages at empanelled hospitals. Whether a particular immunotherapy drug for colon cancer is listed, and on what conditions, changes over time. The scheme desk at the treating hospital confirms it before treatment begins. Keep copies of every report they ask for.
Why does the MSI test matter so much for cost?
Because it decides whether immunotherapy is likely to help at all. In MSI-high or dMMR colon cancer it can work well. In most other colon cancers it does little on its own. Paying for the drug without that result means paying for a treatment that probably will not work.
How long will we have to keep paying for it?
Treatment continues while it is working and side effects stay manageable. That is often many months, and it can be up to about two years. It can also stop earlier. Ask for the planned length so you can budget in blocks rather than visit by visit.
Can we stop immunotherapy if the money runs out?
Talk to your oncologist before stopping, not after. There may be other routes, such as a scheme, a manufacturer's patient support programme or a different treatment. Stopping suddenly without a plan leaves nobody watching the cancer, which is the bigger risk.
Are there costs beyond the drug?
Yes. Blood tests before each dose, scans every few months, consultation and day-care charges, treatment of side effects and, for district families, travel and stays in Hyderabad. Ask for these to be listed separately so the total does not surprise you halfway through.
Where is immunotherapy given at CION?
CION gives immunotherapy at its centres as a day-care treatment, with a medical oncologist reviewing you before each dose. Biopsy, pathology and MSI testing are arranged through diagnostic partners. One helpline serves every CION centre and can tell you which is nearest to you.
What moves the figure
What affects the cost
Four things change the total more than anything else.
The technique used
A shaped or image-guided delivery costs more than a conventional one, and is chosen on clinical grounds rather than preference.
How many sessions
The total is driven by the number of sittings or cycles, not by a single per-visit figure.
Supporting tests
Scans, blood work and pathology done alongside treatment are billed separately.
Your cover
Aarogyasri, CGHS, ECHS, EHS or cashless insurance usually change the out-of-pocket figure substantially.
Paying for it
Insurance, schemes and payment
What you actually pay usually differs a great deal from the sticker figure.
AarogyasriEmpanelled. Bring the card and a referral where you have one.
CGHS / ECHS / EHSAccepted at CION centres for eligible treatment.
Cashless insuranceMost major insurers are empanelled. Pre-authorisation is handled by our desk.
Self-payItemised estimate given before treatment starts. No EMI scheme exists.
Accreditation and empanelment
- NABH
- NABL
- ISO 9001:2015
- ArogyaSri empanelled
- CGHS accepted
- ECHS accepted
- EHS accepted
- Major cashless insurers
Your Specialists
Meet CION's colon cancer specialists. Bring your colonoscopy, scan or biopsy report.
Our surgical and medical oncologists plan colon cancer care together: which operation, whether chemotherapy is needed, and the follow-up that comes after.
Medical Oncologist
Dr. C. Raghavendra Reddy
MBBS(Gold Medal), DNB(General Medicine), DM(Medical Oncology)(Gold Medal)
Medical Oncologist
Dr. Bharati Devi Gorantla
MBBS, MD(General Medicine), DM(Medical Oncology)(Adyar,Chennai), ECMO, MRCP SCE(UK)
Medical Oncologist
Dr. Owais Mohammed
MBBS, MD (General Medicine), DrNB (Medical Oncology), ECMO, MRCP SCE (Medical Oncology) (UK)
Medical Oncologist
Medical Oncologist
Surgical Oncologist
Dr. Muralidhar Muddusetty
MBBS (AIIMS), MS (Surgery) (AIIMS), DNB (Surgical Oncology), MRCS (Edinburgh)
Surgical Oncologist
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Where to find us
Our centres in and around Hyderabad
Addressed by landmark, because that is how this city navigates. One helpline books a consultation at any of these centres, and your team will tell you where each test and operation takes place.
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Sources
- American Cancer Society — Immunotherapy for Colorectal Cancer
- National Cancer Institute — Immunotherapy for Cancer
- National Cancer Institute — Managing Cancer Costs and Medical Information
- IRDAI — Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India
This page is general information, not a prescription. Do not change or stop any treatment based on what you read here. If anything is worrying you, contact your own treating team — or call our helpline and we will help you reach the right specialist.
Keep reading
Related pages
When Immunotherapy Is an Option in Colon CancerWhich tumours and which stages it is actually used forWhat MSI-High Status Means for Your OutlookWhat the result on your report says about the cancerCost of Targeted Therapy in Colon CancerThe comparable figures if your tumour is not MSI-highIs Colon Cancer Treatment Covered by Insurance?What to check in your policy before treatment starts
Talk to us
Holding an MSI-high report and wondering what to budget?
Share the report with us and a medical oncologist will tell you whether immunotherapy fits and what a realistic plan looks like. One helpline serves every CION centre.