Medical Oncologist
CION Cancer Clinics
What does targeted therapy for colon cancer cost? | CION Cancer Clinics
Targeted therapy for colon cancer, usually cetuximab or bevacizumab, costs roughly ₹35,000 to ₹1,20,000 per cycle in Hyderabad, given alongside chemotherapy. It is used mainly when the cancer has spread, and only after tumour testing shows which drug can work. This page explains what moves that bill, why testing comes first, and how biosimilars, insurance and government schemes fit in. At CION Cancer Clinics, we explain costs in writing and help families from across Telangana and Andhra Pradesh plan treatment in Hyderabad.
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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
- Why does targeted therapy cost so much more than chemotherapy?
- What targeted therapy and its tests usually cost in Hyderabad
- What decides how much your targeted therapy will cost?
- How do cetuximab and bevacizumab compare on cost?
- How do you plan the cost before targeted therapy starts?
- What this page cannot tell you
- Common questions about the cost of targeted therapy
The short answer
Why does targeted therapy cost so much more than chemotherapy?
Targeted therapy is the most expensive part of most colon cancer treatment, because the drugs are antibodies made in living cells and they are given on top of chemotherapy, not instead of it. In colon cancer the two used most often are cetuximab and bevacizumab. Both are given as a drip in a day-care chair at CION, usually on the same visit as the chemotherapy.
When these drugs are actually used
Targeted drugs are used mainly when colon cancer has spread, to the liver, the lungs or the lining of the abdomen. They are sometimes used to shrink liver spots enough for an operation. Because stage 4 treatment can continue for many months, the per-cycle price matters more than any one bill.
Who this page does not apply to
Targeted drugs are not part of standard chemotherapy after surgery for stage 2 or 3 colon cancer. If that is your situation, the adjuvant chemotherapy cost page is the right one. If your tumour is MSI-high, immunotherapy is often considered first, and its costs are on the immunotherapy cost page.
No targeted drug should be started before the tumour has been tested. The test decides which drug can work at all.Indicative cost
What targeted therapy and its tests usually cost in Hyderabad
These are 2026 Hyderabad estimates, not quotes. Your own figure depends on the drug, the brand, your body weight and your cover.
₹35,000 – ₹1,20,000
One cycle of cetuximab or bevacizumab
Ask whether the figure includes the chemotherapy given alongside it, or only the targeted drug.
₹15,000 – ₹60,000
Molecular profiling
RAS, BRAF, MSI or MMR and HER2 testing on tumour tissue. Usually done once, before the first targeted drug.
₹5,000 – ₹12,000
CT of chest, abdomen and pelvis
Repeated every few months to check the drug is working, and arranged through diagnostic partners.
₹15,000 – ₹25,000
PET-CT, used selectively
Only when a CT leaves a question open, for example before planned liver surgery.
Indicative only, dated 2026. Biosimilar brands, the dose worked out from your weight or size, and insurance or scheme cover can change the figure a great deal. Newer drugs for BRAF, HER2 or KRAS changes are quoted separately. Call the helpline for a written estimate against your own plan.
What moves the bill
What decides how much your targeted therapy will cost?
Four things decide most of the difference between one family's bill and another's.
Which drug you are given
Cetuximab and panitumumab are used only when the RAS genes are normal, mostly for left-sided cancers. Bevacizumab can be used whatever the RAS result. The drugs differ in price and in how often they are given.
Original brand or biosimilar
Bevacizumab has several biosimilar versions made in India, and they usually cost much less than the original brand. Our page on biosimilar bevacizumab explains how they compare. Ask which version your estimate assumes.
Your weight and size
The dose is worked out from your body weight or body size, so a larger person needs more drug each cycle. Vials come in fixed sizes, and any leftover drug that cannot be used is often still billed.
How long it keeps working
In stage 4, treatment usually continues while the cancer stays controlled and side effects are manageable. Planned breaks or a lighter maintenance plan can lower the monthly cost.
Ask your oncologist about
- How often scans will review the plan
- Whether a maintenance phase is likely
- What the next option would cost
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Side by side
How do cetuximab and bevacizumab compare on cost?
Cetuximab
Bevacizumab
Only for tumours with normal RAS genes
Used whatever the RAS result
Mostly for left-sided cancers
Used on either side of the colon
Given every week or every two weeks
Given every two or three weeks
Skin rash creams and magnesium checks add small costs
Blood pressure and urine checks add small costs
Before the first dose
How do you plan the cost before targeted therapy starts?
Test the tumour first
CION arranges RAS, BRAF, MSI or MMR and HER2 testing on the tissue already removed, through diagnostic partners. Our page on why RAS and BRAF come first explains why no drug is chosen without it.
Let the tumour board choose the drug
The board matches the drug and its chemotherapy partner to your test result, the side of the colon and your general health. Ask for the plan in writing, with the brand named.
Ask for an estimate in blocks
A full-course figure means little when treatment is open-ended. Ask for a per-cycle estimate and a figure for the first few months, up to the first review scan.
Get approval, and renew it
Insurers and schemes usually need approval before the first dose, and often again after each review scan. Keep every bill, scan report and day-care summary together, because a missing paper can stall a claim.
Being straight with you
What this page cannot tell you
It cannot give you your own bill. That needs your test results, the drug and brand your oncologist recommends, your weight and the details of your policy or scheme card. The ranges above help a family plan the conversation. They are not a quote.
It cannot tell you whether a targeted drug will help you
That depends on the test result, where the cancer has spread and how it responds on the first scans. A higher price does not mean a drug is better for you. A drug that cannot act on your tumour is the most expensive choice of all, at any price.
It cannot tell you what a scheme or insurer will fund
Government schemes fund approved packages, and expensive targeted drugs are not always among them. Insurers may cap these drugs with a sub-limit. Only the scheme desk or your insurer can confirm what they will approve. When a drug stops working, the next line of treatment carries its own cost.
If money is running short, tell your oncologist before a dose is missed. A different brand, or a different plan, can sometimes be discussed.Questions we are asked
Common questions about the cost of targeted therapy
Is a biosimilar as good as the original drug?
A biosimilar is approved only after testing shows it works like the original, without meaningful differences in safety or effect. Bevacizumab biosimilars are widely used in Indian cancer care. Ask your oncologist which version they recommend, and do not switch brands mid-course on your own.
Do I need targeted therapy after surgery for stage 3?
No. Targeted drugs have not been shown to help when added to chemotherapy after surgery for stage 2 or 3 colon cancer, and they are not part of standard treatment there. If they are offered in this setting, ask why, and consider a second opinion before you pay.
Why must the tumour be tested before the drug is chosen?
Cetuximab and panitumumab do not work when a RAS gene is changed. A BRAF or HER2 change, or MSI-high status, points towards other treatments altogether. Testing first means you do not pay for a drug that could never have worked on your tumour.
How long will I need targeted therapy?
In stage 4 it usually continues while the cancer stays controlled and side effects are manageable. That can mean many months, sometimes with a lighter maintenance plan or a planned break. Your oncologist reviews it at every scan, so budget a few months at a time.
Will my health insurance pay for cetuximab or bevacizumab?
Many policies now cover antibody drugs like these as day-care treatment, but some cap them with a sub-limit. Read the policy wording on cancer and on modern treatments, and ask your insurer for approval before the first dose, not after.
Are targeted drugs covered under Aarogyasri or Ayushman Bharat?
These schemes fund set treatment packages at approved hospitals, and costly targeted drugs are not always included. Ask the scheme desk whether your planned drug is covered before you start. Take your card, your test results and the written treatment plan with you.
Is cetuximab more expensive than bevacizumab?
It depends on the brands, your weight and how often each drug is given. Biosimilar bevacizumab is often the cheaper choice, but the two drugs are not interchangeable. The test result and the side of the colon decide which one suits you, and cost comes after that.
What happens to the cost if the drug stops working?
The plan moves to the next line of treatment, which may use a different targeted drug or a different chemotherapy partner. Each line has its own cost, so ask for a fresh written estimate whenever the plan changes. Your oncologist will explain the options at that review.
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.
Warangal
Vizag
Sources
- American Cancer Society — Colorectal Cancer Targeted Therapy
- National Cancer Institute — Targeted Therapy for Cancer
- National Cancer Institute — Colon Cancer Treatment
- National Cancer Institute — Managing Cancer Costs and Medical Information
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 Targeted Therapy Is AddedWhich situations call for a targeted drug at allWhy RAS and BRAF Testing Comes Before TreatmentThe test that decides which drug you pay forCost of Immunotherapy for MSI-High Colon CancerIf your tumour is MSI-high, this is the bill to readCetuximab vs bevacizumab in colorectal cancerHow the two drugs differ beyond the price
Talk to us
Need a written estimate for your targeted therapy plan?
Share your test results and treatment plan, and we will explain what each cycle is likely to cost and how your insurance or scheme may apply. One helpline serves every CION centre.