Medical Oncologist
CION Cancer Clinics
The cost of surgery vs ablation vs TACE vs Y-90 for liver cancer | CION Cancer Clinics
Ablation usually has the lowest single bill, liver surgery the highest of the common procedures, and TACE sits in between per session. Y-90 and transplant cost far more. This page sets out indicative Hyderabad ranges, what adds to each bill, and why the cheapest procedure is not always the cheapest plan, so you can compare only the options your team says suit you. 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. Muralidhar MuddusettyConsultant Surgical Oncologist · MBBS (AIIMS), MS (Surgery, AIIMS), DNB (Surgical Oncology), MRCS (Edinburgh) · last reviewed October 2026, next review due October 2027
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On this page
- Which liver cancer procedure costs the least?
- What do surgery, ablation and TACE usually cost in Hyderabad?
- How do the four procedures differ beyond the price?
- Why can a cheaper procedure end up costing more?
- How do I get a fair cost comparison for my own case?
- What this page cannot tell you
- Common questions about liver procedure costs
The short answer
Which liver cancer procedure costs the least?
Ablation usually has the lowest single bill, liver surgery usually has the highest of the common procedures, and TACE sits in between per session. Y-90 and transplant cost far more and are quoted separately. The cheapest procedure is not the cheapest plan, because the choice is made on the tumour and the liver, not on price.
Why the procedure is not chosen on price
These treatments do different jobs. Surgery and ablation aim to remove or destroy a small tumour completely, with curative intent. TACE and Y-90 usually control a tumour that cannot be removed. Comparing their prices is only fair between options your team says are both suitable for you.
Which liver cancer this page is about
This page is about cancer that starts in the liver, usually hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). If your cancer spread to the liver from the bowel, the plan and its costs are covered by the colon cancer pages. For the medical side of choosing, read our plain comparison of the main treatments.
Ask what a procedure costs over the whole plan, not for one session.Indicative cost
What do surgery, ablation and TACE usually cost in Hyderabad?
These are ranges, not quotes. They are 2026 Hyderabad estimates and the final figure depends on your liver, the hospital and your cover.
₹50,000 – ₹1,50,000
Radiofrequency ablation
A needle heats and destroys a small tumour, usually without a cut.
₹75,000 – ₹2,50,000
TACE, per session
Many people need more than one session over time.
₹3,00,000 – ₹6,00,000
Liver resection, open
Removing part of the liver through a cut in the abdomen.
₹3,50,000 – ₹7,00,000
Liver resection, laparoscopic
The same operation through small cuts, where it is suitable.
₹1,50,000 – ₹3,00,000
SBRT, per course
Focused radiation, used where other local treatments do not fit.
Indicative only, 2026 Hyderabad estimates. Y-90, microwave ablation and transplant are quoted separately because they vary too much to give a fair range. Insurance, Aarogyasri, Ayushman Bharat, CGHS, ECHS or ESI can change what you pay yourself, and scheme rules change, so check them at the time. Call the helpline for an estimate against your own cover.
Side by side
How do the four procedures differ beyond the price?
Procedure
What usually adds to the bill
Surgery (resection)
A longer hospital stay, intensive care after the operation, and blood tests and scans during recovery
Ablation
The probe itself, a short stay, and a repeat if the first check scan shows tumour left behind
TACE
Repeat sessions, a check scan after each one, and the drug and beads used
Y-90 (TARE)
A separate mapping scan first, and imported radioactive beads that are priced on their own
Transplant
An assessment, the operation, a long stay and lifelong anti-rejection medicines, far above everything else
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What changes the total
Why can a cheaper procedure end up costing more?
A single-session price hides most of what a family actually pays. These are the things that move the total.
How many times it is done
Surgery and ablation are often a single procedure. TACE is often repeated. Several TACE sessions can add up to more than one operation. See how many TACE sessions people tend to need.
The state of your liver
Cirrhosis makes every procedure riskier and recovery slower. A longer stay, extra blood products or a complication can move the bill more than the choice of procedure.
What comes after
Follow-up scans, blood tests and sometimes medicines continue after any procedure. If the cancer returns, more treatment follows. Ask what the follow-up plan costs too.
Where it is done and your cover
Room category, the hospital and your scheme all change the figure. Some insurers treat Y-90 differently from TACE. Our page on insurance for TACE and Y-90 explains what to check.
Before you decide
How do I get a fair cost comparison for my own case?
Ask which options are genuinely open to you
At CION, the tumour board reviews your scans and liver tests and says which procedures suit you. Only compare those.
Ask for the whole-plan estimate
For each option, ask how many sessions are likely, how long the stay is and what follow-up is needed. Get each estimate in writing.
Ask where it takes place
CION coordinates surgery, ablation, TACE and Y-90 through accredited partner hospitals. Your team will tell you where each procedure takes place, which affects the bill.
Check cover before admission
Send the estimate to your insurer or scheme desk before the date is fixed. The CION team helps with the paperwork.
Being straight with you
What this page cannot tell you
It cannot tell you which procedure is right for you, or what your own plan will cost. That depends on the size, number and position of the tumours, how well your liver works and how fit you are. Only your team, after seeing your scans, can say which options are real for you.
Who this comparison does not suit
If the cancer has spread outside the liver, or the liver is too weak for any procedure, these prices do not apply. Treatment then usually means medicines such as systemic treatment, or supportive care. If a transplant is being discussed, its costs and the Jeevandan route are on a separate page, because they change the arithmetic completely.
Please do not choose on price alone
Picking a cheaper procedure your team did not recommend can mean paying twice: once for the procedure and again for the treatment that should have come first. If money limits your choice, tell the team openly. They can often plan around it.
If you have been quoted for one procedure and want to know whether another is possible, call the helpline.Questions we are asked
Common questions about liver procedure costs
Is ablation cheaper than surgery for a small liver cancer?
Usually, yes. Ablation needs no large cut and a shorter stay, so the bill is lower. Both can be curative for a small tumour in the right place. Whether ablation is suitable depends on the size and position of the tumour, which is a medical decision rather than a price one.
Why is Y-90 so much more expensive than TACE?
Y-90 uses radioactive beads that are made abroad and imported, and it needs a separate mapping scan before treatment. Fewer centres offer it. Your team will explain whether it suits you and give a written estimate. Our page on whether Y-90 is worth the extra cost goes further.
How many TACE sessions should I budget for?
Nobody can say before the first check scan. Some people need one session, many need more, spaced out over time depending on how the tumour responds. Ask your team for an estimate that assumes more than one session, so the family is not caught short later.
Does laparoscopic surgery cost more than open surgery?
The operation itself often costs more because of the equipment, but recovery can be quicker and the stay shorter. Not every tumour can be removed this way. Your surgeon will say whether it is safe for your tumour and your liver.
Does Aarogyasri cover TACE and liver surgery?
Aarogyasri includes packages for several liver cancer procedures at empanelled hospitals. Which procedures are covered, and the package details, change over time. Check with the scheme desk at the time of treatment. The CION team can help with the forms.
Why is a transplant not in the price table?
Its cost is far above everything else and depends heavily on the donor route, the centre and the length of stay. A single range would mislead more than help. Licensed transplant centres give their own estimates, and the rules for Jeevandan, as of 2026, must be checked with them.
Can I choose a cheaper procedure than the one advised?
You can always ask, and you should if cost is a worry. Sometimes a second option is genuinely reasonable. Sometimes it is not, and choosing it can mean more treatment later. Ask your team to explain the difference in plain words before deciding.
Where do I start?
Bring your scans, discs and liver blood tests to a consultation, and ask which procedures suit you. Then ask for a written whole-plan estimate for each. Call the CION helpline and someone will guide you through the options and the scheme paperwork.
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 liver cancer specialists. Bring your scan reports and liver blood tests.
Our medical and surgical oncologists plan liver cancer care together, weighing the tumour and how well your liver works before choosing surgery, a liver-directed procedure or medicines.
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 — Treating Liver Cancer
- American Cancer Society — Embolization Therapy for Liver Cancer
- American Cancer Society — Liver Cancer Ablation: RFA, MWA, Cryotherapy, PEI, Histotripsy
- Cancer Research UK — Surgery for liver cancer
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.
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Related pages
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Have you been quoted for one procedure and want to compare?
Share your scans and the estimate you have, and we will explain which options suit your liver and what each plan is likely to involve. One helpline serves every CION centre.