Immunotherapy in India

Immunotherapy is a category of cancer treatment that works with the body's own immune system rather than directly attacking cancer cells the way chemotherapy or radiation does. Certain cancers develop ways to hide from or suppress the immune response; immunotherapy drugs interrupt that process, allowing the immune system to recognise and attack the cancer more effectively.

Main types of immunotherapy

Checkpoint inhibitors, the most widely used form, block proteins that cancer cells use as a "brake" on the immune system, freeing immune cells to attack the tumour. Monoclonal antibodies are lab-made immune proteins that attach to specific markers on cancer cells, flagging them for destruction or blocking signals that help them grow. CAR-T cell therapy is a more advanced, personalised approach where a patient's own immune cells are collected, genetically modified in a lab to better recognise their specific cancer, and reinfused. Cancer vaccines and cytokine therapies are used in more specific situations to stimulate the immune response.

Not every cancer responds the same way

Immunotherapy is not equally effective across all cancer types, and eligibility usually depends on biomarker testing on your tumour tissue, which identifies whether specific proteins or genetic markers are present that make immunotherapy likely to work. Your oncologist will confirm whether immunotherapy is appropriate for your specific cancer based on this testing, rather than immunotherapy being a universal first option.

How treatment is structured

Most immunotherapy drugs are given as an outpatient infusion, typically every 2 to 4 weeks, over a course that commonly runs 4 to 12 cycles depending on the drug, your response, and your oncologist's plan. This is different from a single surgical procedure with a fixed price, which is why immunotherapy is billed and quoted per cycle rather than as a flat one-time fee.

CAR-T cell therapy: a separate, advanced option

CAR-T cell therapy is priced very differently from standard immunotherapy because it involves collecting and genetically engineering a patient's own cells. India's indigenous CAR-T therapy, NexCAR19, developed by ImmunoACT (a joint venture between IIT Bombay and Tata Memorial Centre), costs roughly $30,000 to $40,000 for the full treatment, compared to around $400,000 for equivalent imported CAR-T therapies in the West. CAR-T is used for specific blood cancers and is a distinct treatment pathway from standard checkpoint inhibitor or monoclonal antibody immunotherapy; your oncologist will confirm if it applies to your case.