How to Choose the Best Cancer Treatment Hospital in Siliguri?

Finding the best medical care, especially for a life-altering diagnosis, such as cancer, is critical. For the residents of North Bengal, Sikkim, and other neighbouring states, it is no longer required to travel to metro cities, such as Kolkata or Delhi, to seek effective cancer treatment. This is because cancer treatment in Siliguri has evolved into a sophisticated hub of clinical excellence driven by world-class technology and the presence of highly-skilled oncologists.

However, the key is to know the ways by which the best cancer treatment hospital in Siliguri can be chosen. This is because the right choice helps in improving the survival rate, treatment efficacy, and overall treatment journey. This blog will explain the essential factors that need to be considered while choosing a cancer treatment hospital in this city, so that you can ensure personalised care and better outcomes.

Know How To Choose The Best Cancer Treatment Hospital in Siliguri

Here are the factors that need to be considered for choosing the best cancer treatment hospital in Siliguri:

• Hospital Accreditation and National Standards: You should consider searching for cancer hospitals that are certified by the National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare Providers (NABH). This certification ensures that the hospital strictly adheres to protocols related to patient safety, nursing care, and infection control. In Siliguri, the premier cancer hospitals have set high benchmarks in terms of maintaining the national standards. An accredited cancer hospital is most likely to have a structured “Code Blue” system for medication management and emergencies, which is crucial for chemotherapies or tumour removal surgeries. Therefore, by choosing an accredited cancer hospital, you can reduce the risk of clinical errors and receive ethical treatment practices.

• Comprehensive oncology sub-specialities: Cancer treatment is not based on a one-dimensional approach; it involves a combination of surgical, medical, and radiation oncology. Reputed cancer hospitals in Siliguri offer all the sub-specialities as part of a holistic cancer treatment plan. Medical oncology involves immunotherapy and chemotherapy, whereas surgical oncology involves tumour removal, and radiation oncology involves the use of high-energy radiation to kill cancer cells. The best cancer hospitals will have all these treatment options, along with specialised departments for blood cancers (haematology) and childhood cancers (paediatric oncology). This is a clear indicator of the cancer hospital addressing the specific biological needs of different cancer patients.

• Availability of multidisciplinary tumour board:  A tumour board is a multidisciplinary team of specialists, including surgeons, pathologists, medical oncologists, radiologists, and radiation therapists. When searching for the best cancer hospital near you, the presence of a tumour board acts as a hallmark of modern and high-quality care. In addition, a tumour board ensures that instead of relying on one doctor’s opinion, multiple specialist perspectives are considered for cancer treatment. It has been observed that cancer hospitals prioritising a multidisciplinary approach tend to ensure that a personalised treatment plan is created. Thus, you can significantly increase the chances of long-term remission by opting for a cancer hospital with a tumour board.

• Advanced diagnostic facilities and technology: The first step towards effective cancer treatment is accurate diagnosis. Thus, you need to choose a cancer hospital that is equipped with highly advanced diagnostic tools, such as digital mammography, 3T MRI, and PET-CT Scan. In the context of determining the stage of cancer, a PET-CT Scan plays a vital role. In Siliguri, the best cancer hospitals prioritsie using PET-CT Scan as a part of cancer diagnosis. In addition, you need to search for hospitals with advanced pathology labs that are capable of performing biopsies and molecular testing. Such testing holds tremendous significance because it helps in prescribing “Targeted Therapy”. Lastly, such testing facilities help in timely intervention in fast-moving cancer cases.

• Availability of modern radiation equipment: If a cancer treatment plan includes radiation therapy, the technology becomes equally important as the doctor’s skill. Outdated or older radiation technology can cause damage to the surrounding healthy tissues, which in turn can lead to severe side effects. You need to search for a cancer hospital in Siliguri that uses modern radiation technology for delivering Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) or Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy (VMAT). The main advantage of such therapies is that they only target the tissues surrounding the tumour by sparing the lungs, spinal cord, and heart. Overall, the use of advanced radiation equipment ensures a reduction in the risk of long-term complications.

• Expertise and education of the Oncologists: While searching for the best cancer hospital in Siliguri, you should prioritise considering the availability of in-house oncologists. This is because in-house oncologists are available for daily monitoring and responding immediately to emergencies. In addition, you need to ensure that the oncologists have received extensive training from reputed National or International Institutes. On the other hand, you need to check for the number of cancer surgeries that the oncologists handle annually because a higher number of cases reduces the risk of complications.  Therefore, you must not hesitate to ask the oncologist about his or her experience in terms of handling specific cancer cases.

• Facilities for immunotherapy and targeted therapy: Modern cancer treatment goes beyond chemotherapy because it prioritises a precision-based approach. Two of the most effective therapies for cancer treatment are immunotherapy (boosts the immune system to fight cancer cells) and targeted therapy (targets specific molecules involved in cancer growth). When choosing a cancer hospital in Siliguri, you need to ask if the hospital offers these advanced therapies. This consideration holds even more significance for patients with advanced-stage cancers because chemotherapies might have failed in their cases. Lastly, you need to ask if the nurses are trained in advanced therapies to ensure a safe cancer treatment.

• Holistic Support and Palliative Care: Cancer is a disease that affects not only the body, but also the mind and the soul. This makes it important to choose a cancer hospital that offers integrated support services, including physiotherapists, psychotherapists, and nutritionists. In addition, Palliative care is another critical consideration because it focuses on pain management and improving the quality of life for patients with advanced illnesses. By choosing a cancer hospital that offers holistic support and palliative care, you can receive holistic treatment rather than just clinical intervention. Remember, a hospital that provides compassionate care helps in fostering an effective healing environment.

• Cost transparency and insurance support: It is a well-known fact that cancer treatment is expensive. Thus, you need to choose a cancer hospital that provides a clear cost estimation before initiating the treatment. This is crucial for being financially prepared for the estimated expenditure. In the best cancer hospitals, they have dedicated insurance desks, which make it easy to undergo cashless treatment. In addition, cost transparency means that no hidden costs are encountered during and after the treatment. Therefore, you need to choose a cancer hospital that efficiently handles the burden of insurance, which in turn allows the family members to focus on the patient’s healing journey.

• Location and accessibility: Cancer treatments are generally long-term, which makes frequent visits a necessity for family members. Thus, you need to choose a cancer hospital that is strategically located so that the travel burden can be reduced. In addition, fatigue is a common side effect of cancer treatment, which can make a long commute worsen it. Cancer patients are prone to sudden fevers or infections, which might require immediate medical attention, which makes it important to choose an easily accessible location for cancer treatment. Overall, a cancer hospital in an easily accessible location with 24/7 oncology emergency care needs to be chosen for improved safety and convenience.

Final Thoughts

The rapid development in terms of cancer treatment in Siliguri has made it easy for the people of North Bengal, Sikkim, and other surrounding areas to receive world-class care near home. Over the last decade, Siliguri has truly emerged as a regional powerhouse for oncology. However, the key is to choose a cancer hospital that offers a holistic treatment plan based on an individual's biological needs.

For safe and better outcomes in cancer treatment, you can choose a top cancer specialist in Siliguri, Dr Saptarshi Ghosh, who is a leading European Certified Medical Oncologist and Radiation Oncology Specialist with over 10 years of experience.

Book an appointment with the best oncologist in Siliguri now and take the first step towards specialised care for cancer.