Bone Cancer Insurance

Bone cancer refers to different cancers that begin in an individual’s bones. It occurs when an abnormal mass of tissue or a tumour, forms in the bones, known as bone sarcoma. The tumour can be malignant and can spread to other body parts. A malignant tumour is often cancerous. With unusual growth in the bones, bone cancer can harm normal bone tissues. While cancer starting in bones is known as primary bone cancer or bone sarcoma, cancer spreading from other body parts to bones is called metastatic or secondary bone cancer. The common cancers spreading to bones include lung, breast and prostate cancer. Usually, cancer beginning in a bone is an uncommon phenomenon. Also, bone cancer doesn’t spread to other body parts. But the disease can spread aggressively, so early diagnosis is essential to get suitable treatment.

There are four types of bone cancer which are as follows:

• Osteosarcoma

Osteosarcoma or osteogenic sarcoma is mostly found in teenagers and adults. It is the most common cancer of bones and affects the hard tissue that forms the outer layer of bones. It begins where new bone tissues form and usually develop in larger bones like legs or arms. However, osteosarcoma can also begin in the shoulders, hips or other areas.

• Ewing’s Sarcoma

Ewing’s sarcoma is the second most common primary bone cancer that occurs in the bones that surround soft tissues. It usually develops in the pelvic area, ribs or shoulder blades and is commonly found in people between the age of 5- 20 years.

• **Chondrosarcoma **

Chondrosarcoma begins in cartilage which is a soft tissue between joints and bones. It usually appears in arms, legs or pelvic bones. Unlike the other two primary cancers, this cancer is found more in adults in the 40-70 age group. The tumour in chondrosarcoma usually grows slowly and is one of the least common bone cancers.

• Chordoma

Chordoma is a rare cancer type that develops in the spine or skull bones. Usually found in adults, this type of bone cancer affects men more than women

• Multiple Myeloma

Multiple myeloma is also a common type of bone cancer that affects adults. But it is not a primary bone cancer because this cancer begins in plasma cells. In multiple myeloma, the cells grow abnormally in the bone marrow causing bone tumours.

Cancer progresses gradually, and with each stage, the rate of survival usually becomes less. Therefore, you must know about the bone cancer stages to determine its symptoms, diagnosis and treatment. Early detection of the disease in the initial stages helps in getting the right treatment at the right time. Following are the stages of bone cancer:

Stage 1

In early-stage bone cancer, the tumour is low grade. The cancer cells are localised with no spread to surrounding areas.

Stage 2

Stage 2 bone cancer is localised with a high-grade tumour causing a threat to other tissues.

Stage 3

In stage 3, the tumour is of high grade, and cancer cells start spreading to surrounding areas of the bone.

Stage 4

Stage 4 cancer spreads to surrounding tissues and other body parts like the liver or lungs.

Recurrent Cancer

Recurrent cancer refers to the reappearance of cancer after treatment. Recurrent cancer progresses in similar stages and needs similar tests to diagnose the extent of its spread.

Experts do not know the exact reason behind the development of bone cancer, but the following factors can lead to increased chances of bone cancer:

• In normal conditions, healthy cells divide and replace older cells of the body after which they die. But sometimes, the cells continue to live and start forming tissue masses causing tumours.

• Radiation exposure or drug intake is usually used in the treatment of other cancers. However, some people may develop osteosarcoma after receiving high doses of radiation.

• A family history of bone cancer is also a rare cause of the disease.

• Paget’s disease is also a cause of bone cancer. It is a condition where bones break down and grow back abnormally.

Identifying the signs of bone cancer is the first step toward treatment. Thus, you must know about the alarming signs of the disease. While some people don’t have any symptoms except a painless lump, others may develop the following symptoms:

• Pain which gets worse at night
• Unexplained swelling in a bone
• Fatigue
• Fever and night sweats
• Difficulty in moving
• Fragile bones
• Unexplained weight loss

It is to be noted that the above-mentioned symptoms can also occur due to other medical conditions like Lyme disease or arthritis. This can lead to a delay in the accurate diagnosis of bone cancer.

The bone cancer diagnosis includes an X-Ray to see the bone images. CT scans, MRI scans, PET scans, blood tests and bone scans are also used to extract more details about the disease. The medical practitioner also performs a biopsy involving the removal of small tissue from the bone. The tissues undergo microscopic examination, after which the disease is diagnosed. After the biopsy, the medical professional assigns a grade to the tumour depending on its appearance. Grading helps to evaluate the growth and spread of the tumour. Bone cancer can be categorised as low or high grade. A high-grade tumour may spread faster, while a low-grade tumour spreads slowly. Once the correct diagnosis and grading are made, the healthcare providers will suggest a suitable treatment.

Treatment for bone cancer depends on the grade and stage of bone cancer, size of the tumour, patient’s age and health. The treatment can involve a combination of multiple approaches or a single treatment method. Once bone cancer is diagnosed, you can talk to the doctor about available treatment options, their benefits, side effects and risks. The treatments for bone cancer include:

Staging

The first essential step in cancer treatment is the identification of the cancer stage so that doctors can suggest the best treatment. MRI and CT scans are used to know the extent of the cancer spread.

Medications

Medications can include painkillers that help relieve the pain and inflammation in the bones. Bisphosphonates help protect bone structures by preventing bone loss. Cytotoxic drugs are also provided to stop the growth of cancerous cells. The doctors may also recommend immunotherapy drugs to improve the patient’s immune system to kill the bone cancer cells.

Surgery or Amputation

Surgery for bone cancer involves the removal of the tumour and surrounding tissue. It may also include repairing or replacing damaged bones with artificial or real bone grafts. In some cases, an entire limb is replaced with an artificial one to treat cancer.

Radiation therapy

Radiation therapy uses X-Rays to shrink cancer tumours. Usually, this treatment is done before surgery.

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy involves the use of medicines to treat cancer. It can be used in primary as well as secondary bone cancers.

Complementary therapies

Sometimes, doctors may recommend complementary therapies to relieve the pain and other symptoms of bone cancer. The therapies may include meditation, aromatherapy, yoga, etc.

Note: In many cases, medical practitioners successfully treat bone cancer which might never return. But some individuals may require multiple surgeries to treat the disease. On the other hand, some may need continuous treatment, like chemotherapy or radiation therapy, to prevent cancer from spreading to other body parts. Thus, even if cancer is successfully treated, an individual must follow up with the healthcare provider to look for recurrent cancer.

Bone cancer is not preventable as its causes are not known properly. Also, radiation therapy, which is one of the causes of bone cancer, is used to treat other cancers. It is a necessary measure in the disease’s treatment and can’t be avoided.

Having adequate health insurance is necessary to get quality treatment for several diseases in times when medical costs are soaring high. Moreover, critical illnesses can be expensive to treat as they need long-term treatments that may take a big chunk out of your savings. Here are some more reasons to enhance your health plan with critical illness insurance:

Quality Treatment

Healthcare costs are consistently rising in the country. Moreover, diseases like bone cancer can lead to large medical bills that might take a toll on your pockets. Many people are unable to get the right treatment due to financial constraints. However, having critical illness insurance in place helps get quality treatment for cancer without worrying about the bills.

Cashless Hospitalisation

Tata AIG has partnered with several hospitals where you can avail of a cashless hospitalisation facility if you have a health insurance plan. Thus, one of the greatest benefits of having Tata AIG’s health insurance is that you do not need to worry about hospitalisation expenses at all. If you are admitted to a network hospital, the insurance company ensures your medical bills are taken care of without causing any stress to you.

Security of your savings

Several medical expenses go beyond hospitalisation, which may drain your savings. Other procedures like diagnosis, OPD costs, medical bills, etc., can lead to increased costs of treatment. But a good health insurance plan takes care of the pre and post-hospitalisation expenses also.

Peace of Mind

Treating a disease like cancer requires frequent visits to the hospital. The several tests and treatment costs can drain your savings. However, with critical illness insurance, you can focus on treatment with peace of mind.

Tax Benefits

A health insurance plan not only covers several ailments, but you can also benefit from tax deductions. A health insurance policy allows you to avail of tax deductions up to ₹25000 for premiums paid under Section 80D of the Income Tax Act,1961. The deduction is ₹50,000 for senior citizens.

Buying health insurance from Tata AIG is a simple process. You can buy a suitable plan for yourself through both online and offline modes.

To buy critical illness insurance online, you have to follow the simple steps:

• Visit Tata AIG’s website.
• Choose the option you wish to buy the policy for. The options include a policy for self, husband or wife, children or parents.
• After choosing the relevant option, click “Get Plan”.
• Provide the required details, and you will be shown the suitable health insurance plans for you.
• Now choose the appropriate sum assured for the health insurance policy.
• The premium for your policy will now be shown.
• You can compare different plans and choose the best suitable plan for you.
• After making the best choice, click “Buy Now”.
• An official will contact you for further assistance.
• After due payments, you will receive a soft copy of your health plan via email.

For offline purchase of a health insurance plan, follow the steps below:

• Visit the nearest Tata AIG office.
• Ask for the procedure of buying health insurance at the counter.
• An official will help you out in finding the right plan for you.
• After deciding about the plan you wish to buy, fill out the application form with the correct details.
• Attach relevant documents.
• Submit the form and pay the fee at the counter.
• After due payments, the company will send you a soft copy of your health plan via email.

To buy a health insurance policy from Tata AIG, you need to furnish the following documents:

• ID proof
• Age proof
• Address proof
• Income proof
• Recent photographs
• Documents about your health history