Cancer Insurance

Cancer refers to a group of diseases. These are defined by abnormal cell growth in a group of cells, which then spread uncontrollably and have the potential to invade or kill other parts of the body. The cells are also known as malignant tumours.

These cells would be in contrast with tumours that are benign and do not spread. It is of various different types. The most common forms of cancer are as follows:

• Breast Cancer: Cancer formed in the breast tissue or cells of the breast.
• Prostate Cancer: Cancer formed in the prostate, which is a gland that produces seminal fluid in men.
• Skin Cancer: Skin cancer can be of different types. Basal cell cancer, for example, is a kind of cancer that affects the basal cells. Melanoma is the name given to the most severe kind of skin cancer.
• Lung Cancer: This is a type of cancer beginning in the lungs. It most commonly occurs among smokers.
• Colon Cancer: This is a cancer that occurs in the rectum or colon which is located in the lower end of the digestive system.
• Leukemia: Leukemia is a type of cancer that occurs in blood-forming tissues in the body. It hinders the body’s ability to fight infections.
• Lymphoma: Cancer that is present in the lymphatic system is known as lymphoma.

Causes of Cancer

There are many factors which would increase the risk of cancer or lead to causing it. Some of the common ones are listed below:

• Biological factors such as age or gender
• Inherited genetic defects
• Tobacco
• Alcohol
• Asbestos fibres
• Tar and pitch
• Polynuclear hydrocarbons
• Some plastic chemicals like vinyl chloride
• Some metal compounds
• Certain bacteria and viruses
• Radiation, which includes ionised radiation (such as the sun’s UV radiation as well as non ionising radiation such as X-rays)
• Certain antineoplastic agents
• Certain hormones
• Medication that causes deficiency in immunity

Signs and Symptoms of Cancer

Depending on the type and stage of cancer, the signs and symptoms associated with it would differ considerably. The symptoms included can be as follows:

• Chronically sore throat
• Change in bowel habits
• Unusual bleeding or discharges from orifices or from sores that will not heal
• Indigestion (usually chronic)
• Difficulty swallowing
• A lump or thickness developing
• Change in the size or thickness of a mole
• Chronic cough
• Hoarseness in the voice
• Unexplained weight loss
• Appetite loss
• Unexplained pain
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Persistent fatigue
• Infection that will not clear with usual treatment, and will recur

Treatment of Cancer

Treatment for cancer is determined largely by the type of cancer that has formed and the stage at which it has advanced. The following are some of the cancer treatment options:

In some patients, treatment occurs when a tumour is discovered surgically and then removed and tested. In this case, treatment and diagnosis is simultaneous.

• Chemotherapy

• Radiation therapy

• Combination therapy which is a combination of chemotherapy and radiation therapy and is usually recommended for those whose cancer cannot be surgically removed

• Palliative care, which refers to care for those whose cancer cannot be cured, involves efforts to reduce symptoms such as pain

  Health Insurance for Cancer

There are a variety of health insurance plans available in the country from a variety of insurance providers that cover cancer. These would be covered by various insurance companies' Critical Illness Cover plans. ICICI Lombard and its Cancer & Heart Insurance Policy, as well as Max Bupa and its CritiCare policy, which covers critical illnesses like cancer, are two popular insurance providers that offer cancer insurance.Both these policies and others offer care for illnesses that include cancer and would allow you to be at ease on purchasing them.

Why Choose InsuranceDekho for an Insurance Policy for Cancer?

InsuranceDekho offers a completely seamless process for the purchase of critical illness health insurance. The process is importantly paperless. Crucially, it is also very quick and thus ensures that the customer’s valuable time and efforts are saved. The benefits of purchasing a critical illness care policy for cancer coverage through InsuranceDekho are manifold:

• Multiple health insurance quotes for cancer plans
• Post policy purchase assistance
• Expert help at the time of purchasing a policy
• Online premium calculator available to get an estimate of health insurance premium
• Assistance during filing a claim settlement