Immunotherapy in Ethiopia – Find Cost, Best Doctors, Hospitals, Reviews, Book An Appointment

Immunotherapy is a cancer treatment that involves the use of the body’s immune system to fight the cancer disease. There are different types of immunotherapies, and each one works differently for other conditions. Several people in Ethiopia have cancer and cannot afford expensive treatments like chemotherapy and radiation therapies. Immunotherapy adds a new perspective to oncology as it artificially boosts the patient’s immune system and does not have significant side effects. The suboptimal vaccine design, an immunosuppressive cancer microenvironment, and best strategies to improve the immunotherapy effectiveness.

Immunotherapy is recommended for cancer treatment in Ethiopia for different diseases including lung cancer, breast cancer, prostate cancer, liver cancer, bladder cancer, colon cancer, pancreatic cancer, ovarian cancer, renal cell carcinoma.

The best cancer hospital in Ethiopia provides Immunotherapy treatment in major cities like Addis Ababa. However, people may have limited access to Immunotherapy due to cost, advanced infrastructure, and professional and trained healthcare. The common types of Immunotherapies available in Ethiopia include checkpoint inhibitors, cytokine therapy, and monoclonal antibodies, but they are limited in availability compared to developed healthcare facilities. Other reasons for the limited facilities of immunotherapy treatments are socioeconomic status, geographical location, and awareness among the patients and healthcare providers. Ethiopian government and authorities are working with international organizations and NGOs to improve early cancer detection facilities for rural people and better cancer treatments.

Immunotherapy Cost in Ethiopia 2024

Who Qualifies for Immunotherapy?

Immunotherapy works with the immune system of a patient. The immune system is a network of cells, tissues, chemicals, and organs. It all includes blood cells, lymph nodes, spleen, tonsils, bone marrow, and thymus. These all make a system and fight against infection or diseases in the body from risky diseases like cancer. The immune response is called the immune response; the human immune system works smartly to detect germs and attack and prevent the body from harm. Here is the eligibility to undergo Immunotherapy;

• a patient with advanced cancer
• a patient with a resistant mutation

Types of Immunotherapies Available in Ethiopia

Monoclonal Antibodies

Monoclonal Antibodies immunotherapy is managing human-created monoclonal antibodies to the patient to attack and damage the specific part of cancer cells. Monoclonal antibodies (MABs) Immunotherapy costs ETB 50,00,000 in Ethiopia.

Checkpoint Inhibitors

Checkpoint inhibitor is a type of immunotherapy for cancer treatments for lung cancer and melanoma skin cancer. These drugs block different checkpoint proteins which are also called PD-1 inhibitors, CTLA-4 inhibitors, and PD-L1 inhibitors. Some cancer cells create high levels of proteins. These can switch off T cells when they should attack the cancer cells. Checkpoint Inhibitors cost is ETB 75,00,000 in Ethiopia.

Cytokines

Cytokines are human-created certain proteins present naturally within the body to stimulate the immune system. There are different types of cytokines such as chemokines, interleukins, interferons, tumor necrosis, and lymphokines. The average cost of Cytokines is ETB 40,00,000 in Ethiopia.

Vaccines to Treat Cancer

Immunotherapy also has vaccine options that provide effective treatment for preventing cancer diseases caused by bacteria or viruses. Vaccines work by exposing people to inactivated or weakened versions of the threats. It allows the immune system to find these threats depending on their specific marker called antigens and respond against them. The individual will get the vaccine before being infected by the virus or bacteria. The cancer treatment in Ethiopia with Vaccines is ETB 75,00,000.

CAR T-cell therapy

CAR T cell therapy is a highly personalized and specific treatment with expensive cost. CAR T cell therapy refers to Chimeric antigen receptor an immunotherapy for blood cancer. It involves converting T-lymphocytes into efficient cancer-fighting machines. This immunotherapy is often suitable for B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia, follicular lymphoma, diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, High-grade b cell lymphoma, multiple myeloma, and mantle cell lymphoma. The average cost of CAR T-cell therapy is ETB 80,00,000.

Immunotherapy for Different Cancer in Ethiopia

Immunotherapy for Breast Cancer

According to new research immunotherapy benefits breast cancer treatment. This is helpful for a female who makes too many protein receptors, such as HER2. FDA also approved the first checkpoint inhibitor for breast cancer. Immunotherapies have made amazing extending in the survival rate of 20% of cancer patients. An understanding of the cellular composition of specific tumors is required to increase the benefits. Immunotherapy for Breast Cancer Cost in Ethiopia is ETB 58,00,000.

Immunotherapy for Lung Cancer

Immunotherapy is used alone or with a combination of other cancer treatments, which has shown effective results in treating lung cancer. A patient’s immune system gets activated to kill the cancer cells. The advanced stage of fast-spreading cancer may still need other alternatives of surgery to remove aggressive tumors. Immunotherapy for Lung Cancer Cost in Ethiopia is ETB 75,00,000.

Immunotherapy for Liver Cancer

The hepatitis virus is a major cause of liver cancer. This cancer is treated with a hepatitis B vaccine, and there is no vaccine available for hepatitis C. The antiviral drugs that treat HCV may prevent liver cancer. The medical oncologist uses two types of checkpoint inhibitors for this cancer.

Immunotherapy for Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer is another fast-growing cause of death in Ethiopia. Lack of awareness and ignorance of health leading more deaths in rural regions. Immunotherapy is available in the best oncology center in Ethiopia, which helps prostate cancer patients boost their immune systems and fight against cancer cells. Immunotherapy for prostate cancer includes an FDA-approved treatment vaccine called sipuleucel-T (Provenge).

Does Insurance Cover Immunotherapy Treatment in Ethiopia?

The best oncology centers in Ethiopia offer various sources of insurance facilities for Immunotherapy, including private health insurance companies, government schemes, and employer-sponsored plans. Some patients may get international health insurance coverage. Cancer patients in Ethiopia get health insurance, but there may still be some out-of-pocket expenses for Immunotherapy. Individuals who do not get enough insurance coverage for Immunotherapy in Ethiopia may get a chance to seek financial help from NGOs, international organizations, and charitable foundations that assist.

Immunotherapy Treatment Success Rate in Ethiopia

According to NCBI research report, the Lancet Oncology Commission for Sub-Saharan Africa, there will be more death chances in the future due to cancer if facilities remain limited. The death cases may reach up to more than 1 million by 2040. Research has found Immunotherapy is an effective treatment for advanced-stage cancer, which almost 70% of patients from Sub-Saharan Africa present with. Despite Immunotherapy’s beneficial effects, cases in rural areas cases are still not documented. The immunotherapy success rate in Ethiopia is 80%, but the limited access to advanced treatment and more cases do not help the all-cancer-affected population.

Role of Government and NGOs in Improving Cancer Treatments in Ethiopia

As Ethiopia has limited access to advanced healthcare, several national and international NGOs joined governments and universities to provide local primary healthcare training programs that can create sustainable healthcare workers with improved retention rates. Many NGOs in Ethiopia support long-term health extension worker programs by bringing primary health care systems to rural communities. Currently, some NGOs have improved the primary health care system with enthusiasm in testing innovations and new innovations by collaborating with governments. The cancer-supporting organization and foundation helps people with HIV services in rural communities by delivering innovative integrations with Antiretroviral therapy (ART).

NGOs Supporting Cancer Patients & Treatments in Ethiopia

• Mathiwos Wondu Ye-Ethiopia Cancer Society
• AlemFre Pink House Cancer Foundation
• Cancer Care Ethiopia
• Union for International Cancer Control (UICC)
• American Cancer Society (ACS)
• International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
• World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF)
• Pink Ribbon Red Ribbon (PRRR)

Emerging Innovations in Immunotherapy 

According to NCBI research, despite of the advanced cancer treatments, the fatality rate is high due to low success that still depends on the cancer stage. Earlier cancer treatments were performed with radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and targeted therapy. Often cancer treatment does not have successful outcomes due to lack of selectivity, non-specific cytotoxicity, suboptimal drug delivery to the tumor area, and multi-drug resistance, which causes ineffective therapeutic results. Immunotherapy for cancer is an emerging and result-oriented strategy to boost the immune system against cancer conditions. However, using immune checkpoint inhibitors or activating immune response requires the circulation of the problem pertaining to short-term effects and adverse effects linked with off-targeting, hyperactivation, or suboptimal of the immune system. In recent years, Immunotherapy has focused on area-specific treatment and sustained delivery of the therapeutic moiety to elicit a robust immune response.

Scientists have discovered that tiny particles called nanoparticles can be customized for helping cancer treatment. The changes in size, shape, and other characteristics, these nanoparticles can be utilized to improve the immune system to fight cancer. They can also be combined with chemotherapy or radiation therapy for more effective results.

Immunotherapy Reviews in Ethiopia 2024

• Immunotherapy is available in the best oncology centers in Ethiopia.
• Immunotherapy offers effective results by activating the body’s own defense mechanism with fewer side effects.
• Patients have reviewed that immunotherapy has improved their quality of life than other cancer treatments.
• Ethiopia has highly professional Medical oncologists who provide advanced immunotherapy.
• Immunotherapy provides customized targeting cancer treatment with effective outcomes.

Get an Appointment for Immunotherapy in Ethiopia

Please contact Africa Infoline to connect with the best medical oncologist in a top cancer hospital in Ethiopia. Medical oncologists are specialized doctors who treat cancer using medication, Immunotherapy, chemotherapy, or targeted therapy. The patient will get an in-depth discussion and report analysis during the consultation. The best medical oncologist in Ethiopia provides comfort care and ensures that patients feel safe and relaxed during their cancer treatment.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is life expectancy after immunotherapy?

The life expectancy after immunotherapy is 36% – 68%.

What stops cancer cells from growing?

Immunotherapy can block cancer cells from growing.

What happens after 2 years of immunotherapy?

If the patient follows the proper steps recommended by a doctor, the cancer will remain under control until the treatment is complete.

What is an alternative to immunotherapy?

Hyperfractionated radiation therapy is an alternative treatment for immunotherapy.

Is immunotherapy better than chemotherapy?

Immunotherapy and chemotherapy provide effective treatment for different types of cancer but immunotherapy gives long term protection again cancer.

What are good signs immunotherapy is working?

The patient will have a stable or shrinking tumor, which is a positive sign of immunotherapy effects.

Top Medical Oncologist for Immunotherapy Treatment in Ethiopia

Best Cancer Hospital in Ethiopia