Cancer Treatment Expenses

Cancer is an unfortunate disease in which cells become mutated and begin to destroy the body's organs. Although cancer remains a top killer, technological advances in medicine have extended the patient's life considerably. However, the cost of treating cancer has also increased, from the follow-up visit to the major surgery.

• Breaking The Bank with Cancer Costs

Hospital Stay

• The hospital stays can add up financially. While receiving cancer treatment like chemotherapy, cancer patients sometimes have to stay overnight. Overnight stays are also required for surgeries, observations and initial tests. The exact cost can vary, depending on the type of cancer treated and cancer stage. A patient with Stage IV pancreatic cancer, for example, could require more expensive monitoring if the cancer has metastasized to the liver or lungs. The Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project website reports that cervical cancer patients averaged $7,500 over four days.

Travel

• Travel expenses can add up not just for the patient but for family members. Daily trips to the hospital can incur expenses for gas and vehicle maintenance. If cancer patients can't walk, wheelchairs or vehicular modification can be costly. Family members may need to stay in local hotels while their loved one gets treatment, which can incur costs for meals and incidentals per family member.

Chemotherapy and Radiation Therapy

• Special treatments such as chemotherapy or radiation therapy can cost money per treatment. Chemotherapy medications like 5-FU cost $100 to $300 over an eight-week treatment, while Avastin or Erbitux can cost between $20,000 and $30,000 for the drugs alone, according to Johns Hopkins University. Even with a 20 percent Medicare copay, the patient can find himself paying $4,000 to $6,000. Radiation therapy also has a price, depending on the type of treatment. The P\S\L website claims that 3-D Conformal Radiation Therapy costs about $26,000 for the treatment. Intensity Modulated therapy costs about $52,000.

Surgery

• Cancer surgeries can cost in the tens of thousands. Some procedures could be more intensive such as removing a piece of the pancreas, which is located behind other organs. Removing other hard-to-reach tumors can require the use of expensive microscopic cameras. The Surgery website reports that lung cancer surgeries averaged nearly $40,000, while breast cancer costs were $20,964. They also report that cancer surgery costs rise about 15 percent per year.

Follow Up

• Regardless of the treatment's success, follow-up is necessary to ensure the cancer doesn't return. Each appointment can incur out-patient visit costs, even for a 20 minute consultation to remove stitches or just a doctor's interview. Other follow-up appointments may require more invasive procedures like biopsies. Continuing medications can also add up.