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Cancer Costs, Treatments, and Solutions
Jump To: Common Varieties of Cancer | Cancer Treatments | Surgery | Chemotherapy | Radiation Therapy | Other Treatments | Cancer Costs | Cancer Solutions
Cancer: What You Need to Know 
Cancer can be fatal, and you could be at risk. Family history, lifestyle factors or genetic abnormalities may increase your chances of contracting a serious disease. Be proactive. Protect yourself with cancer insurance. A cancer insurance policy provides a lump sum benefit upon first diagnosis of a covered cancer, shielding you from the financial hardships of invasive internal cancer or malignant melanoma. Use the money for whatever you need most – medicine, treatments, living expenses or even a family vacation. It’s affordable, it’s simple, and it’s a very wise choice. Compare top-rated cancer insurance carriers and request a quote on CancerPlans.com today.
The facts below may help you determine if cancer insurance could be beneficial for you or your family members.
In the U.S., the lifetime risk for developing some form of cancer is approximately 1 out of 2 for men and 1 out of 3 for women. Your chances of contracting cancer increase as you age: about 77% of cancers are diagnosed in individuals age 55 and up. A family cancer history also puts you at risk, especially if you are a woman whose mother, sister or daughter has been diagnosed with breast cancer (in that case, your risk of contracting breast cancer is doubled). Anyone can develop cancer: sometimes the disease is traceable to external risk factors, but in many other cases there is no apparent cause. About 5% of cancers result from inherited genetic abnormalities; however, most cancer victims contract the disease independently.
The American Cancer Society predicts that 1,638,910 new cases of cancer will be diagnosed in 2012 alone. 577,190 Americans are expected to die of cancer this year: more than 1500 a day. Cancer is the second most common cause of death in the U.S., causing approximately 1 in every 4 fatalities. (1)
Cancer can attack any area of the body and spread to any other. There are many different cancer varieties; some are simpler to combat while others are almost invariably fatal. All types involve malignant, uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells. Treatment for cancer often involves a combination of surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy designed to destroy the cancerous cells and prevent them from spreading further.
A few of the most common cancer varieties include bladder cancer (frequently found in smokers); brain cancer; breast cancer (affects 1 in every 8 women); cervical cancer (usually caused by the HPV virus); colon or colorectal cancer (a leading cause of U.S. cancer-related deaths); esophageal cancer (affects smokers and overweight individuals); head and neck cancer; kidney cancer; leiomyosarcoma (affects involuntary muscles, including the uterus, small intestine and skin); leukemia; liver cancer (the third most common type of cancer worldwide); lung cancer (the single deadliest cancer variety); lymphoma (attacks the immune system); malignant melanoma (the leading cause of death from skin disease); multiple myeloma (attacks plasma cells); ovarian cancer; pancreatic cancer; prostate cancer; sarcoma (bone tumors); stomach cancer; testicular cancer (most common in young men ages 15-35); thyroid cancer; and uterine (endometrial) cancer.
For more detailed information on cancer types, click here.
Unfortunately, there is no “quick fix” or easy cure for cancer. A cancer diagnosis is the beginning of a long series of treatment efforts that may include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and/or alternative or experimental treatments. The combination, type and duration of treatments varies on a case-by-case basis with each individual patient.
Surgery may be necessary even before cancer removal. Prophylactic surgery proactively removes an organ or body part that is likely to develop cancer; many individuals at high risk for some type of cancer (such as women with a family history of breast cancer) undergo surgery as a preventive measure. In addition, physicians often perform diagnostic surgery (biopsy) to determine the presence or absence of cancer in tissue.
Once cancer is confirmed, staging surgery (laparotomy or laparoscopy) determines how far the disease has spread. If the cancer is localized in one area and possible to remove, the physician will then proceed to one of the many varieties of curative surgery. Debulking (cytoreductive) surgery removes the bulk of the cancer before radiation or chemotherapy treatment; palliative surgery focuses on relieving discomfort or disability caused by cancerous tissue. Depending on the variety of cancer, supportive surgery (helps with other types of treatment) or reconstructive surgery (re-creates appearance or function of body parts) may also be necessary.
Cancer surgery carries a variety of risks and side effects, depending on the seriousness of the disease and the complexity of the procedure. Reactions to anesthesia are common; in addition, surgical complications may include internal bleeding, damage to internal organs and blood vessels, and problems with the heart, lungs or kidneys. After surgery, pain, infected wounds or blood clots often occur. Long-term effects vary with the type of cancer and surgery, but may include impaired or limited physical function, incontinence or impotence.
Chemotherapy targets cancer cells with powerful drugs, seeking to kill them, control their growth or decrease pain. Depending on the variety of cancer, chemotherapy may involve one drug or a combination of two or more; a physician may combine chemotherapy with surgery or radiation treatment for maximum effect.
Chemotherapy is usually administered in one of three ways: intravenously, orally or via injection. Intravenous, the most common method, inserts a needle into the patient’s vein and introduces the drugs via IV drip. Patients undergoing extensive chemotherapy may require a catheter, a plastic tube that remains in place during the entire therapy regimen. Oral chemotherapy drugs (either in pill or liquid form) are taken by mouth, while injections are administered into skin, muscle or cancer lesions.
Common side effects from chemotherapy include partial or complete hair loss, increased risk of infection, fatigue, pain, nausea, depression, photosensitivity and numbness or weakness in the extremities.
Radiation therapy bombards cancer cells with high-energy radiation (X-rays, gamma rays or charged particles) in an effort to shrink or destroy tumors. The radiation may be delivered via machine (external-beam radiation therapy) or radioactive material directly applied to cancer cells (internal radiation therapy, or brachytherapy). Systemic radiation therapy introduces radioactive substances like radioactive iodine into the bloodstream. Radiation may be administered with either a curative or palliative intent: palliative radiation focuses on minimizing suffering and reducing symptoms. About half of all cancer patients undergo radiation therapy as a portion of their treatment.
Radiation therapy kills normal cells as well as cancer cells, often leading to serious side effects. Acute side effects (skin irritation or damage, hair loss, urinary problems, nausea, fatigue or damage to the salivary glands) appear during therapy, while chronic side effects may not appear until months or years after the final treatment. Chronic effects may include fibrosis (replacement of normal tissue with scar tissue), permanent bowel damage (chronic diarrhea and bleeding), infertility, memory loss, and occasionally a second cancer from radiation exposure.
Additional cancer treatments include targeted therapy (drugs that intercept cancer molecules), immunotherapy (enhances the immune system to combat cancer), hyperthermia (exposes cancer cells to extreme heat), stem cell transplant (replaces bone marrow cells destroyed by chemotherapy), photodynamic therapy (combines light and a photosensitizing drug to kill cancer cells) and laser therapy (targets cancerous tissue with lasers). Many patients also pursue alternative treatments such as acupuncture, radical diet modification or unapproved drugs. (2)
Cancer is astronomically expensive. Treatment, post-operative care and continuing side effects can make day-to-day living a financial nightmare; according to a recent study in Health Affairs, the average U.S. cancer case costs $70,000. In 2007, the National Institutes of Health estimated the overall annual direct medical costs of cancer at $103.8 billion. Cancer patients frequently file for bankruptcy. (3) (4)
Typical health insurance covers only a fraction of cancer costs, often requiring incredibly high out-of-pocket costs for cancer sufferers. Medical costs can include doctor and clinic visits, procedural fees, lab tests, imaging tests, radiation treatments, drug costs, hospital stays, surgery (with high anesthesiologist and pathologist fees) and home care (often involving specially trained nurses and custom equipment).
Be prepared.
One out of every two men, and one out of every three women, will contract cancer during the course of a lifetime. Statistically, you are at risk. What will you do to protect yourself, your family and your lifestyle if your test comes back positive?
Standard medical insurance usually covers only a fraction of cancer-related costs. You may suddenly find yourself disabled, struggling and unable to pay for expensive treatment, or even for food and clothing. It’s more than your health that’s at stake – it’s your life.
That’s why a quality cancer insurance policy is vital. CancerPlans.com is here to bring you peace of mind. We offer a variety of supplemental cancer insurance services from top-rated providers – on first diagnosis of cancer, you receive a lump sum benefit of up to $50,000. It’s available for medical needs, family expenses, living arrangements – the money you need, right when you need it most.
CancerPlans.com policies are supplemental policies that will not affect your current health insurance plan in any way. In order to receive benefits, you must be diagnosed with cancer at least 30 days after taking out a policy. Our providers offer plans suited to a variety of needs and financial situations.
Get insurance now. Know that you’ll be secure in the future. Cancer could happen to you – and cancer insurance can help.
Don’t wait. Get a free cancer insurance quote below:
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(1) Cancer Facts & Figures. 2012. American Cancer Society. July 19 2012. http://www.cancer.org/acs/groups/content/@epidemiologysurveilance/documents/document/acspc-031941.pdf
(2) Cancer Treatments. December 2009. American Cancer Society. July 19 2012. http://www.cancer.org/Treatment/TreatmentsandSideEffects/TreatmentTypes/index
(3) “Is the high cost of cancer care really worth it?” April 2012. Reforming Health. July 19 2012 http://reforminghealth.org/2012/04/11/is-the-high-cost-of-cancer-care-really-worth-it/
(4) Economic Impact of Cancer. February 2012. American Cancer Society. July 19 2012. http://www.cancer.org/Cancer/CancerBasics/economic-impact-of-cancer