Mesothelioma Treatment Costs
In general, mesothelioma treatment costs include fees for the physician, significant periods of hospitalization, chemotherapy, and radiation treatments. In certain occasions, the patient and family members must travel far distances to reach a facility where the best mesothelioma treatment is provided. This will incur them the additional expenses of airfare, lodging, and related travel expenses
The costs of treating malignant mesothelioma are extremely high; estimates range from $150,000 to over $1,000,000. The most commonly used anti-cancer drugs used to treat malignant mesothelioma are Alimta and Cisplatin. The combined cost of these drugs for one treatment cycle is approximately $4,100; multiple treatment cycles may be required, and a cure is not assured. The costs for a complete course of gene therapy for mesothelioma can range from $150,000 to $950,000. However, it is expected that the fall in the number of eligible patients after 2010-2015 will lower the cost year by year.
Treatment advocates say that better diagnostic tests, combined with the availability of more effective treatment, means more people with mesothelioma are diagnosed at a younger age and live longer. Increased survival is associated with increased treatment costs.
Some mesothelioma treatment costs may be covered by health insurance, Medicare or Medicaid. However, many people may not have health insurance or be eligible for Medicaid or Medicare. Information on sources of financial assistance can be obtained from the social services units of hospitals, the Cancer Information Network and the American Cancer Society.
When occupational exposure to asbestos can be proven, patients with malignant mesothelioma may be able to seek damages from former employers through lawsuits. While there is a current cap of $1.1 million on the total amount that can be awarded to a single individual in a mesothelioma lawsuit, this cap is considered insufficient by some mesothelioma treatment advocates. They say that better diagnostic tests, combined with the availability of more effective treatment, means more people with malignant mesothelioma are diagnosed at a younger age and live longer. Increased survival is associated with increased treatment costs.
Anna L. Kaplan, M.D.
