I'd like a range of how much it would cost for chemotherapy?

Question

If you don't know anything about it please do not try and guess.

Answer 1

I am not trying to give answer on mere GUESSING. Firstly the information given by you is not sufficient to tell you to cost.

The cost depends on very many factors as there are more than 100 types of Cancer, in different part of the body etc., and further there are about 170 types of drugs available. The Oncologist will select a single drug or combination of drugs for the treatment subject to the type of cancer.

Secondly it depends on the number of cycles given and for number of days. Most of the drugs are given with IV fluids and some are available in capsule, tablet form and all depends on the stage and grade of the disease, age, general health condition of the patient and various tests like blood counts etc.

Thirdly, the cost depends on the Country and the doctor and hospital preferred to treat.

To give an assessment of the cost all these are required.

For my wife a patient of Cervical Cancer Stage IIIB, 2 cycles of 4 days of some combination of drugs were given in a moderate type of hospital and I availed certain concessions. Even then I had to spend slightly over Rupees 1.20 lacs in Bangalore in India (Equivalent to US $ 3000)

Best thing would be to enquire at local hospital and your Oncologist. Anyway please treat the disease fully as CANCER IS STILL AN ENIGMA..

Answer 2

Ok,

the question is a little open

how many visits? over how long? what type of drug?

each type of cancer has a differnet set of drugs or a different "cocktail" of drugs and differen regimens and differnt dosages etc.

some chemo drugs are inexpensive - like DEX (couple of bucks for a month supply- it is oral, so take it at home

others are REALLY expensive and require some time in the cancer center (think of a room floor with 25 littel rooms with beds and a long room with 40 or 50 lazy boy chairs with IV's next to them

Drugs like Velcade ($6,200 a month) and there are others that cost even more and that doesn't include the "chair" ($320 an hour), the pump ($122) , plus other stuff.

I just got my bill for last months Pamidronate treatment (doing great so once a month) total bill was $1358.72 and I have had 36 treatments (wow - $48,913.32)

without good insurance; it stacks up fast, when I was first diagnosed, I had poor insurance (better than nothing) and I had over 25K in medical bill co-pays.

hope this answered your question.

Jewells
36 months and still here

Answer 3

Chemotherapy refers to a multitude of different drugs used for various types of cancer. Sometimes the chemotherapy is given by single drug or sometimes in combinations. Chemotherapy is also given according to stage of cancer and may require only a few treatments, while some cancer treatments can go for months. Dosage is also important and associated with costs. So, at the most we can all give you a basic idea of what it might cost.

My son received high dose chemotherapy as an inpatient for 9 months when first diagnosed. He later had low dose chemo at home. So, this is just a general idea. He is covered by insurance from Anthem and by our states Children with Special Health Needs.

For 5 days of inpatient total cost was $54,199.
He had Etoposide and Ifosimide total cost was:
$45,095.

He has been under treatment for 2 years at a cost of almost $1 million dollars. Our insurance fortunately has covered nearly all of it, but we still struggle with costs not covered such as loss of wages due to caring for him, lodging, food, and travel expenses. Cancer is extremely costly not only monetarily, but emotionally. Any spare dollars you have goes into taking care of remaining needs not covered by insurance (co-pays can be enormous and if insurance determines that something is medically unnecessary they can deny benefits). It is extremely hard, but worth the effort. Life is priceless.

Lists of individual chemotherapy drugs:
http://www.cancerbackup.org.uk/Treatments/Chemotherapy/Individualdrugs

MedlinePlus: Chemotherapy
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/cancerchemotherapy.html

Answer 4

Chemotherapy is typically assumed to be for cancer, but in its simplest form it simply means 'drug therapy' and could be for ANY condition. So here's my range:

Bayer's Aspirin 81 mg $5.99 at CVS. There is a large body of medical research suggesting that taking aspirin or other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) may prevent developing cancer.

Some of the new class of molelcularly targeted 'wonder' drugs for cancer (such as Herceptin/trastuzumab or Avastin/bevacizumab) can easily cost $100.000 for a full course of treatment.

To answer your question, I think you need to be more specific but also can ask your doctor. Your direct costs will depend upon your insurance so the numbers above may not apply.

Answer 5

The low end of the range is less than $100. Yes I am not kidding, this is no joke. I have been cured and another person is currently doing the same. You can buy the chemotherapy drug at your local food store. Oh sorry, that is two other people are currently doing it.

http://geocities.com/cure.cancer/

Answer 6

Chemo is wildly expensive. It depends on the drug. If you don't have insurance or public aid, check with the local American Cancer Society to see what resources are available in your area. No one should go without treatment.
Best wishes

Answer 7

ok my mom had 5 months of chemo which was 32 rounds for her and her bill was 77 thousand dollars that was the chemo before surgery after she had surgery she is going to have 6 months more of chemo but she now has tenncare price is different in every state we are in tennessee

Answer 8

chemotherapy is around 2000.00 dollars and after your insurance company get all their discount it around 1400.00 per treatment