Mesothelioma Treatment Costs
When a mesothelioma patient visits their doctor, they will undergo a thorough physical examination. This may include blood tests and imaging scans.
Medical professionals can also administer chemotherapy drugs and radiation treatment. Patients with mesothelioma ought to research the various types of financial aid available. These can decrease mesothelioma treatment expenses.
Diagnosis
A doctor will run several tests once patients have experienced symptoms that indicate mesothelioma. This will allow the doctor to determine the best treatment. The first step is a physical exam and asking about asbestos exposure in the past. The doctor will then take the abdominal or pleural fluid to be analyzed. The mesothelioma expert may also conduct an ultrasound to confirm the presence of cancer cells.
The most commonly used tests to determine mesothelioma diagnosis are imaging scans and blood tests. These tests help doctors locate tumors and other symptoms of mesothelioma and determine the severity of the condition.
Mesothelioma blood tests assess levels of mesothelin related proteins (SMRP). These chemicals are released when mesothelioma cancer cells grow and multiply, but they aren't detected in healthy tissues. This is why SMRP tests in blood can show the presence of mesothelioma before symptoms show up.
Other tests for mesothelioma that are common include X-rays as well as CT scans. These scans produce 3D and cross-sectional pictures of tissues, organs, and bones inside the body and can aid doctors in identifying mesothelioma tumors. CT scans can also be helpful in determining if a cancer of mesothelioma is spreading to another part of the body.
A needle aspiration allows for a less invasive way to collect abdominal or pleural fluids to analyze. After numbing your skin doctors will insert a small needle to remove fluid from the abdomen or chest. Then, they will examine the fluid under a microscope. If the needle aspiration is not conclusive, a biopsy may be necessary.
Another type of mesothelioma test is a PET scan or CT scan combined with a fluoroscopy, which uses X-rays to guide the endoscope through the lungs or digestive tract. This lets the doctor determine whether the mesothelioma grew to the lymph nodes in the abdomen or chest.
Patients should consider getting another opinion to ensure that the mesothelioma diagnosis is accurate and complete. This will enable patients to start the most effective treatment as soon as possible.
Treatment
When doctors treat mesothelioma they must consider a number of aspects, such as the kind of cancer and how it responds to treatment. They also need to take into account the overall health of the patient. These factors can impact the cost of treatment for mesothelioma.
As a rule, the more advanced the mesothelioma is, then the more expensive the treatment will be. The reason is that mesothelioma tends to grow quickly and is more likely to come back after treatment. The cancer is also more difficult to eradicate once it has been able to spread.
Treatment costs are associated not just with the type of treatment used, but also with hospital visits and durations of stay. treatment for stage 3 mesothelioma is because mesothelioma diagnoses usually requires multiple tests and procedures to confirm the condition. A doctor may conduct blood tests to test for the presence of proteins that may be indicative of cancer. A needle biopsy is another common way for doctors to find out whether a person has mesothelioma. In this procedure, the doctor inserts a fine needle into the skin of the abdomen or chest to take samples of fluid or tissue. The doctor then examines the tissue under a microscope to see if mesothelioma cells are present.
Someone with mesothelioma could need surgery. Surgery specialists may be able to eliminate the cancer completely if it is in an early stage. In some cases doctors may opt for a combination treatment to reduce the size of the tumor and ease symptoms. This could include radiation, chemotherapy, or both.
Some patients have mesothelioma which has spread to other parts of their body. In these cases, doctors may recommend palliative care. It is intended to alleviate symptoms and improve quality of life. This could include narcotics, oxygen therapy, and pain medications. Some people opt for alternative and complementary therapies, such as acupuncture or herbal remedies.
Doctors may offer clinical trials to test new treatment options for patients suffering from malignant mesothelioma that has recurred. These kinds of studies are usually conducted in large medical centers.
Out-of pocket costs
Several different sources of assistance can help reduce the financial burden associated with mesothelioma treatment. In addition to health insurance patients should also consider government programs and charity resources. Patients should also talk to an attorney for mesothelioma to learn about legal options. Families of victims may be entitled to compensation through mesothelioma cases.
Medical expenses associated with mesothelioma are typically high and can vary based on the condition of the patient, stage of cancer and specific treatment plan. Before starting treatment for mesothelioma is important to review the costs involved. This will prevent any unexpected expenses.
Mesothelioma doctors may recommend a combination of treatments including chemotherapy, surgery and radiation. These treatments require hospitalizations which add to the cost of mesothelioma treatment.
Other mesothelioma-related treatment costs to anticipate include a variety of tests and procedures. These can include a thoracoscopy or pleuroscopy, which are scoped examinations of the chest cavity to confirm the diagnosis of mesothelioma. These tests can cost anywhere from $10,000 and $15,000. Blood tests, such as the MESOMARK, can identify mesothelioma biomarkers. They can also be used to track the response of a patient to treatment. This test has a cost of around $3,000 to $5,000 per year.
Many patients with mesothelioma undergo chemotherapy to eliminate cancerous cells. The most popular chemotherapy regimen involves a combination of medications known as pemetrexed (Alimta) and cisplatin. This medication combination can cost as much as $50,000 per course. Patients should also think about annual cost of drugs, which could be close to $100,000.
Radiation therapy is a major expense for patients with mesothelioma. The treatment is usually administered following surgery to kill any remaining cancerous cells. Patients must also pay for a range of mesothelioma-related costs that include travel expenses as well as lodging and equipment.
Patients with mesothelioma must also consider lost income. This can be a significant contributor to their medical expenses out of pocket. Many mesothelioma victims and their families must employ caregivers to assist with tasks like cooking cleaning, driving and cleaning. This can cost families thousands of dollars each month, on top of the expenses of mesothelioma-related treatments.
Financial Assistance
Many patients with mesothelioma qualify for government assistance programs to assist in covering a portion of the cost of treatment. Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security Disability Insurance are some of the benefits available. Some charities offer grants to patients with mesothelioma for travel expenses, home care, prescription medication and other expenses.
When doctors suspect mesothelioma they will request a biopsy in order to check the tissue for cancerous cells. During a biopsy doctors remove small amounts tissue from the suspected tumor by either surgery or an needle. The biopsy is then examined under a microscope for cancer cells. If mesothelioma is found, doctors will recommend various treatment options to manage symptoms and slow down the spread of cancer.
The doctors who treat mesothelioma typically undergo a procedure to drain excess fluid from the lungs (pleurodesis) or place a tube in the chest to ensure that the fluid can be removed at home regularly (percutaneous drainage through the pleura). Chemotherapy is commonly used for patients with advanced mesothelioma. Chemotherapy drugs travel throughout the body and kill cancerous cells to reduce the risk that the cancer will come back following surgery.
Asbestos patients and their family relatives are often financially devastated by the medical expenses associated mesothelioma treatments. These costs include hospital stays, surgeries, special procedures and medications. A mesothelioma diagnosis often leads to lost wages due to the inability to work.
The cost of mesothelioma treatment can be high, particularly when the patient must go to a specialist in order to receive treatment. Some mesothelioma activists can help mesothelioma patients with the cost of travel and lodging.
Patients should also consider whether they qualify for any assistance programs for medication that provide free or low-cost drug prescriptions for those with limited incomes. These programs are offered by pharmaceutical companies as well as organizations such as Family Reach, Rx Outreach and other charitable organizations. The National Cancer Institute and the American Society of Oncology also offer resources to assist patients in obtaining financial aid for treatment of mesothelioma. Additionally, state and federal health programs, such as the Low Income Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) and the 211 number can help individuals with assistance with their utility bills in their communities.