Mesothelioma Treatment Costs
A mesothelioma patient will undergo an exhaustive examination by a doctor. This includes imaging scans and blood tests.
Medical professionals can also prescribe chemotherapy drugs or radiation treatments. Patients with mesothelioma should investigate the various types of financial assistance that are available. They can reduce mesothelioma treatment costs.
Diagnosis
A doctor will run an array of tests after patients have experienced symptoms to determine mesothelioma. This will help determine the best treatment. The first step is a physical examination and asking about asbestos exposure in the past. The doctor will then collect an ounce of abdominal or pleural fluid for analysis. The mesothelioma expert may also perform a biopsy to confirm the presence of cancerous cells.
The most commonly used tests to detect mesothelioma include blood tests and imaging scans. These tests can assist doctors locate the location of tumors and other indications of mesothelioma and also determine how advanced the condition is.
Mesothelioma blood tests determine the levels of mesothelin related proteins (SMRP). These chemicals are released by mesothelioma cancer cells when they multiply and grow however they are not present in healthy tissues. Because of this, SMRP blood tests can indicate the presence of mesothelioma prior to symptoms begin to manifest.
Other mesothelioma tests that are commonly used include X-rays and CT scans. These scans may produce 3D images and cross-sectional views of organs, tissues and bones inside the body. They can aid doctors detect mesothelioma tumours. CT scans can also be helpful in determining whether a tumor of mesothelioma has regressed to another part of the body.
A needle aspiration is an less invasive method of collecting pleural or abdominal fluids to analyze. After numbing your skin doctors will insert a small needle to drain fluid from the chest or abdomen. They then examine the fluid under a microscope. If a needle aspiration is inconclusive, a surgical biopsy may be necessary.
A PET scan or CT scan in combination with a fluoroscopy is a different kind of mesothelioma test. The procedure uses X-rays for the endoscope to guide through the digestive tract or lungs. This lets the doctor determine whether mesothelioma has regressed into lymph nodes located in the chest or abdomen.
You should consider seeking a second opinion in order to ensure that the diagnosis of mesothelioma has been made correctly and complete. This will allow the patient to begin the most effective treatment as quickly as possible.
Treatment
When treating mesothelioma, doctors have to consider a variety of aspects. These include the type of cancer and how it responds. They may also need to consider the overall health of the patient. These factors could influence the cost of mesothelioma treatment.
In general the more advanced the mesothelioma has become, the more expensive the treatment will be. The reason for this is that the cancer is likely to spread quickly and is more likely to return after treatment. It is also more difficult to eliminate once it has developed.
Treatment costs are not only related to the type of treatments utilized, but also with the number of hospital visits as well as the length of stay. This is because mesothelioma diagnoses often requires multiple tests and procedures to confirm the condition. A doctor may request blood tests to look for proteins that are signs of cancer. A needle biopsy is the most common way that doctors can determine if a patient suffers from mesothelioma. In this procedure, a doctor inserts a needle into the skin of the abdomen or chest to collect a sample of fluid or tissue. The doctor examines the tissue using a microscopical microscope to determine whether there are mesothelioma cells.
Mesothelioma patients may need surgery. Surgery specialists may be able to eliminate the tumor completely if it's in an early stage. In some instances 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 people have mesothelioma which has spread to other areas of their body. In these cases, doctors may recommend palliative treatment. This is designed to relieve symptoms and improve the quality of life. It may include painkillers or narcotics as well as oxygen therapy. Some people prefer alternative and complementary therapies, such as acupuncture, yoga or herbal remedies.
Doctors can conduct clinical trials for new treatment options for patients with recurrent malignant mesothelioma. These studies are usually done in large medical centers.
Costs outside of the pocket
There are a variety of ways to lessen the financial burden of mesothelioma therapies. Patients should also look into government programs and charitable resources in addition to health insurance. To learn more about their legal options, they should consult mesothelioma lawyers. Compensation from a mesothelioma case could be available to help victims and their families.
new mesothelioma treatment associated with mesothelioma can be high and can vary based on a patient's health and stage of cancer, or the specific treatment plan. It is important to review all costs that could be incurred prior to starting mesothelioma treatment. This will avoid any unexpected expenses.
Doctors may suggest a combination treatment for mesothelioma, including surgery, chemo and radiation. These treatments require hospitalizations, which will add to the cost of mesothelioma treatment.
It is possible to pay for a range of tests and procedures as part of your mesothelioma treatment. They can include a thoracoscopy and a pleuroscopy which are examinations with a scope of the chest cavity to confirm the diagnosis of mesothelioma. The cost of these tests is between $10,000 and $15,000. Blood tests, such as the MESOMARK test, can reveal biomarkers for mesothelioma. They can also be used to track the patient's response to treatment. This test costs between $3,000 and $5,000 annually.
Many patients with mesothelioma undergo chemotherapy in order to eradicate cancerous cells. The most popular chemotherapy regimen is a combination of drugs known as pemetrexed and cisplatin. This combination of drugs could cost as much as $50,000 per treatment. Patients should also think about the annual cost of drugs, which could be as high as $100,000.
Radiation therapy is yet another major expense for mesothelioma patients. This treatment is usually administered following surgery to kill any remaining cancerous cells. Patients are also required to be responsible for a range of mesothelioma-related costs such as travel costs as well as lodging and equipment.
Patients with mesothelioma must also consider lost income. This can be a major contributor towards their out-of pocket medical expenses. Many mesothelioma patients and their families have to hire caregivers for tasks like cooking, cleaning and driving. This can cost mesothelioma patients and their family members thousands of dollars every month.
Financial Assistance
Many mesothelioma sufferers are eligible to government programs that assist in paying for a portion of the treatment expenses. Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security Disability Insurance are some of the benefits that are available. Some nonprofits offer grants to mesothelioma patients for expenses for travel, home care prescription medications, and other costs.
When doctors suspect mesothelioma they order a tissue biopsy to check for cancerous cells. During a biopsy doctors remove tiny amounts of tissue from the suspected tumor by either surgery or needle. The biopsy is then examined under a microscope to detect cancerous cells. If mesothelioma is diagnosed, doctors will recommend various treatment options to manage symptoms and reduce the spread of cancer.
Mesothelioma doctors typically use a procedure to remove excess lung fluid (pleurodesis) or place a tube into the chest to drain the fluid periodically at home (percutaneous pleural mesothelioma drainage). Chemotherapy is commonly used for patients with advanced mesothelioma. Chemotherapy drugs move throughout the body and kill cancer cells to decrease the risk that the cancer will come back after surgery.
Asbestos patients as well as their loved ones are often financially devastated by the medical expenses associated mesothelioma treatment. These expenses include hospitalizations, surgeries as well as specialized treatments and medications. A mesothelioma diagnosis can lead to lost wages due to the inability to work.
The cost of mesothelioma treatment can be expensive, especially when patients have to visit a specialist to receive treatment. Mesothelioma advocates can assist with travel and lodging expenses for mesothelioma patients.
Patients should also consider whether they are eligible for assistance programs for medications that provide low-cost or free 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 charities. The National Cancer Institute, the American Society of Oncology and other organizations can assist patients obtain financial assistance for mesothelioma-related treatments. State and federal health programs, such as the Low-Income Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) and the 211 phone number, can assist people living in their communities by providing utility assistance.