We will continue to summarize cancer treatment in the U.S. in this issue, as we were unable to introduce it in our previous article.
The previous article can be found here.
Chemotherapy
Drug therapy is used to kill cancer cells in the body.
Chemotherapy is administered intravenously, orally, or by intramuscular injection.
Chemotherapy can be given alone or in combination with other treatments.
Cancer Chemotherapy in the United States法を受ける際の費用は、様々な要素によって大きく異なります。下記にまとめてみましたのでご参考ください。
Types of Drugs
Costs vary greatly depending on the type of anticancer drug used.
Some anticancer drugs are very expensive.
Dosage
The higher the dose, the higher the cost.
Duration of treatment
The duration of chemotherapy depends on the patient’s condition and the type of cancer.
The longer the treatment period, the higher the cost.
Method of Administration
Chemotherapy is administered by intravenous, oral, or intramuscular injection.
Intravenous injections are the most common and the most expensive.
Hospital Location
The cost of health care in the United States varies widely by region. In general, costs are higher in large cities than in rural areas.
Costs also vary depending on the size and specialty of the hospital. Well-known university hospitals and specialty hospitals are generally more expensive than regional hospitals.
Insurance
Most Americans have private medical insurance.
Depending on the type and scope of medical insurance, chemotherapy coverage and co-payments may vary.
If you have public health insurance such as Medicare or Medicaid, coverage is limited.
Co-payments
Co-payments are the portion of your medical expenses not paid by your insurance company.
Co-payments can range from a few thousand dollars to tens of thousands of dollars.
Translated with DeepL.com (free version)
Other.
The cost of tests, medications, and supportive care are also included in the overall cost of chemotherapy.
Depending on where the patient lives, travel and lodging expenses may also need to be considered.
Below is an example of the cost of cancer chemotherapy in the U.S.
Herceptin for HER2-positive metastasis of breast cancer: $12,000 to $36,000 per month (about 1.8-5.4 million Japanese yen)
Bectivimab for colorectal cancer: $8,000 to $24,000 per month (about 1.2 to 3.6 million Japanese yen)
Imatinib for leukemia: $4,000 to $12,000 per month (about 600,000 to 1.8 million yen)
Please understand that the above are examples only and actual costs may vary widely.
Tips for saving money
Obtain quotes from several hospitals before undergoing treatment.
Consider using generic drugs.
Participate in clinical trials.
Compare health plans and select the most comprehensive plan.
Explore available public assistance programs.
Budget and save for medical expenses before treatment.
Translated with DeepL.com (free version)
Hormone Therapy
Inhibits or prevents the growth of hormone-sensitive cancers.
Hormone therapy is often used to treat breast, prostate, and ovarian cancers.
Hormone therapy is administered as pills, injections, or patches.The cost of undergoing cancer hormone therapy in the United States varies widely depending on a number of factors. The main influencing factors are summarized below.
Types of Therapy
There are various types of hormone therapy, each with different costs. Commonly used hormone therapies include the following
Breast cancer: Tamoxifen, aromatase inhibitors
Prostate cancer: Leuplin, Abiraterone
Ovarian cancer: Anastrozole, Flutamide
Duration of Treatment
The duration of hormone therapy depends on the patient’s condition and the type of cancer. Typically, hormone therapy is continued for several years. The longer the treatment period, the higher the cost.
Types of Medications
Costs vary widely depending on the type of hormone drugs used. Some hormonal agents are very expensive. For example, aromatase inhibitors, which are commonly used to treat breast cancer, can cost several hundred dollars per month, even for generic drugs.
Administration Methods
Hormone therapy is administered in a variety of ways, including pills, injections, and patches. Costs vary depending on the method of administration. Typically, injections are the most expensive.
Hospital Location
The cost of medical care in the United States varies widely by region. In general, costs are higher in large cities than in rural areas. In addition, well-known university hospitals and specialty hospitals may be more expensive than regional hospitals.
Insurance
Most Americans have private medical insurance.
However, the type and extent of medical insurance coverage varies, as do the coverage and co-payments for hormone therapy.
For those with public health insurance, Medicare or Medicaid, coverage is even more limited.
Co-payments
Co-payments are the portion of medical expenses not paid by the insurance company.
Co-payments can range from a few thousand dollars to tens of thousands of dollars.
Other
The cost of tests, other medications, and supportive care are also included in the overall cost of hormone therapy.
Depending on where the patient lives, travel and lodging expenses may also need to be considered.
Example of costs: The following is an example of cancer hormone therapy in the United States.
Below is a sample cost for cancer hormone therapy in the United States. Please note that this is only a guideline and actual costs may vary widely.
Tamoxifen for breast cancer: $25 to $100 per month
Leuplin for prostate cancer: $50 to $150 per month
Anastrozole for breast cancer: $40 to $120 per month
Tips to save money
Get quotes from several hospitals before getting treatment.
Consider using generic drugs.
Participate in clinical trials.
Compare health plans and select the most comprehensive plan.
Explore available public assistance programs.
Budget and save for medical expenses before treatment.
Summary
In this issue, we have described cancer treatment (chemotherapy and hormone therapy) in the United States. Since I could not summarize it all in this issue, I will do so again in the next issue.
Chemotherapy is used in the U.S. as in Japan.
Hormone therapy is still rare in Japan, but I believe it will spread in Japan in the future.
