The founder and lead surgeon of the Las Colinas Cancer Center talks about the cost of care.

Irving, TX – People who are diagnosed with cancer are likely to find their costs of care much higher than they were only a few decades ago. As newer, more effective treatments become the gold standard for treating many forms of this disease, anticipated costs have shot up significantly. There is a silver lining to be found though. Studies have also found that the anticipated life expectancy for those diagnosed with cancer has also climbed dramatically.

“People who are diagnosed with cancer today are likely to find overall costs of care have shot up due to the introduction of new drugs that have a strong track record of success,” explains Dr. Gregory Echt, founder and lead surgeon at the Las Colinas Cancer Center. “These drugs, however, have also increased life expectancy data tremendously.”

A recent study shed light on the spike in care costs. One portion of the study focused on the 11 new drugs that have been introduced in recent years to fight metastatic breast cancer. Researchers found the lifetime costs of care for this form of cancer rose by $72,000 between 1996 and 2011. The anticipated life expectancy, however, also rose by about 13 months following the introduction of the newer, more effective drugs.

“Costs aside, cutting-edge treatments have made cancer a much more survivable diagnosis in recent years,” says Dr. Echt. “As more people live beyond cancer, the value of research into newer, more effective treatments has simply become invaluable.”

The American Cancer Society estimates about 1.7 million people in the United States will be diagnosed with non-skin cancer forms of this disease in the coming year. An estimated 500,000 will die from cancer-related causes. The survival rates, however, are continuing to climb. The National Cancer Institute estimates that some 19 million Americans will count among those living beyond the disease by the year 2024.

About Las Colinas Cancer Center
Las Colinas Cancer Center, a Choice Cancer Care Treatment Center, is committed to providing the personalized, compassionate treatment that can make all the difference in cancer care. Our state-of-the-art facility, located in North Texas, offers those battling cancer and blood disorders a safe haven where they can find professional care from some of the nation’s most experienced oncology specialists in a supportive, caring environment with an integrated approach to treatment.