should cancer suffers be given herceptin regardless of the cost?
90046
You must be in the UK, as you mention NHS. A colleague of mine who is an SHO (senior house officer=resident) there, tells me there's lot's of waste in that system. If women with HER-2/NEU positive breast cancer (which as you mention are a small percentage) were to receive the drug free of charge, I don't think it would break your system. From what I hear the NHS (British National Health Service) has more problems than giving away expensive drugs. The system probably wastes more money with unnecessary ambulance rides per year than herceptin. But of course this is just heresay on my part. Universal health care is great, however, like everything there need to be checks and balances. The bottom line is poor patients should receive the same standard of care as the wealthy patient. People who cry about paying higher taxes probably wouldn't even notice the difference. Our military (in which I was a former member USMC) wastes more money per hour than this drug would cost us in a year.
997819
might want to check and see if any laws will be broke??you could donate to local cancer society?? help someome in needy situation?call the dr you got them from he may have someone who is in need?
227587
Yes. Not necessarily because the person was done harm that needs to be paid for, but because there needs to be punitive damages to deter the medical system from treating patients like commodities. The cost to the system has to be high enough to punish the insurance industry, not just the individual doctor's premiums.
905705
Yes.\nIn fact its vest to refuse treatment from the mainstream meducal profession, and seek an alternative treatment. There are many cures available.\n\nRead this report.\n\n\nhttp://dgwa1.fortunecity.com/body/cancer.html
269747
My husband is in remission from Hodgkin's for the second time. I thank God we have insurance. When he went through it for the first time, when we were engaged, we happened to ask our nurse what would happen if we didn't have insurance. She told us that he would be getting treatment for no cost because it is a cancer, a life-threatening disease, and the state and hospital could not deprive someone of getting treatment.\n\nOf course, I do not know what state you are from so things may be different. I would ask the doctor, and see if the hospital offers assistance for those who can't afford things like he will need. Believe me, ask for any help you can get, you might have a social worker to help you with the info. I remember when we had to pick up shots called Neupogen. They are to boost white blood cells so he can stay on track with his schedule of treatments. I went to pick it up at the pharmacy and they told me it just went through with the insurance. If it didn't we'd be paying over $300.00 for about 10 days worth.\n\nGood luck to you both, and you are in my prayers. Before you know it, it will be gone and you'll have your normal lives back, just put your trust in God and everything will be okay.
190182
There are cures out there right now -- sometimes it is surgical and sometimes it is medical.  I don't there will ever be a single cure for cancer -- it is a complex family of diseases. Some cancers hve very good five year survival rates.  Others do not.  Early detection is almost always key.\n\nWe also know that certain things cause cancer in humans.  Not everytime and not with every person.  But if you compare 1,000 cigarette smokers to 1,000 non-smokers (all other factors being equal) you will see a large difference in lung cancer rates.  That is not to say that all smokers get cancer -- but it is to say that if smoking goes down, so do lung cancer rates.  Radon is a similar factor.  Even viruses (certain STDs) are linked with an increased rate of reproductive cancers.  Sun exposure.  Certain foods.\n\nNone of that is secret.  The government suggests avoiding tobacco, eating a health diet, etc.  Early detection also helps a lot.  Breast cancer and prostate cancer especially benefit from early detection.  That is why the government suggest regular screening for these diseases (pab, mammogram, colonoscopy) at certain ages/intervals.\n\nThere is no question that pharma has a large financial stake in the current health care system.  That said, if a company did have the miracle drug they would produce it! \n\nWhy?  That company would have an almost invaluable asset -- one subject to intellectual property protections.  Set on a shelf that is worth nothing to the company.  On the market, it would probably make a company with only that product the most valuable pharma company in the world.\n\nOne has to only look at several recent examples to see how pharma benefits from introducig new drugs -- look at the Cox2 inhibitors.  Or new PPIs that are little different from what will soon enough be available as generic.  They spend buckets of money on R&D and advertising.  That only generates revenue when they have a product to sell.\n\nThe only way the conspiracy theory works is if there is some non-patentable treatment out there that pharma discovered long ago.  And I don't believe that for a second!  Cancer is too complicated for a single cure. And I can't imagine something that couldn't get some intellectual protection.  Information leaks.  These people have families who suffer from these same illnesses.\n\nIn terms of the FDA, federal law does prohibit marketing medicine that has not been proven safe and effective.  One can argue about where we are at in that balancing act.  But the idea is that I can't make my own variety of snake oil (mabe even one containing a carcinogen) and then claiming it cures cancer 100% of the time.\n\nIn terms of presidents, I think Grant died of cancer.\n\nLast point:  if such a product existed, it would likely save the government lots of money.  The federal governmant pays for medicare (including chemo drugs).  The state and federal governments split the costs of medicaid (low income).\n\nSo, this is really nothing more than an urban legend -- a cruel one that makes little sense to me.
831946
all answers are get to the GP and I second that but in 4 years hasn't anyone in your family advised you to do this it is a long time to be suffering pain in an area prone to cancer I'm not being scary Vicky but you must realise the delay in getting medical attention is risky! very risky!!  good luck to you and i hope all ends well
1164358
contact the American Cancer Society and explain what is going on. If she was a church member contact the local church of her denomination and ask for assistance. There are several other cancer groups that will pay stipends to people in your mom's situation but I can't think of the names of any of the others at the moment. Ask whomever is providing her wheel chair for leads on getting assistance. Do a Google search for groups that will help with her drug costs or contact the individual drug companies and ask about their patient assistance programs. Also ask her oncologist for any helpful leads. Treasure the time you have with your mom, because this may be your last opportunity to really spend some time together. Turn her staying with you into a positive and not a negative, despite her illness.
17346
The total cost would vary significantly depending on the type of surgery, complexity and recovery time.  Typical costs would include: surgeon, anesthiologist, hospital, medication and lab tests (including tissue pathology).\n\nIn other words, an outpatient lumpectomy is much less expensive than major abdominal surgery with an in-hospital recovery period of several days.\n\nThat said, Medicare, Medicaid and most insurance programs would cover most of the costs and charity care is also sometimes available.
1053595
I am a Christian, but I completely agree with the above post. If a drug can prevent cervical cancer it should be used, period. Religious leaders should not even have an opinion about this.
849618
Sure, don't hesitate, the longer it goes on the worse the treatment.  I have been through cancer 3 times, the cure is worse than the cold.  Get attention, even if you only suspect and have no symtoms.
537693
I agree with you to a large degree. Personally I believe the tradition treatments, chemo and/or radiation..cause more problems are are ineffective. In alot of cases the patient dies as a result of complications of the treatment, not from the actual disease. Yes, diet...I think an organic diet makes a huge difference, putting more chemicals into a body that is struggling doesnt make a lot of sense. Alot of the meds, even pain meds like morphine, tend to produce angiogenesis in cancer cells and spread the tumors. Im a big believer in the budwig diet and I'm a big believer in meditation and visualisation. I do believe there are alot of other things you can also do to help. For example, biophosponate to stop the spread to bones...blocking the FE+ receptors..cancer cells need iron to divide and multiply, blocking the FE+ receptors deprives them of iron and they cant continue to divide and muliply..there is a chemical in anti-malarial meds that does this. I also strongly believe in Qigong - powerful chinese med to bolster the immune system. Oxidisation treatment, hyperbaric chamber...Dendric cell therapy .. IPT (Insulin Potentiation Therapy), Ultra Violet treatment...there is so much.  Good on you for looking further than the traditional!
831932
I've had 2 friends try alternative medicine - not for breast cancer - but I'd sure call an alternative doctor.  Both friends' cancer disappeared and they have been cancer-free for more than 12 years.  No side effects like chemo, either.\n\nDr. Nicholas Gonzales in NY,NY is the doc for one of my friends.  She goes for check ups just once a year, so you don't have to live there to be his patient.  If you look him up on the Internet, he doesn't look good.  BUt don't believe everything you read.\n\nBUT, what I know, is that my friend was given NO HOPE with regular medical treatments.  THey were going to take her lung and do aggressive chemo and they didn't expect her to live 4 more months even if they did that.  SO she went to Dr. Gonzales and she credits him with saving her life.\n\nI am not some sort of wierd health-nut, by the way.  I go to regular doctors.  I just know of these 2 friends who were healed by alternative medicine.\n\nGood luck!!
395058
The gowth rate is concerning. I'm taking for granted he has had either a needle or open biopsy of the nodule. If not he should have one to determine what exactly it is you are dealing with. Speed is of the essence here! Has he had any other exams, such as CT or MRI of the abdomen and pelvis or brain? Once the biopsy is returned those exams may be ordered, don't be suprised if they are! If he has had the biopsy, and it is malignant, ask what options there are for treatment, chemo and radiation or just chemo or just radiation, and if there is metastasis to any other areas?
407219
Chemotherapy should do it.
999315
The hospital will recommend the best course of treatment. Depends on where, how invasive the cancer is.  Chemotherapy and radiotherapy are the best way to combat the disease, along with positive thinking and eating healthy.
1078383
I know people who have it for chronic (ha ha) back pain, insomnia and high anxiety.  Cancer patients may receive it to stimulate their appetite and calm some of the pain of chemo therapy.  Glaucoma patients may use it, as well, to calm pain.