Bleeding Wallets: The High Costs of Blood Cancer Treatment Compared to Other Cancers
The financial burden of cancer treatment is a significant concern for patients and their families; among all the various types of cancer, blood cancers—particularly multiple myeloma and leukemia—surface as some of the most expensive to treat. The costs of treating blood cancers go beyond the initial diagnosis and treatment phases, resulting in excessive healthcare expenditures that many families find hard to manage.
The average cost of blood cancer treatment exceeds $150,000 in the initial year, with acute leukemia patients incurring the highest expenses across all age groups. On average, these patients can accumulate costs nearing $450,000 in their first year of treatment. Patients diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma also exceed the average cost, totaling just over $200,000 in the first year.
Comparing Costs Across Cancer Types
When evaluating the costs of treating different types of cancer, blood cancers, particularly multiple myeloma, consistently emerge as the most expensive. This is mainly due to their unique treatment requirements, which often involve complex and ongoing therapies. However, lung and thoracic cancers have the highest annual costs. Lung/Thoracic Cancer has high total yearly costs, often with shorter or less complicated treatment timelines. At the same time, Multiple Myeloma is the most expensive cancer to treat annually per patient. It is important to note that the nature of blood cancer treatments, including advanced therapy protocols, significantly contributes to higher overall treatment costs.
High Initial Costs
Blood cancer treatments are generally more expensive when compared to other cancer types. For instance, patients newly diagnosed with multiple myeloma can incur costs exceeding $200,000 within the first year of treatment. This expense is primarily because the treatment regimens are complex and often require a combination of therapies. There is a need for specialized care and frequent monitoring during the initial treatment phase. The costs of medications, such as maintenance lenalidomide, are high. Moreover, the high initial costs are just the beginning. The financial implications often extend into subsequent years, amplifying the burden on patients and their families.
” Unlike [other hematologic cancers] such as large B-cell lymphoma or Hodgkin lymphoma, where you give 6 months of treatment and you’re done for most patients, in myeloma, treatment is pretty much lifelong, continuous therapy, for 7 or 8 years or more, which is the median survival of the disease,” said Dr. Rajkumar. “And we don’t use these drugs alone; we use them in combination, which then increases the cost even more…. Quadruplets are up-and-coming options now, very similar to R-CHOP [rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin hydrochloride, vincristine, and prednisone] for the cure [of non-Hodgkin lymphoma]. You are talking about a four-drug combination of monoclonal antibodies costing between $350,000 and $600,000 for 1 year of treatment.” (Cavallo, How to treat patients with multiple myeloma cost-effectively without compromising outcome)
Ongoing Treatment and Relapses
One of the staggering realities of myeloma treatment is that nearly all patients will experience relapses or develop cancers that become refractory to existing therapies. This inevitability leads to some critical factors. Indefinite maintenance therapy multiple myeloma patients often require long-term maintenance therapy, which can include a combination of doublet or triplet therapies. This ongoing treatment approach is necessary to manage the disease. Still, it amplifies financial toxicity, as patients must bear additional costs for extended periods.
Patients diagnosed with acute leukemia often face significant out-of-pocket expenses, leading to immediate financial burdens. In contrast, those diagnosed with multiple myeloma tend to accumulate significantly higher total out-of-pocket costs over a three-year period. Patients higher cost can often be traced back to numerous relapses and a range of treatment plans.
The Emotional and Financial Toll
Beyond the straightforward financial analysis, the strain of high medical costs can have profound emotional and psychological implications for patients and their families. Prolonged treatments can lead to high levels of stress and anxiety related to financial issues and a decline in quality of life due to ongoing health problems and the side effects of treatment. Financial limitations, not just medical factors, may significantly influence care decisions.
These factors underline the importance of addressing the clinical aspects of cancer care and the financial and psychological challenges arising from the high treatment costs. The costs associated with blood cancer treatment, particularly for diseases like multiple myeloma and leukemia, reflect a complex landscape where financial toxicity is an almost unavoidable reality. Patients often bear the brunt of high initial expenses and ongoing treatment costs, which accumulate over the years, leading to increased financial strain and emotional distress. As healthcare continues to evolve, it is imperative for stakeholders to address these spiraling costs and to ensure that financial barriers do not impede access to crucial, life-saving therapies. Understanding the financial impact of blood cancers—especially compared to other cancers—highlights an urgent need for systemic changes to improve patient outcomes and alleviate economic burdens in the future.
Cavallo, J. (2020, August 25). How to treat patients with multiple myeloma cost-effectively without compromising outcome. The ASCO Post. https://ascopost.com/issues/august-25-2020/how-to-treat-patients-with-multiple-myeloma-cost-effectively-without-compromising-outcome/
Dieguez, G., Ferro, C., & Rotter, D. (2018, October). The cost burden of blood cancer care. Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. https://www.lls.org/sites/default/files/Milliman study cost burden of blood cancer care.pdf
Team, R. (2024, February 1). The true cost of multiple myeloma. Resolve wordmark. https://www.resolvemedicalbills.com/blog/the-true-cost-of-multiple-myeloma#:~:text=According%20to%20a%20study%20published,%2C%20medications%2C%20and%20supportive%20care.