Report raises questions about high costs of cancer care

CBS: Rising Cost Of Cancer Sparks Talk Of Crisis
Will the high costs of treating cancer bankrupt the world's economies? A new report says more people are getting cancer than ever before. And while cancer-care may be more advanced than ever, it's also more expensive  - and that suggests some countries may not be unable to afford it. "We are at a crossroads for affordable cancer care, where our choices  - or refusal to make choices  - will affect the lives of millions of people," study author Dr. Richard Sullivan, a cancer researcher at King's College of London and member of The Lancet Oncology Commission, said in a written statement. "Do we bury our heads in the sand, keep our fingers crossed, and hope that it turns out fine, or do we have difficult debates and make hard choices within a socially responsible, cost-effective, and sustainable framework?" The report  - published in the September issue of Lancet Oncology  - put the worldwide cost burden for cancer care at $895 billion in 2008. By 2030 there will be at least 22 million new cancer patients, and new cancers are estimated to tack on another $286 billion in costs (Jaslow, 9/26).