Lung Cancer Treatment Costs

How Much Does Lung Cancer Treatment Cost?

Lung cancer treatment costs vary from person to person, and every situation is different. Factors such as cancer type and stage impact available treatments, which in turn affect the final cost of a diagnosis.

With that said, lung cancer treatment expenses are often very high and can be devastating for even the most well-prepared families. This can lead to financial toxicity, a term that describes severe negative economic outcomes for those affected by cancer.

Here are lung cancer costs from City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center:

• Initial lung cancer treatment costs: $68,293
• Continuing lung cancer expenses: $12,389
• End-of-life lung cancer costs: $110,248
• Total lung cancer treatment costs: $190,930

No family should have to face the financial burden of lung cancer alone. Yet in far too many cases, even families with insurance and savings find themselves facing economic hardship as a result of a lung cancer diagnosis.

At Lung Cancer Group, we’re ready to support families affected by the unexpected financial realities of lung cancer. Get a free case review now to find out if you qualify for compensation to help cover lung cancer treatment costs and other expenses.

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Lung Cancer Costs by Treatment Type

The cost of lung cancer treatment depends heavily on your specific treatment plan. Doctors can use surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, and more to help treat tumors, but each one impacts your financial situation differently.

Find out how much specific lung cancer treatments may cost so you can get a better idea of what to expect.

Lung Cancer Surgery Costs

Different surgeries allow doctors to remove part or all of a lung and, with it, all visible cancer tumors. Common lung cancer surgeries include lobectomy (removal of part of a lung) and pneumonectomy (removal of an entire lung).

Surgeries for lung cancer cost $31,900 on average, according to The Annals of Thoracic Surgery. Additional expenses associated with hospital recovery and treating complications also add tens of thousands of dollars to the cost in some cases.

Within the first 90 days of recovering from a surgery, stage 1 lung cancer patients faced over $12,000 in costs. The later the stage, the more the costs increased, with stage 4 recovery expenses for the first 90 days exceeding $26,000 on average.

Costs for lung cancer surgeries may include:

• Anesthesia
• Inpatient hospital stays
• Post-surgical follow-up
• Pulmonary rehabilitation
• Surgeon and oncology fees

Total expenses associated with lung cancer surgeries ranged from $131,000 to $205,000, with higher stages costing more, per The Annals of Thoracic Surgery.

Lung Cancer Chemotherapy Costs

Lung cancer chemotherapy drugs circulate through the body, helping to destroy harmful cells and shrink tumors. Chemotherapy is a benchmark treatment, with many patients receiving it at some point. However, the expenses of lung cancer chemotherapy are staggering.

Chemotherapy for lung cancer costs reached nearly $160,000, as noted by Therapeutic Advances in Medical Oncology.

Factors like which lung cancer chemotherapy drugs are used, the total number of cycles, follow-up care, and more can all influence the final total.

Radiation Therapy for Lung Cancer Price

Radiation therapy (radiotherapy) is commonly used for many lung cancer cases. However, lung cancer radiation therapy can cost tens of thousands of dollars, and the price varies by the specific type that patients receive.

Here’s the cost of different lung cancer radiation treatments:

• 3D radiation: $48,842
• Radiofrequency ablation: $44,648
• Stereotactic body radiotherapy: $53,133

Additional factors that affect lung cancer radiation costs include imaging scans like CTs or MRIs to map the treatment, the number of radiation sessions, and care for any possible side effects like nausea and skin irritation.

Lung Cancer Immunotherapy Costs

Lung cancer immunotherapy allows doctors to harness the body’s own immune system to treat cancer. With that said, this treatment often comes with a high price tag for families.

According to Cancer Medicine, the combination of chemotherapy and immunotherapy for lung cancer can range from over $96,000 to nearly $200,000 per year. Using both treatments together is often considered essential.

Targeted Therapy Lung Cancer Expenses

Targeted therapies are designed to treat lung cancer tumors while limiting collateral damage to parts of the body. Many targeted therapies for lung cancer are often taken daily as prescription medication, so costs can accumulate quickly.

A JAMA Oncology report found that osimertinib, a targeted therapy lung cancer pill, cost $219,874 to $231,123 per year for late-stage lung cancer patients.

While insurance coverage may reduce costs, co-pays are higher than ever, meaning families facing lung cancer still often face high price tags to get lifesaving treatments.

Lung Cancer Diagnosis and Scan Costs

Before even getting treatment, those who may have lung cancer need to undergo scans and tests to confirm a diagnosis. Many of the same imaging tests are used during and after lung cancer treatments to see how the patient’s tumors are responding to therapies.

Lung cancer diagnosis tests and follow-up scans add even more to a patient’s final bill, but understanding the costs ahead of time, as well as insurance copays, can help relieve stress.

Here are some potential lung cancer test costs:

• Bloodwork: Blood tests look for signs of lung cancer cells, known as biomarkers, in the body. Generally speaking, blood tests cost anywhere from $100 to $1,000 without insurance.
• CT scans: These are a common way to check for lung tumors, allowing doctors to see inside the chest cavity. CT scan costs can vary greatly from around $300 to almost $5,000, but insurance can help make the costs more manageable.
• MRIs: The median cost of an MRI, which could be used to help detect lung cancer spread, is $2,100.
• PET scans: Often combined with CT scans for better results, PET scan costs range from $1,200 to $18,00 if you don’t have insurance.
• Biopsies: This is the only way to know for sure if lung cancer is present, and involves removing a tissue sample to look for cancer cells under a microscope. If done as an outpatient treatment, the average lung biopsy cost is just over $1,000. However, when performed as part of a more in-depth surgery, costs rise to nearly $30,000, per ClinicoEconomics and Outcomes Research.

Even when a patient achieves lung cancer remission, in which signs and symptoms of the cancer lessen or disappear, they may still need to get periodic imaging tests to check for recurrence. As a result, it’s important to keep those expenses in mind.

Lung Cancer Screening Test Cost

One test that will often be free for many patients is a low-cost lung cancer screening through a CT scan, according to the advocacy group GO2 for Lung Cancer. This can help detect lung cancer before it causes noticeable symptoms, and it’s often recommended for high-risk groups like long-term smokers.

Most private insurance companies and Medicare don’t charge for lung cancer screenings because these tests can help save patients’ lives.

However, it’s always a good idea to check with your insurance plan ahead of a screening to avoid any unexpected costs.

How Insurance Impacts the Average Cost of Lung Cancer Treatment

Different insurance plans can significantly reduce the average lung cancer treatment costs, allowing families to reduce additional stress since they will have fewer worries about affording the care they need.

Lung cancer treatment costs without insurance can be financially devastating, but there are options families may be able to access to help afford the expenses.

Lung Cancer Treatment Cost Without Insurance

By paying monthly premiums on your health insurance plan, your providers will help absorb the majority of expenses related to lung cancer diagnostic tests and treatment costs.

In one study from the ACS, a woman with stage 4 lung cancer paid $12,000 for medical testing and treatment through her coverage.

While this cost was very significant, it included:

• Diagnostic tests like CTs, bloodwork, and a biopsy
• Essential treatments like chemotherapy and immunotherapy
• Monitoring of the treatments’ effectiveness through scans
• Palliative care for symptoms and side effects

How much you may need to pay will depend on your insurance plan, lung cancer type and stage, which treatments you receive, and more.

Lung Cancer Treatment Cost With Insurance

While lung cancer can be expensive to treat even with insurance, families who aren’t insured could face significant financial stressors.

Take for example the stage 4 lung cancer patient mentioned in the example by the ACS. Though she had to pay $12,000 for her medical care, the total cost of the diagnostic tests and treatment was $140,000.

The ACS also noted that patients may have to pay up front in order to get essential lung cancer treatments, which can lead to unimaginable stress.

Get a free case review for help accessing compensation options to offset the costs of lung cancer treatment, whether you have insurance or not.

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• Understand risk factors
• Find top treatments
• Pursue compensation

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Factors That Affect Lung Cancer Treatment Costs

No two patients have identical costs, with many different factors impacting the potential costs related to lung cancer treatment and follow-up care.

For more advice that’s specific to your situation, you can always ask your lung cancer doctors about the possible costs of any medical test or treatment that they recommend.

Lung Cancer Treatment Costs By Stage

Lung cancer has four stages. The higher the lung cancer stage, the more the cancer has spread. Generally speaking, patients in higher lung cancer stages faced greater treatment expenses.

Here’s a breakdown of median lung cancer treatment costs by stage:

• Stage 1: $25,627
• Stage 2: $57,929
• Stage 3: $106,973
• Stage 4: $211,005

Cases of stage 4 lung cancer have spread through the body, meaning patients experience more significant symptoms. As a result, they cannot get surgery and will only qualify for systemic options like chemotherapy or immunotherapy.

Stage 4 lung cancer patients may also need more extensive palliative care to manage worsening lung cancer symptoms and side effects of treatments, which can add to the overall total.

Inpatient vs. Outpatient Lung Cancer Care Costs

Inpatient lung cancer treatment at a hospital typically costs more than outpatient procedures. Outpatient care for lung cancer is usually less intensive.

Inpatient lung cancer care costs exceeded $25,000 per patient, according to a Current Oncology study. Outpatient lung cancer expenses were only around $5,000.

With that said, if inpatient lung cancer treatments will give you a better chance at improving your life expectancy and quality of life, it is important to consider them even though outpatient services may cost less.

Missed Work and Lost Income From Lung Cancer

Many lung cancer patients and caregivers must reduce work hours or stop working entirely during treatment. Lost wages add to the economic burden of a diagnosis. If a patient can no longer work or passes away from lung cancer, the financial costs can permanently affect their loved ones.

Families that took long-term sick leave after a diagnosis, couldn’t afford to cover their basic expenses, or had lower overall savings were at greater risk of financial toxicity from lung cancer, a Frontiers in Oncology report noted.

Lung cancer deaths led to the highest economic losses of any cancer, sitting at $21 billion over a 1-year period, according to a JAMA Oncology report.

Financial Assistance for Lung Cancer Patients

You do not have to navigate these costs that a lung cancer diagnosis brings by yourself. Several financial assistance programs may help you reduce out-of-pocket costs for lung cancer care.

Financial assistance options for lung cancer include:

• Hospital financial programs: Many hospitals offer payment plans, financial counselors, income-based discounts, and charitable coverage for those experiencing hardship. Speaking with a hospital or cancer center billing department early can help prevent unexpected financial stress.
• Lung cancer clinical trials: Clinical trials may provide access to newer lung cancer treatments, typically at no cost. Ask your doctor if you qualify to join a lung cancer clinical trial.
• Lung cancer organizations: Groups like the ACS, the American Lung Association (ALA), and CancerCare offer financial assistance with travel costs, lodging, meals, and copays.
• Medicare and Medicaid: These government health insurance programs help those over the age of 65, as well as younger patients with disabilities or low income, more easily afford lung cancer treatments and any other medical costs. For example, Medicare Part D helps cover prescription drug costs.
• Pharmaceutical assistance programs: Many prescription drug manufacturers offer copay assistance and discount programs for uninsured or underinsured patients. You may also be able to get a generic drug that costs less. Ask your oncology team about available options.
• VA benefits: If you’re a U.S. veteran with lung cancer, you can access free or inexpensive health care as part of your VA benefits package. The VA often considers active lung cancer that’s connected to military service a complete disability, meaning you’ll have the lowest health care copays.

Compensation for Lung Cancer Treatments

In addition to financial assistance programs, those facing lung cancer may be eligible for compensation through different legal options.

Far too many cases of lung cancer have been caused by asbestos exposure, and manufacturers of asbestos-containing products hid the health risks for decades. It may be possible to recover payouts from these companies if your lung cancer was caused by asbestos, allowing you to more easily afford treatment.

Lung cancer compensation options include:

• Personal injury lawsuits filed against manufacturers of asbestos-containing products that contributed to your lung cancer diagnosis. While every case is different, some lung cancer lawsuits have paid out over $1 million.
• Asbestos trust funds, which contain over $30 billion in total. You may be able to file claims with several trusts depending on your exposure history to receive a portion of this compensation.
• Wrongful death lawsuits are filed by family members whose loved ones passed away from lung cancer. Like personal injury claims, these sometimes award $1 million or more.

Lung Cancer Group works with experienced lung cancer attorneys who can help build and file claims for you, allowing you to get compensation more easily. Get a free case review now to find out your eligibility.

Get Our Free Lung Cancer Guide

• Understand risk factors
• Find top treatments
• Pursue compensation

Get the Guide

Find Help Covering the Cost of Lung Cancer Treatment

The costs of lung cancer treatment can be shockingly expensive — even for families with good insurance plans. Yet from medical testing to aggressive therapies, many lung cancer patients face tens of thousand dollars or more in expenses that they didn’t deserve.

At Lung Cancer Group, we believe that no family should have to worry about paying for medical costs while facing an already stressful lung cancer diagnosis.

If you are worried about lung cancer treatment costs, start by:

• Asking about financial counseling
• Exploring assistance programs
• Reviewing your insurance policy carefully
• Speaking openly with your health care team

Lung Cancer Group can also help patients like you explore ways to afford lung cancer treatment costs, such as by filing legal claims, if eligible. Call (877) 446-5767 or get a free case review now to learn more.