The Problem with Miracle Cancer Cures

Having just started my fifth antibody based medication, this one to try and get on top of my auto-immune colitis, I’m acutely aware of the various tensions, conflicts and ethical dilemmas raised in this article. My melanoma, while not completely gone, has been well controlled by the immunotherapy I received. The main story for me in recent years has been managing the side-effects of the immunotherapy as well as the multiude of medical appointments, blood-tests, scans and so on. But it has taken me from seriously considering palliative care having been given a median survival of 3-4 months, to being back at work part-time some 5 years later. Fortunately, as I am part of clincial trial, combined with Medicare and private health insurance, my out of pocket costs have been manageable. But as these expensive interventions become mainstream, and cancer is increasingly converted from a death sentence into a chronic disease, there will be serious challenges ahead for the health budget, of both governments and individuals.

Opinion | The Problem With Miracle Cancer Cures

Opinion | The Problem With Miracle Cancer Cures

If immunotherapy worked most of the time, this would be an unambiguously happy story. But it doesn’t.

Source: www.nytimes.com/2018/04/19/opinion/sunday/problem-miracle-cancer-cures.html