Breast Cancer
Tough Times don't last but Tough People do
Issues related to Breast Cancer
Economic Issues
[Image Citation 31]
Ethical Issues
[Image Citation 32]
Legal Issues
[Image Citation 33]
Each year the prices of cancer drugs are increasing at a rapid pace. It is estimated the U.S. spent annual about 104 billion dollars in 2006, this most likely will increase to about 173 billion dollars in 2020 [Citation 23]. Treating cancer results in fees of: doctor and clinical visits, imaging tests like X-rays and MRI’s, radiation treatments, hospital stays, surgery costs, home care, and the cost of chemotherapy, including expensive chemotherapy drugs. The type of breast cancer depends on the type of drug that will be used and how many will be used, a major variable in price fees. An average cost for 3 or 4 months is about 26,000 in a hospital. Medicare for some people can be an option to cover some of the payment fees, patients may only pay up to 20% which for some may still be a great problem [Citation 28]. Doctors today try to make expensive drugs like these affordable to everyone, so instead of patients worrying about the prices they can primarily focus on their health, but it is far from accomplishment but within sight.
In some, the refusal of chemotherapy is suggested by the patients themselves. This is mostly based on the patients beliefs, morals or even the fear of pain throughout the chemotherapy treatment [Citation 26]. This may be considered as a form of suicide or a way to not suffer through life and rest in peace, it all depends on different points of views.
Another ethical issue is screening for cancer. This method is used often, but although it may seem effective it too has its downfalls. In some cases the information can be false, which can have a very negative effect on the patient’s emotions.
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force suggests that it is not necessary for women in their 40’s to get yearly mammograms. This creates commotion between women at this age because yearly mammograms can prevent breast cancer due to early detection by 98%. [Citation 27]. Additionally, women are taking political action against the government due to the inequality of funding distributions between breast cancer and AIDS. As a matter of fact, the funds that the government provides for AIDS each year is roughly the same amount of funding that the government provided for all cancers combined. [Citation 30]
