Breast Cancer - costs, options and second opinions

[SDACambodge]

I was recently diagnosed with Breast Cancer and had a mastectomy at Samitivej Sukhumvit hospital - I thought the procedures was quite expensive - around USD12,000.  Does anyone have a benchmark on doing a similar operation.    I was very pleased with my doctor.

 

I need to do Chemo as well - 8 sessions, every 3 weeks a sessions so six months - the total cost is around USD25,000 which my gut says was quite high.  has anyone else done Chemo and have any advice on costs?  I'd like to understand general costs that others have paid.

 

I feel in general, the hospitals prescribe so much medicines that you don't use - and they prescribe high end drugs that are not always necessary, even harmful when it comes to antibiotics.

 

Here is a list of drugs I'm being prescribed from Chemo - my only challenge is that the oncologist gets really annoyed with me when I ask questions to understand what is going to happen and how.  I'm very pleased with my surgeon, but am quite unhappy with the oncologist who is not forthcoming with information...   I live in Cambodia and doing my treatment in Thailand - I don't want to switch hospitals for Chemo, as I need to see my surgeon quite regularly.  Any advice or comments would be appreciated.  Thanks!

Standard Regimen

(A)Adriamycin 60 mg/m2

(C)Cyclophosphamide 600 mg/m2

Taxotere 75 mg/m2 

 

Adjusted Dose

(A)Adriamycin 120 mg/cycle

(C)Cyclophosphamide 1,200 mg/cycle

Taxotere 150 mg/cycle   (Has anyone taken Taxotere and can share their experience?) 

 

Edited March 20, 2017 by SDACambodge

[Sheryl]

Costs will vary depending on type of hospital. The costs you quote are typical of top end private hospitals, of which  Samitivej is one.

 

The least expensive option is government hospitals but that entails some red tape and waits which may be impractical for someone who does not live in Thailand.

 

An in-between option would be a non-profit private hospital like St Louis or Bangkok Christian Hospital

 

http://www.saintlouis.or.th/index

 

http://www.bch.in.th/

 

I DO NOT recommend emailing either of the above and aski9ng for a price quote - such emails go to a marketing departments who always give inflated quotes. Although time-consuming it is best to go and consult an oncologist directly and then ask the cost. This will also give you a chance to meet the doctors and see if you are comfortable with them. The ocnsultation will not cost more than 1,000 baht. Obviously, bring your records with you.

 

Should you decide to try a government hospital, the one to go to is Chulalongkhorn which has a center dedicated specifically to breast cancer and is a major university hospital

 

The Queen Sirikit Centre for Breast Cancer

1873 King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Rama IV Road, Patumwan, Bangkok 10330

Tel: 02 256 4991-2 Fax: 02 251 5466

Email:[email protected]

 

 

[lopburi3]

Sorry can not be more helpful but from quick internet check that mastectomy would appear to be a high price so probably best to be more specific on what procedure type and exactly what was covered for best feedback.  That hospital is one of the more expensive facilities - expect they should have more than one oncologist available so you might be able to make a change at same facility.  

[al007]

God bless you, not said to offend but he/she  does help me

 

I have a couple of cancers and can not speak highly enough of Chulalongkhorn ( their equipment is some of the most upto date in the world), The radiologist there is Dr Chakapan, and the Chemo man Dr songthan or something similar, I have both their personal emails if you wish I will send them an email if you send me yours by PM and copy you on it, I have referred several people to them

 

I had seven weeks of chemo and radiation cost excluding accommodation around 200,000, and that was for both prostate and colorectal

 

I am also happy to give you my email address and telephone number

 

I am back for more tests in May and will also be taking several doctors to dinner, these are very wonderful caring people, when they told me they had arrested my two cancers they had me in tears and also said how happy it made them

 

good luck, it does get better

[Jennielene]

On 3/22/2017 at 8:33 PM, al007 said:

God bless you, not said to offend but he/she  does help me

 

I have a couple of cancers and can not speak highly enough of Chulalongkhorn ( their equipment is some of the most upto date in the world), The radiologist there is Dr Chakapan, and the Chemo man Dr songthan or something similar, I have both their personal emails if you wish I will send them an email if you send me yours by PM and copy you on it, I have referred several people to them

 

I had seven weeks of chemo and radiation cost excluding accommodation around 200,000, and that was for both prostate and colorectal

 

I am also happy to give you my email address and telephone number

 

I am back for more tests in May and will also be taking several doctors to dinner, these are very wonderful caring people, when they told me they had arrested my two cancers they had me in tears and also said how happy it made them

 

good luck, it does get better

Hi. My mom was diagnosed with breast cancer and i would deeply appreciate it if you could give me or recommend an oncologist for us to consult. She is still in the Philippines but i got her biopsy result and i was hoping that she could get treated here. I dont know how to send a pm for i am new here but you could send me one on my email. [email protected]

 

Thank you so much

[Sheryl]

7 hours ago, Jennielene said:

Hi. My mom was diagnosed with breast cancer and i would deeply appreciate it if you could give me or recommend an oncologist for us to consult. She is still in the Philippines but i got her biopsy result and i was hoping that she could get treated here. I dont know how to send a pm for i am new here but you could send me one on my email. [email protected]

 

Thank you so much

Sent you an email