Although cancer drugs are considered to be quite expensive, two new pieces of analysis have concluded that you indeed get what you pay for. Well, at least when it comes to drugs made specifically for breast cancer patients.

Both Aromasin and Herceptin have been proven in clinical trials to improve survival rates in breast cancer sufferers, according to this. In addition, newer breast cancer drugs just about to enter the pipeline (along with other cancer drugs) are raising questions from health officials and insurance companies, who are increasingly wanting to know how economically and clinically viable all these new products actually are.

Because, if newer cancer drugs are more expensive than traditional cancer treatments but are better for the medical and personal economies in the long run, then "you get what you pay for" will have been proven again.

It's one of the major setbacks of capitalism: people stand to make a buck off of everything, even medicine that can save the life of many. So when it comes to Cancer, it's no secret that the drugs and treatments are expensive -- and someone is definitely making money off of it. But before you get your hate on for drug companies, consider this: it takes years--decades, even--to do the proper research on a drug before it can get approved for the market. Drug companies need to make up for those years of not making a profit off of the drug, and they do so by making the market price so high.

Still, isn't there some way to find a middle ground, where the cost of saving a life doesn't have to ruin anyone financially?

Cancer of the adrenal glands does not get the kind of press coverage as other types of cancer, but it can be just as deadly. Adrenal cancer, although one of the rarest forms of cancer, is being shone in a brighter light, though, as a new drug may be able to buy time for those stricken with it.

A new study out of Europe concluded that Mitotane (a drug for adrenocortical cancer) can give patients months of additional life without severe side effects. Although adrenocortical cancer is rare, the standard treatment involves surgery -- but with many patients seeing multiple relapses. With Mitotane being used in large doses during those relapses (to try and stop them), the most significant side effect is exhaustive fatigue -- to the point of some patients losing all quality of life. I'd consider that a severe side effect, but it does depend on the dose given (fatigues is only caused by very large doses).

The good news is that recurrence-free adrenocortical cancer cases saw patients with 42-month periods of survival without a relapse compared to 10 and 25 months in two control groups. I'd say that is pretty significant.

Separate cancer drugs used in combination with each other resulted in the cancer-fighting properties of both being enhanced, according to research released this week.

Cancer-fighting techniques that rely on blocking metabolic pathways used to fuel cancer cells are gaining more traction in the drug field these days, with the promise of cancer-fighting "superdrugs" that could make effectiveness of non radiation-based therapy rise significantly.

This newer methodology is sure to grab the attention of more drugmakers, who may end up partnering with competitors to formulate, test and release these superdrugs to combat certain types of cancer in the near future.

Liver cancer is one of the toughest cancers to battle, and it claims close to half a million people each year as sufferers. Some positive news on the liver cancer front was discovered recently, as cancer specialists said that the drug sorafenib was seen to give liver cancer patients long lifespans compared to study participants who took dummy pills at the same time. The survival rates were 10.7 months and 8 months, respectively.

What does this say? Well, there is more hope for liver cancer sufferers than before, although this study did not have what many would consider to be earth-shattering results. The big news here is that this is the first time something (anything) has been seen to give liver cancer patients any kind of survival advantage. That, in itself, is very good news.

Funded by a $3.8 million award from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, CIHR, the Canadian Tumour Repository Network, CTRNet, has announced the creation of a national tumor bank registry and research network that will enable cancer researchers worldwide to obtain access to a comprehensive source of tumor tissue samples and clinical data in understanding cancer at the molecular level. Currently, CTRNet has more than 7,000 samples banked.

"We know that current cancer therapies work well for a lot of patients but are not successful for others with the same diagnosis. We are trying to find out why this happens so that we can tailor treatment to individuals with greater certainty of success. The availability of tumor samples will allow cancer researchers to investigate the relationship between the genetic and biological properties of a tumor and a patient's response to cancer treatment," states Dr. Philip Branton, CIHR's scientific director.

In the New York Times, A Cancer Drug's Big Price Rise Disturbs Doctors and Patients, is an article about Joyce Elkins personal experience with price gouging by a pharmaceutical company. According to the article, on February 3rd, she filled a prescription for a two-week supply of nitrogen mustard, Mustargen, a decades-old cancer drug used to treat a rare form of lymphoma, at a cost of $77.50. Two weeks later, on February 17th, Elkins, a 64-year-old retiree, had the same prescription filled again, only this time is cost $548.01. This is not a typo. The cost for the very same medicine went from $77.50 to $548.01, in two weeks. Her insurance does not cover nitrogen mustard, which she must take for at least the next six months.

Mustargen, developed over 60 years ago, has been blended into an ointment by pharmacists and used as a topical treatment for cutaneous T-cell lymphoma, a cancer that primarily affects the skin. Here's what happened, and why the sharp rise in the price of Mustargen. Last August, Merck, which makes Mustargen, sold the rights to manufacture and market Mustargen to Ovation Pharmaceuticals, whose business is buying slow-selling medicines from big pharmaceutical companies. Ovation turned around and raised the wholesale price of Mustargen. This is how a medicine that has been around for over 60 years goes from $77.50 to $548.01 in two weeks. Sean Nolan, vice president of commercial development for Ovation, said that the price increases were needed to invest in manufacturing facilities for the drugs. Yeah, right. Whatever. How and where has Mustargen been manufactured for the last sixty years? Ovation isn't the only pharmaceutical company making this kind of market decision.

Genentech is planning to double the price of its colon cancer drug Avastin, to about $100,000, when Avastin's use is expanded to breast and lung cancer patients. Nothing about Avastin or Mustargen is changing but the price. I hold nothing against a business making a healthy profit, but not at the expense of a cancer patient's health. The New York Times, A Cancer Drug's Big Price Rise Disturbs Doctors and Patients, is published online. Come back, and tell me what you think.

A cancer diagnosis is a serious diagnosis, and the correct treatment can make all the difference in surviving cancer. Typically, the physician who gives the diagnosis will go on to suggest a course of treatment for your cancer, or refer you to a specialist. But remember, before you agree to any treatment, that physicians are human, and their medical opinion, although based on years of specialized training and knowledge, is an opinion. In the event of a cancer diagnosis, it is wise to get a second opinion, and if necessary, a third opinion. You may be reluctant to tell your physician you would like a second opinion, as you do not want to offend the physician by suggesting a lack of confidence in their abilities as a physician. A good physician will welcome a second opinion, and have no problem with a patient seeking one. Here are some tips when you seek a second opinion:

• Ask your physician to recommend another physician or specialist for another opinion.
• Learn as much as you can about your condition.
• Arrange to have your medical records sent to the second physician before your visit.
• Check The American Board of Medical Specialties for a list of doctors, including information about their specialty and educational background.
  

Cancer takes time to develop into a tumor. You have time to become an informed patient about the best treatments for you.