Overview

Did You Know?
The American Cancer Society’s 2008 Cancer Facts and Figures report estimates that there will be 1,437,180 new cancer cases (745,180 in men and 692,000 in women) and 565,650 cancer deaths (294,120 among men and 271,530 among women) in 2008. According to the report, prostate, lung, and colorectal cancers account for about half of all cancer diagnoses among men. In women, breast, lung, and colorectal cancer make up 50 percent of cancer diagnoses.

The uninsured or those with Medicaid are far more likely to be diagnosed with an advanced stage cancer than those with private insurance, according to a new American Cancer Society study of 3.5 million cancer patients with 12 of the most common cancer types. The report further states that many of those advanced cancers are types that can be detected early through proper screening. This finding suggests that people without private health insurance aren't getting the best possible care when it comes to cancer prevention and early detection [1].

But Why Travel for Cancer Surgery, Diagnosis, or Treatment?
As with many other goods and services, the global marketplace has given rise to competition in oncology. Within the healthcare universe the result has been the creation of three distinct benefits for consumers when traveling internationally for medical services: a rise in higher quality care, an opportunity for dramatic cost savings, and a level of superior service and patient experience.