http://www.treesandthings.com/story/2008/3/25/181024/591 The American Society for Clinical Oncology is <a rel="nofollow" href="http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080325/ap_on_he_me/healthbeat_cancer_costs">preparing new guidelines for treatment</a> which will, for the first time, include a discussion of cost considerations for advanced treatment options. The lack of universal health care in the US, combined with skyrocketing costs, has pushed this issue to the forefront for patients facing a terminal cancer diagnosis. en-us Thu, 27 Mar 2008 02:54:11 EST Sun, 30 Mar 2008 00:09:47 EST http://www.treesandthings.com/story/2008/3/25/181024/591#10 <i>"So, given your personal experience with this problem, do you have any suggestion about what we as a society should be doing about high medical costs?"</i><p> Were it up to me, I'd suggest a socialized medical system, something like they have in <a rel= Sun, 30 Mar 2008 00:09:47 EST http://www.treesandthings.com/story/2008/3/25/181024/591#9 On the principle that "you can't take it with you" you might easily think that there is no better use for your money than to preserve your own life for as long as you can.  At the same time, people who have terminal diseases are often so sick that the Sat, 29 Mar 2008 09:59:03 EST http://www.treesandthings.com/story/2008/3/25/181024/591#8 One thing that sort of bothers me about this whole debate is the notion that most treatments "only offer a few weeks of extra life, at best". Well, maybe so, but how do you put a premium on those few extra weeks? My wife's mother died of cancer when she Sat, 29 Mar 2008 08:41:55 EST http://www.treesandthings.com/story/2008/3/25/181024/591#7 I agree, your personal experiences perfectly illustrate the situation we are discussing, of very expensive medical care being needed to preserve someone's life.  (I will also note that I personally do appreciate your contributions to this web-site, so Fri, 28 Mar 2008 08:47:49 EST http://www.treesandthings.com/story/2008/3/25/181024/591#6 <i>"This is a very serious issue.  I think that we would all like to think that human life is so valuable that no dollar amount can be placed upon it, particularly since that is our own subjective experience; every individual normally feels (barring s Thu, 27 Mar 2008 20:42:29 EST http://www.treesandthings.com/story/2008/3/25/181024/591#5 With age comes wisdom, as they say.<p> There is the problem of "time horizons", but it's tangential. And then there is flat out stupidity, like the guy I once knew who opted out of his companies health care plan for the small amount of extra take home pay Thu, 27 Mar 2008 14:52:03 EST http://www.treesandthings.com/story/2008/3/25/181024/591#4 I cut back on my cable TV premium package over money concerns.  But I resolutely refuse to be a skinflint when it comes to hookers. Thu, 27 Mar 2008 14:10:04 EST http://www.treesandthings.com/story/2008/3/25/181024/591#3 "should accumulated wealth really be what defines the length of a person's life"<p> Yes. There are always tradeoffs, and the reality is not everyone can have the latest, most expensive treatments. All of us place a different value on our own lives. Some of Thu, 27 Mar 2008 13:39:25 EST http://www.treesandthings.com/story/2008/3/25/181024/591#2 This is a very serious issue.  I think that we would all like to think that human life is so valuable that no dollar amount can be placed upon it, particularly since that is our own subjective experience; every individual normally feels (barring some Thu, 27 Mar 2008 12:59:35 EST http://www.treesandthings.com/story/2008/3/25/181024/591#1 It'd be nice if the medical establishment released some data that proved their treatments effective at saving, or even extending lives.  I'll grant that surgical removal of non-metastatic tumors can be a life saving treatment, but few people escape th Thu, 27 Mar 2008 07:30:41 EST string http://www.treesandthings.com/search/