Why Personalized Medicine
(Liquid Biopsy Testing)
Is Worth the Investment – Even If It Costs More Upfront
If you think personalised and precision medicine testing is expensive, please think twice… and read below.
Reason 1 – The Hidden Costs of Standard “One-Size-Fits-All” Treatment
Most cancer care still uses a trial-and-error approach.
Doctors try a standard drug → if it doesn’t work → switch to the next one.
Many patients go through 2–3 different lines of treatment (sometimes more).
The real price of a single failed round
- One cycle of common chemotherapy: $8,000 – $50,000+
(Even with insurance, out-of-pocket costs can still be thousands.) - Additional costs: medications for side effects, hospital stays, travel, lost work days.
- A 6-month course of chemotherapy often reaches $27,000 – $150,000+ for many patients.
What you lose besides money
- Time – weeks or months spent on treatments that may give little benefit
- Energy and quality of life – strong side effects with minimal results
- Emotional resilience – when treatment after treatment stops working
Reason 2 – What Liquid Biopsy Testing Actually Delivers
It’s not just another blood test.
Advanced liquid biopsy testing can isolate circulating tumor cells (CTCs) from your blood. These living cancer cells can then be evaluated against multiple treatment options.
Some comprehensive panels may:
- Assess responses to 50+ chemotherapy drugs
- Evaluate responses to natural substances (such as plant extracts, vitamins, and supportive compounds)
- Indicate which treatments may be highly effective, moderately effective, or less likely to work
- Analyze resistance patterns and gene expression
Why this is different from standard testing
Traditional biopsies or ctDNA tests primarily look at genetic mutations.
Functional liquid biopsy testing evaluates how living cancer cells behave when exposed to different agents — providing additional insight beyond genetic sequencing alone.
Key Takeaway:
Rather than guessing, liquid biopsy testing may provide your doctor with a more personalized treatment roadmap — helping focus on options that have a higher likelihood of benefit.
Reason 3 – The Numbers: Upfront Cost vs. Long-Term Value
2023 PharmacoEconomics systematic review (24 studies):
Liquid biopsy + precision-guided testing was cost-effective in ~75% of cases, especially in lung, colorectal, gastric, breast, and brain cancers.
In advanced NSCLC, multi-gene testing frequently shows moderate-to-high cost-effectiveness when treatments match tumor biology.
Main benefits (when used appropriately):
- Fewer ineffective treatments
- Less toxicity
- More QALYs gained
- Better long-term value in many scenarios
Bottom line A better-matched treatment often offsets the test cost by avoiding wasted drugs/side effects → higher quality of life.
Liquid biopsy pricing (advanced/comprehensive panels)
Typical ranges (varies by country, lab, panel):
- Basic: €700 – €1,600+
- Comprehensive/functional: €2,000 – €4,500+
(Always get a personalized quote—prices differ by region.)
What it may help avoid (cost savings potential)
- One ineffective chemo cycle: $8,000 – $50,000
- Extra hospital stays + supportive drugs: thousands more
- Multiple failed treatment lines (first year): $50,000 – $200,000+
Bottom line : The test cost (€2k–€4.5k range) is often dwarfed by the expense of even one or two mismatched treatments it can help prevent—making it potentially cost-saving when it leads to better-matched therapy
Reason 4 – Patient Experiences & What to Do Next
Patients often report that the initial cost of advanced liquid biopsy testing feels substantial, yet many value the outcomes:
- It provides clarity and avoids treatments unlikely to succeed.
- It reduces uncertainty and trial-and-error approaches.
- Monitoring progress offers reassurance and peace of mind.
Emotional and Quality-of-Life Benefits
- Greater confidence in biologically informed decisions.
- Potential reduction in treatment-related side effects, preserving energy for daily activities.
- Shift from uncertainty to targeted, evidence-based care.
Important Clinical Considerations
- Liquid biopsy complements, but does not replace, standard oncology evaluation and tissue-based testing.
- Results offer probabilistic guidance rather than definitive guarantees.
- Tumor biology evolves; serial testing (often less expensive for monitoring) may be required.
Recommended Next Steps
- Discuss with your oncologist: “Could liquid biopsy help inform my next treatment choice?”
- Obtain a detailed cost estimate (test + associated fees).
- Review results jointly with your oncologist to integrate into your personalized plan.
Take The Next Step
Precision medicine provides additional information that may help your doctor guide treatment decisions more effectively.
If you would like to learn whether this approach may be suitable for your condition, please click below button to talk with our expert.
Book a 15-Minute Consultation with our Cancer Professionals
This consultation will help you understand how precision medicine may support your treatment journey.
Contact Us
Contact Us for the updated information on Precision Medicine
+852 4750 3485
Email Us
info@mycancerinfo.org