Alejandro’s last hope: 50 thousand. expensive treatment, but a woman who wants to live does not give up life

The disease caught in the early stage promised a cure.

According to Aleksandra, the first alarming signs appeared five years ago, in 2015.

“The man noticed that a mole on my back, which I had almost since I was born, began to change: its color and shape became ugly. There was itching, although the mole itself had not risen, nowhere seemed to get stuck or rubbed. I went to see a dermatologist and she immediately referred me to the National Cancer Institute. The oncologist immediately said it needed to be removed. After examination, it turned out to be a melanoma.

The disease contracted at the same time, at a very early stage, so I was given adjuvant interferon treatment after the operation to prevent the recurrence of the melanoma. It was planned for two years, but a year later the drug disappeared from the Lithuanian market.

So the doctor decided that this duration of treatment would be enough to protect me, especially since all the tests were good. Everything went well for a year and a half until 2019. In April I have a bad cold. Pneumonia was suspected and an X-ray was taken. At that time, metastases were noticed in the lungs, ”said the woman.

The woman was prescribed a modern immunotherapeutic drug, but it only helped temporarily. One year later, in 2020. Studies conducted in March showed that some malignant foci in the lungs increased by up to 39%, new ones appeared, and metastases spread to the liver.

“The doctors said that I needed another immunotherapeutic drug, preferably in combination with the one I was taking because by itself it was not effective for me. Unfortunately, that drug is not reimbursed in Lithuania. Therefore, chemotherapy was offered, which does not help me: the disease continues to spread, metastases have already appeared in the brain. The surgery will come soon, the doctors will try to remove these tumors, “said the interlocutor.

The cost of a four-cycle immunotherapy course with a woman requires about 50 thousand. euros. For Alexander’s family, this is unimaginable money, so he will continue to receive chemotherapy until now ineffective.

Psychologically does not succumb to illness

“They advised me to contact pharmacies; they may have funds from which they sometimes provide medication. I called everyone, but didn’t get a response everywhere. I applied to the Cancer Patient Support Association (POLA) , from which I received advice on applying for the Cancer Treatment Support Fund, however, I still do not give up hope that I will be able to raise money for treatment.

Alone, as long as the doctors allow, I work part-time. They suggested that I not work at all, but I still feel good right now, so I want to work. Although the hair has fallen out after chemotherapy and the feeling is not very good, I do not feel any health problems from the existing metastases. I live like I’m healthy until I do research that shows things are going wrong. So I wonder: how can that be? Therefore, I am already looking forward to the investigation.

But I don’t feel psychologically broken. I have established that as long as the disease allows me to live, I will live. I am of such character that I do not cry and I do not demand comfort from the house. As it is, so it is. At least I try to fight the disease psychologically. I get up in the morning, no one hurts, arms and legs, in my place, which means we work, we go on living. Also at night, the day is over, and thank goodness.

I am not grieved and I am not scared by what to expect in the future. After all, I still need to live and nothing will change since I cried. I started to live more slowly, I’m not in a hurry anywhere, I react more calmly to everything ”, – Aleksandra opened.

I am of such character that I do not cry and I do not demand comfort from the house. As it is, so it is.

A woman says that she has a great desire to live, and when there is such a great desire, she must be able to take advantage of that opportunity. She herself still hopes that maybe chemotherapy will help her and she doesn’t need expensive treatment. In that case, you will leave all the money to treat other people.

However, doctors are more skeptical of this: They say that if the treatment does not help, it needs to be changed, but the only option that remains untested is currently not available to women.

Doctors ask people for help

Alexander was first helped by the Cancer Treatment Support Foundation after consulting with doctors. According to the doctors, several patients in Lithuania were treated with this immunotherapeutic drug. The last patient is in remission for nine months after treatment. In all cases, however, people bought the drug on their own.

According to the director of the foundation Aurelija Juškevičienė, although Aleksandra needs a course of treatment it costs about 50 thousand. There have been cases where patients have been able to get this drug much cheaper. After all, in Lithuania, drug prices are very tight due to the small market and demand. “All possible possibilities will be sought to buy this medicine cheaper,” said the interlocutor.

Alvydas Česas, head of the Oncology Chemotherapy Clinic at Klaipėda University Hospital, confirmed that this drug is a woman’s only and last hope. All other treatment options have been exhausted.

“At the time of the claim for reimbursement for this drug, the survival benefit had not been proven, especially as other, more effective drugs were emerging that outperformed it. However, in some cases, this drug is irreplaceable when other drugs do not help it, much less drugs that are more effective than it. I have had successful treatments where family and loved ones were able to pay for this drug and the treatment was very successful.

This drug is a woman’s only and last hope. All other treatment options have been exhausted.

We cannot expect an expensive drug to be reimbursed as only every third or fourth patient treated with it will benefit. However, when all the most effective drugs have been tried, but the disease cannot be stopped, this drug can simply help. Unfortunately, asking the state to reimburse the treatment only in this particular case is also without influence.

By law, in exceptional cases, treatment is reimbursed only to people with rare diseases, and melanoma is not a rare disease, and no law regulates the possibility of reimbursing treatment to a single person. “Laws are laws, we must respect them, drugs are reimbursed only in cases where they comply with the registration and reimbursement rates,” said the interlocutor.

According to the chemotherapist of the oncologist, the question of reimbursement of this drug in combination with another drug currently available for Lithuanian patients can still be considered in the future. It is true that this is a huge cost for not all countries, which is why currently only half of the countries in the European Union are reimbursed for such combination immunotherapy. So, in this situation, the woman can only hope for help from people of good will.

“Hopefully, people who may have experienced the disease in their families or for whom the problem is painful and important will help the woman raise this huge amount, which would give her hope of living.” I, as a citizen, am also willing to contribute to these sacrifices because I see no other way. “We are constantly rescuing someone: Ukraine, Belarus, raising millions to fight COVID-19, but we also need to help people who work for our country, who add value to the state and raise children,” urged the doctor.

Those who can contribute to Alexander’s treatment and give him hope of stopping the disease can donate money in the following ways:

Container: Cancer Treatment Support Fund

How: LT932140030004135605 (Luminor bankas)

Purpose: help Alexander Žavoronok