If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with cancer, you understand the devastating worry about not only the prognosis of that person, but your financial security as well. Cancer treatments of any kind in the United States are outrageously expensive.

Chemotherapy drugs such as Avastin, Herceptin or Tykerb  in the United States can run anywhere from $2,000 to $4,000 a month depending on the drug and intake method, but in Thailand, monthly costs run from $1,000 a month, while in India, costs average about $1,200 per month.

For diagnostic purposes individuals suspected of cancer may undergo a handful of imaging tests including bone scans, MRI (magnetic resonance imaging), CT scans (computerized tomography) and PET scans (positron emission tomography), as well as traditional x-rays.

Depending on the location of the cancer, the stage it’s in when diagnosed and the approach to cancer therapy, patients often find their wallets empties and their insurance policies capped in a very short span of time. From a breast lump removal (lumpectomy) , which in the U.S. can cost an average of $2,500-$3,000, travelers to foreign medical destinations can pay about $700 in locations such as India and about $1,000 in Singapore. A man undergoing a radical prostatectomy in the U.S. can expect to pay about $30,000, while a laparoscopic prostatectomy costs about $8,000 plus.

However, patients traveling to accredited and certified locations in Jordan and South Africa or Latin America may save between 50% and 70% on medical care costs. Research your options and know what’s out there. Check out PlacidWay, a medical tourism portal and medical provider offering reliable, up-to-date information on accredited and global quality care.