Cancer Treatment Costs Soar in Russia
Meanwhile, Alfa Insurance calculated that since the beginning of 2026, treatment for digestive organ cancer has become 83% more expensive, skin cancer 47% more expensive, uterine cancer 33% more expensive, and prostate cancer 22% more expensive.
Consensus
- Treatment costs for cancer in Russia have significantly increased.
- The rise in costs is due to inflation, higher prices for oncology drugs, and increased logistics expenses.
- Oncology care has risen by 18% over the past two years.
- Prices for oncology drugs have risen faster than general medicine prices—12% versus 6% since early 2026.
- Sales of oncology drugs in Russia increased by 8.5% from January to July compared to the same period in 2025.
- The basic volume of care under the OMS program remains free, but patients must pay out-of-pocket for drugs not on the Ministry of Health’s approved list.
- Patients often spend 50% to 100% of their family income on cancer treatment, including medications, diagnostics, and supplies.
Points of divergence
- The average annual cost of treating one type of cancer in Russia has exceeded 2 million rubles. — tg_astrapress
- Some breast cancer drugs cost around 145,000 rubles per package, and a CAR-T therapy course for acute leukemia costs about 7 million rubles. — tg_dwglavnoe
- Out-of-pocket expenses for original drugs and diagnostics can reach 2–3 million rubles. — tg_dwglavnoe
Coverage (3 sources)
- Treatment course for one type of cancer in Russia for a year has exceeded on average 2 million rubles. Prices for oncotherapy are rising in... — ASTRA
- In Russia, cancer treatment has become much more expensive. Over the past two years, spending on drugs and diagnostics has increased by 18% — DW Главное
- In Russia, cancer treatment costs have sharply increased — The Moscow Times