Disclaimer: This article is translated with the assistance of AI.
According to the latest Hong Kong government cancer resources report, over 200,000 Hong Kong people will develop cancer before age 45 1 , and out of every 10 Hong Kong deaths, 3 are due to cancer 2 , highlighting that cancer’s “lethality” shouldn’t be underestimated.
Recent studies from various Taiwanese medical schools also show that cancer recurrence rates remain high, with breast cancer, lung cancer, and pancreatic cancer having recurrence rates as high as 80% 3 !
Cancer treatment methods can be divided into surgical treatment and non-surgical treatments (including Chemotherapy , Radiotherapy , Immunotherapy , and Targeted Therapy ), with doctors tailoring the treatment plan based on the patient’s condition and tumor spread.
No doubt, as medical advancements continue, more effective cancer treatments are available today, but many come with “sky-high” costs. According to a study, monthly targeted drugs for lung cancer can cost up to HK$50,000 4 ; for colorectal cancer, the median total treatment cost in the private sector reaches HK$1.3 million 5 , leading nearly 20% of respondents to abandon treatment due to unaffordable medical expenses 5 .
Even if you opt for public hospitals, some targeted drugs are charged at cost, and unless you qualify for financial assistance, don’t expect subsidies for cancer treatment costs.
Here’s a quick rundown of the treatment costs for 5 major cancers for your reference:
Item | Treatment Cost |
Tissue Pathology Test | HK$3,860 |
Thoracoscopic Sympathectomy | HK$60,100 |
Thoracoscopic Lobectomy* | HK$136,050 |
Chemotherapy | HK$70,000 |
6-Day Hospitalization Cost | HK$6,300 |
Total Expense | 💰HK$276,310 |
*Costs referenced from Hong Kong Union Hospital
If additional treatments are needed, here are some reference costs:
Item | Treatment Cost |
Immunotherapy | Up to HK$1,100,000 |
Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (1 – 5 sessions) | HK$48,000 to HK$74,000 |
Radiation Therapy (10 – 30 sessions) | HK$25,000 to HK$151,000 |
*Costs referenced from Union Oncology Center
Item | Treatment Cost |
Colonoscopy | HK$4,550 |
Laparoscopic Colectomy | HK$267,189 |
6-day Hospitalization Fee | HK$6,300 |
Total Cost | 💰HK$278,039 |
* Fees based on St. Paul’s Hospital, including all costs before and after surgery
Item | Treatment Cost |
X-ray and Ultrasound Examination | HK$2,250 |
Mastectomy | HK$172,570 |
6-day Hospitalization Fee | HK$6,300 |
Total Cost | 💰HK$181,120 |
* Fees based on Hong Kong Adventist Hospital, including all costs before and after surgery
Item | Treatment Cost |
Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) Test 6 | HK$1,780 |
Robotic-Assisted Radical Prostatectomy | HK$ 299,700 |
6-day Hospitalization Fee | HK$6,300 |
Total Cost | 💰HK$207,780 |
* Fees based on Hong Kong Adventist Hospital, including all related costs before and after surgery
Item | Treatment Cost |
Upper Abdomen Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) | HK$9,340 |
Upper Abdomen Computed Tomography (CT) | HK$5,350 |
Partial Hepatectomy | HK$282,700 |
6-day Hospitalization Fee | HK$6,300 |
Total Cost | 💰HK$303,690 |
* The above references The Chinese University of Hong Kong, including all related costs before and after surgery
Many people only realize when they’re unfortunately diagnosed with cancer that high medical costs are just one of the challenges.
If you’re the main breadwinner in your family, stopping work to recover and losing income means ongoing living expenses don’t stop—they keep coming. You still have to pay the mortgage, support your parents, and take care of your spouse and kids. Even if you have company health insurance, it might not cover the full financial strain when your income halts.
Item | Estimated 3-Year Expenses |
Traditional Chinese Medicine Conditioning 7 | HK$17,000 |
Mortgage Payments 8 | HK$675,000 |
Children’s Tuition Fees 9 | HK$126,000 |
Supporting Parents 10 | HK$330,000 |
Total Estimated Expenses | Over HK$1.1 million |
In this critical time when you need funds the most, a Term CI policy can really come through for you. Bowtie Term CI provides a lump-sum payout of up to HK$4 million if you’re diagnosed with cancer, with no restrictions on how you use it. This way, you and your family won’t have to worry about money, allowing you to focus on recovery without passing on the financial burden to your loved ones.
Seeing that many term critical illness policies out there only pay out once or don’t cover cancer recurrence, Bowtie Term CI Multiple Cover offers a total of five payouts for cancer and other critical illnesses, with each payout at 100% of the insured amount. This helps fill in the protection gaps, assisting clients in dealing with the rising risks of early-onset and recurring critical illnesses.
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