This is a very interesting question. I think this could not be solved by any individuals, hospitals, companies, or organizations. Besides the technology innovations and improvement, we need appropriate public policies and reformation of healthcare business model. There is some experiences from the foreign countries, for instance, the cancer treatment policies in China. Just a piece of thinking!

I think the question boils down to who pays for healthcare and how. There is likely enough money in the wider healthcare ecosystem to reduce the cost burden to patients and end-users of the treatment (at least in the US).

Cancer treatment is costly though. It can take years to develop. Sustaining the effective development of these drugs and other treatment types is not cheap. Cancer care in general is expensive and requires lots of time, support and effort. I think the key questions to ask here are:

1. Why doesn't the government pay more? Medicare? Medicaid? Any form of national social or health insurance policy?
2. Do healthcare payers pay enough? How is your private health insurance premium eventually funneled into healthcare costs covered by payers as a company?
3. What is a reasonable co-pay for cancer treatment? How is it determined? How are co-pay costs differentiated between the cost of a cancer drug and the cost of other support drugs or care?
4. There are several excellent non-profit organizations that raise money to help fight cancer at all stages, from developing treatments to assisting with costs. How can support organizations like these? Which are the ones to support and which ones are making or not making a difference?

More research!!! The more efficacious and broadly applicable a treatment becomes, the cheaper it will be.

Research is one very important thing, Beside research - government and private sector partnership is also very important.

Repeal the McCarran–Ferguson Act

The McCarran–Ferguson Act, 15 U.S.C. §§ 1011-1015, is a United States federal law that exempts the business of insurance from most federal regulation, including federal antitrust laws to a limited extent.

The McCarran–Ferguson Act was passed by the 79th Congress in 1945 after the Supreme Court ruled in United States v. South-Eastern Underwriters Association that the federal government could regulate insurance companies under the authority of the Commerce Clause in the U.S. Constitution and that the federal antitrust laws applied to the insurance industry.

Any thoughts?

Drugs aren't the only answer. Microbiota and genetics are two alternative approaches.