The changing cost of breast cancer care: lessons from a centralised modern cancer centre.
Breast
Breast cancer
Breast surgery
Health economics
Oncology
Journal
Irish journal of medical science
ISSN: 1863-4362
Titre abrégé: Ir J Med Sci
Pays: Ireland
ID NLM: 7806864
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
May 2019
May 2019
Historique:
received:
24
07
2017
accepted:
16
07
2018
pubmed:
23
7
2018
medline:
18
6
2019
entrez:
23
7
2018
Statut:
ppublish
Résumé
The cost of new cancer technologies has been the subject of intense debate in recent years. There have been significant advances in therapeutic techniques for breast cancer over the past 20 years. This has been accompanied by the concentration of services in designated cancer centres. The aim of this study was to examine the changing cost of breast cancer management over an 18-year period and identify factors underlying this. We use breast cancer services data from Galway University Hospital in 1995-1996, 2005-2006 and 2011-2012 to examine the changing pattern of care costs and survival. The number of patients treated for breast cancer rose from 200 in 1995-1996, to 411 in 2005-2006 and 563 in 2011-2012. Two-year survival rose in line with national figures from 84 to 89.78 and 92.07%, in the three-time periods respectively. Adjusting for inflation, the average cost per patient rose from €14,710 (95% C.I., €13,398 to €16,022) in 1995-1996 to €30,405 (95% C.I., €38,620 to €32,189) in 2005-2006, before falling to €14,458 (C.I., €13,343 to €15,572) in 2011-2012. We found significant changes in the pattern of costs, with some rising in relative and absolute terms while others fell as new therapies became available and/or moved off patent. Within an evolving context where services are centralised, new therapies emerge and subsequently come off patent, our understanding of the value of cancer therapies continues to evolve. This has important implications for the evaluation of new therapies and broader policy initiatives in this area.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND
BACKGROUND
The cost of new cancer technologies has been the subject of intense debate in recent years. There have been significant advances in therapeutic techniques for breast cancer over the past 20 years. This has been accompanied by the concentration of services in designated cancer centres. The aim of this study was to examine the changing cost of breast cancer management over an 18-year period and identify factors underlying this.
METHODS
METHODS
We use breast cancer services data from Galway University Hospital in 1995-1996, 2005-2006 and 2011-2012 to examine the changing pattern of care costs and survival.
RESULTS
RESULTS
The number of patients treated for breast cancer rose from 200 in 1995-1996, to 411 in 2005-2006 and 563 in 2011-2012. Two-year survival rose in line with national figures from 84 to 89.78 and 92.07%, in the three-time periods respectively. Adjusting for inflation, the average cost per patient rose from €14,710 (95% C.I., €13,398 to €16,022) in 1995-1996 to €30,405 (95% C.I., €38,620 to €32,189) in 2005-2006, before falling to €14,458 (C.I., €13,343 to €15,572) in 2011-2012. We found significant changes in the pattern of costs, with some rising in relative and absolute terms while others fell as new therapies became available and/or moved off patent.
CONCLUSION
CONCLUSIONS
Within an evolving context where services are centralised, new therapies emerge and subsequently come off patent, our understanding of the value of cancer therapies continues to evolve. This has important implications for the evaluation of new therapies and broader policy initiatives in this area.
Identifiants
pubmed: 30032478
doi: 10.1007/s11845-018-1872-4
pii: 10.1007/s11845-018-1872-4
doi:
Types de publication
Journal Article
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Pagination
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