Cancer Prevalence and Hospital Payments

• Published in: JNCI : Journal of the National Cancer Institute 1977-08, Vol.59 (2), p.345-349
• Main Authors: Scotto, Joseph, Chiazze, Leonard
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 0027-8874; 1460-2105
• DOI: 10.1093/jnci/59.2.345

Annual age-specific cancer prevalence and hospitalization costs, derived from the Third National Cancer Survey, were used to develop estimates of the current economic burden of cancer in the United States. Inpatient hospital utilization and admission costs varied by site and age and whether newly or previously diagnosed. An estimated $3.5 billion was spent in 1976 for the hospital care of patients with malignant diseases. Half of this amount (50.3%) would have been expended for patients under 65 years of age. Prevalence: incidence ratios by site are provided, and estimates of costs for both newly and previously diagnosed patients are derived. More than one-third (37.0%) of total inpatient payments were for patients diagnosed in earlier years. In general, costs for cancers with short survival prognosis (e.g., for lung, esophagus, and liver) are far greater during the year of diagnosis than in subsequent years of follow-up. In contrast, much of the breast cancer and lymphoma costs are delayed for future hospitalization after the year of diagnosis.