initial long care costs







Study provides new information on prostate cancer care costs


A team that reviewed early stage prostate cancer cases from the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER)-Medicare database.has revealed that short-term and long-term costs of prostate cancer care vary considerably based on which treatment strategy a man initially receives. The study finds that prostate cancer treatment that may be less expensive in the short-term may have higher long-term costs.

Various treatments are available for men with early stage prostate cancer, including radical prostatectomy, radiation therapy, hormonal treatment, watchful waiting, or combinations of the above. A certain variety of factors determines which treatment is appropriate for a given man, and in some cases, a man may be able to choose among several options. Cost is one of many factors to consider when choosing among these options.

The database analysed combines cancer incidence and survival data from US population-based cancer registries with Medicare administrative claims. The investigators found that for most prostate cancer cases, care costs were highest in the initial year and then dropped sharply and remained steady over the next several years; however, patterns of costs varied widely in the short-term and long-term based on initial treatment received.
  • Watchful waiting had the lowest initial ($4270) and five-year total costs ($9130).
  • Initial treatment costs were highest for patients who received hormonal therapy plus radiation ($17,474), followed by those undergoing surgery ($15,197).
  • Hormonal therapy had the second lowest initial costs but the highest five-year total costs ($26,896).
The investigation demonstrates that treatments that may be less expensive in the short-term may have higher long-term costs. Hormonal therapy plus radiation ($25,097) and surgery ($19,214) had the second and third highest five-year total costs.

After excluding the last 12 months of life (because patterns of costs are quite different in the period prior to death), total costs of care were highest for hormonal therapy plus radiation ($23,488) and hormonal therapy only ($23,199).

These findings provide new information for patients, providers, and payers involved in prostate cancer treatment. Despite the high prevalence of early stage prostate cancer and the controversies associated with determining initial treatment, few other studies have examined both the short-term and long-term costs of available treatment options.

The study is published early online in Cancer, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society,

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Source: American Cancer Society



NOTE: Issues on this site regarding prostate cancer and treatment options, are provided for information only, and are not meant to substitute for the advice of your own physician or other medical professional. Prostate-Report.org does not endorse any specific product, service or treatment.





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