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What does it cost Medicare to diagnose and treat men with localized prostate cancer in the first year?
Mervin, Merehau C. Lowe, Anthony Gardiner, Robert A. Smith, David P. Aitken, Joanne Chambers, Suzanne K. Gordon, Louisa G.
Mervin, Merehau C.
Lowe, Anthony
Gardiner, Robert A.
Smith, David P.
Aitken, Joanne
Chambers, Suzanne K.
Gordon, Louisa G.
Abstract
Objective
To estimate costs on the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) and the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) attributable to the diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer.
Methods
We used data from a cohort study of 1064 men with localized prostate cancer recruited between 2005 and 2007 by 24 urologists across 10 sites in Queensland, Australia (ProsCan). We estimated the MBS and PBS costs attributable to prostate cancer from the date of initial appointment to 12 months after diagnosis in 2013 Australian dollars using a comparison group without prostate cancer. We used generalized linear modeling to identify key determinants of higher treatment-related costs.
Results
From the date of initial appointment to 12 months postdiagnosis, the average MBS costs attributable to prostate cancer were $9,357 (SD $191) per patient. These MBS costs were most sensitive to having private health insurance and the type of primary treatment received. The PBS costs were higher in the control group than in the ProsCan group ($5,641 vs $1,924).
Conclusions
The costs of treating and managing prostate cancer are high and these result in a substantial financial burden for the Australian MBS. Costs attributable to prostate cancer appear to vary widely based on initial treatment and these are likely to increase with the introduction of more expensive services and pharmaceuticals. There is a pressing need for better prognostic tools to distinguish between indolent and aggressive prostate tumors to reduce potential over treatment and help ease the burden of prostate cancer.
Keywords
Australia, prostate cancer, treatment patterns, treatment costs
Date
2017
Type
Journal article
Journal
Asia-Pacific Journal of Clinical Oncology
Book
Volume
13
Issue
3
Page Range
152-159
Article Number
ACU Department
Faculty of Health Sciences
Collections
Relation URI
Source URL
Event URL
Open Access Status
License
All rights reserved
File Access
Controlled