Hospital Resource Utilization and Treatment Cost of Skeletal-Related Events in ...

• Author(s): Félix, J ; Andreozzi, V ; Soares, M ; Borrego, P ; Gervásio, H ; Moreira, A ; Costa, L ; Marcelo, F ; Peralta, F ; Furtado, I ; Pina, F ; Albuquerque, C ; Santos, A ; Passos-Coelho, JL ; Portuguese Group for the Study of Bone Metastases
• Date: 2011
• Origin: Repositório Comum
• Subject(s): Portugal; Neoplasias da Mama; Neoplasias dos Ossos; Neoplasias da Próstata; Metástases; Recursos em Saúde; Custos Hospitalares
• Document Type: Article
• Language: English

Description

BACKGROUND: Skeletal-related events (SREs) occur frequently in patients with bone metastases as a result of breast (BC) and prostate (PC) cancers. They increase both morbidity and mortality and lead to extensive health-care resource utilization. METHODS: Health care resource utilization by BC/PC patients with at least one SRE during the preceding 12 months was assessed through retrospective chart review. SRE-treatment costs were estimated using the Portuguese Ministry of Health cost database and analyzed using generalized linear models. RESULTS: This study included 152 patients from nine hospitals. The mean (SD) annual SRE-treatment cost per patient was €5963 (€3646) and €5711 (€4347), for BC (n=121) and PC (n=31) patients, respectively. Mean cost per single episode ranged between €1485 (radiotherapy) and €13,203 (spinal cord compression). Early onset of bone metastasis (P = 0.03) and diagnosis of bone metastases at or after the occurrence of the first SRE (P < 0.001) were associated with higher SRE-treatment costs. CONCLUSION: These results reveal the high hospital SRE-treatment costs, highlighting the need for early diagnosis and treatment, and identify key factors determining the economic value of therapies for patients with skeletal metastases.