Silvia Francisci, Alessandra Andreotti, Alberto Gagliani, Silvia Gori, Stefano Guzzinati, Sandra Mallone, Daniela Pierannunzio, Andrea Tavilla 

48th Annual Meeting of the Group for Cancer Epidemiology and Registration in Latin Language Countries (GRELL). 

Lausanne, 15 - 17  May 2024

 

 Abstract 

Background and aim
Cancer treatment represents a significant burden on societies and healthcare systems. Costs of cancer care are particularly concentrated immediately after diagnosis and before death due to cancer for worst prognosis patients. The objective here is to estimate the cost profiles relating to healthcare services provided to cancer patients diagnosed in the Veneto region in their last year of life.
Methods
The study cohort is cross-sectional, identified retrospectively on the basis of the site of the primary tumor and includes adult patients, resident in the Veneto Region, alive on 1.1.2018 who were diagnosed with cancer at the age of 15 years or older in a period ranging from 1990 to 2017, and died within 12 months from the prevalence date. The tumor sites considered are colon, rectum, cutaneous melanoma, female breast and thyroid. Data are collected within the framework of the Epicost-2 study.
Results
The prevalence cohort includes 3,249 subjects. Of these, more than 70% have breast or colon cancer (41.7% and 30.8% respectively). The majority are women (67% versus 33%) and are over 70 years old (69.9%). With reference to the average cost per patient, it is higher in younger patients and decreases with age. Overall, the total estimated cost at the end of life in the Veneto Region, for the five types of cancer analyzed, is approximately 54
million euros.
Conclusions
The cost of cancer patients, especially at the end of life represents a relevant share of the health care budget and this share is increasing over time. Therefore, there is a lively debate about the sustainability of the health care systems in most Western European countries, including Italy.
The Epicost-2 study provides evidence to policy makers in order to better allocate financial resources to the health care system and to properly address health care needs of cancer patients.