� Female breast cancer ($ 3.14 billion )
� Prostate cancer ($ 2.26 billion )
� Colorectal cancer ($ 1.15 billion )
� Lung cancers ($ 1.35 billion )
In addition , out-of-pocket costs per person for medical services were highest in the initial and end-of life phases of care for acute myeloid leukemia and brain cancer and in the continuing phase for myeloma , pancreatic cancer , and acute myeloid leukemia .
Out-of-pocket costs for prescription medications were highest in the initial , continuing , and end-of-life phases of care for chronic myeloid leukemia and myeloma .
Annual national patient time costs in 2019 were $ 1.11 billion for female breast cancer and $ 1.04 billion for prostate cancer . Breast and prostate cancers accounted for almost half of national patient time costs , reflecting the prevalence of these cancers .
Why are these findings important ?
In addition to sickness and death from cancer and the cost of cancer treatment paid by insurers , out-of-pocket and patient time costs are other ways to measure the enormous economic burden of cancer . These high costs make cancer a public health priority .
Estimates of patient out-of-pocket and time costs can also guide discussions between health care providers and patients about expected costs of treatment , which is an important element of high-quality care .
Is there a call to action or next steps for what can be done with the information in this report ?
This report highlights the importance of including patient out-of-pocket and time costs when providers and patients make decisions about cancer treatment .
In addition , limited research has been done on how cancer diagnoses affect the family members and other informal caregivers of cancer patients . These unpaid caregivers often go with patients to medical appointments and provide care in the home . The costs associated with this care is an important topic for future research .
Posted onTuesday , October 26 , 2021 by DCPC