Lung cancer costs by treatment strategy and phase of care among patients enrolled in Medicare.

ABSTRACT:

Background

We studied trends in lung cancer treatment cost over time by phase of care, treatment strategy, age, stage at diagnosis, and histology.

Methods

Using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER)-Medicare database for years 1998-2013, we allocated total and patient-liability costs into the following phases of care for 145 988 lung cancer patients: prediagnosis, staging, surgery, initial, continuing, and terminal. Patients served as self-controls to determine cancer-attributable costs based on individual precancer diagnosis healthcare costs. We fit linear regression models to determine cost by age and calendar year for each stage at diagnosis, histology, and treatment strategy and presented all costs in 2017 US dollars.

Results

Monthly healthcare co

SUBMITTER: Sheehan DF 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6346221 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature