The cost of failed first-line cancer treatment related to continued smoking in Canada.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Smoking by cancer patients and survivors causes adverse cancer treatment outcomes, but little information is available about how smoking can affect cancer treatment costs.

Methods

We developed a model to estimate attributable cancer treatment failure because of continued smoking after a cancer diagnosis (af_s). Canadian health system data were used to determine the additional treatment cost for af_s for the most common cancers in Canada.

Results

Of 206,000 patients diagnosed with cancer annually, an estimated 4789 experienced af_s. The annual incremental cost associated with treating patients experiencing af_s was estimated at between $198 million and $295 million (2017 Canadian dollars), reflecting an added increment

SUBMITTER: Iragorri N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7755446 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature