Skip to main content

The costs of breast cancer prior to and following diagnosis

The European Journal of Health Economics volume 12, pages 311–317 (2011)Cite this article

Abstract

This retrospective incidence-based cost-of-illness analysis aims to quantify the costs associated with female breast cancer in Flanders for the year prior to diagnosis and for each of the 5 years following diagnosis. A bottom-up analysis from the societal perspective included direct health care costs and indirect costs of productivity loss due to morbidity and premature mortality. A case-control study design compared total costs of breast cancer patients with costs of an equivalent standardised population with a view to calculating the additional costs that can be attributed to breast cancer. Total average costs of breast cancer amounted to 107,456 € per patient over 6 years. Total costs consisted of productivity loss costs (89% of costs) and health care costs (11% of costs). Health care costs did not vary with age at diagnosis. Health care costs of breast cancer patients converged with those of the general population at 5 years following diagnosis. Patients with advanced breast cancer stadia had higher health care costs. Cost estimates provided by this analysis can be used to determine priorities for, and inform, future research on breast cancer. In particular, attention needs to be focussed on decreasing productivity loss from breast cancer.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.

Access options

Buy single article

Instant access to the full article PDF.

43,34 €

Price includes VAT (Finland)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Fig. 1

References

  1. World Health Organization: The world health report 2004—changing history. World Health Organization, Geneva (2004)

  2. Ravdin, P.M., Cronin, K.A., Howlader, N., Berg, C.D.: The decrease in breast-cancer incidence in 2003 in the United States. N. Engl. J. Med. 356, 1670–1674 (2007)

    PubMed  Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Smigal, C., Jemal, A., Ward, E., Cokkinides, V., Smith, R., Howe, H.L., Thun, M.: Trends in breast cancer by race and ethnicity: update 2006. CA Cancer J. Clin. 56, 168–183 (2006)

    PubMed  Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Olopade, O.I., Grushko, T.A., Nanda, R., Huo, D.: Advances in breast cancer: pathways to personalized medicine. Clin. Cancer Res. 14, 7988–7999 (2008)

    PubMed  Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Belgian Cancer Registry: Jaarlijkse Statistieken (Annual Statistics). Belgian Cancer Registry, Brussels (2008)

    Google Scholar 

  6. Van Eycken, E., De Wever, N.: Cancer incidence and survival in Flanders, 2000–2001. Flemish Cancer Registry Network, Brussels (2006)

    Google Scholar 

  7. Remák, E., Brazil, L.: Cost of managing women presenting with stage IV breast cancer in the United Kingdom. Br. J. Cancer 91, 77–83 (2004)

    PubMed  Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Barron, J.J., Quimbo, R., Nikam, P.T., Amonkar, M.M.: Assessing the economic burden of breast cancer in a US managed care population. Breast Cancer Res. Treat. 109, 367–377 (2008)

    PubMed  Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Drolet, M., Maunsell, E., Mondor, M., Brisson, C., Brisson, J., Mâsse, B., Deschênes, L.: Work absence after breast cancer diagnosis: a population-based study. CMAJ 173, 765–771 (2005)

    PubMed  Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Lauzier, S., Maunsell, E., Drolet, M., Coyle, D., Hébert-Croteau, N., Brisson, J., Mâsse, B., Abdous, B., Robidoux, A., Robert, J.: Wage losses in the year after breast cancer: extent and determinants among Canadian women. J. Natl. Cancer Inst. 100, 321–332 (2008)

    PubMed  Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Environmental Protection Agency: The cost of illness handbook. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington DC (2006)

    Google Scholar 

  12. McGuire, A., Irwin, D.E., Fenn, P., Gray, A., Anderson, P., Lovering, A., MacGowan, A.: The excess cost of acute exacerbations of chronic bronchitis in patients aged 45 and older in England and Wales. Value Health 4, 370–375 (2001)

    PubMed  Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. World Health Organization: International classification of diseases for oncology, 3rd Edn (ICD-O-3). World Health Organization, Geneva (2000)

    Google Scholar 

  14. Sobin, L.H., Wittekind, C.: TNM Classification of malignant tumours. Wiley, Hoboken, New Jersey (2002)

    Google Scholar 

  15. Glorieux, I., Minnen, J., Van Thielen, L.: Arbeidsmarktconclusies uit het Tijdsbestedingsonderzoek 1988–1999 (Labour Market Conclusions from the Time Use Research 1988–1999). Free University of Brussels, Brussels (2003)

    Google Scholar 

  16. Belgian Social Security Service: Gemiddeld Brutojaarloon in een Voltijdsequivalente Job naar Leeftijd in België, 1995 en 2001 (Average Gross Annual Wage in Full-Time Equivalent Job in Belgium according to Age, 1995 and 2001). Belgian Social Security Service, Brussels (2006)

    Google Scholar 

  17. Federal Plan Bureau: Loonmassa in de Marktsector, Evolutie en Determinanten (Wages in the Market Sector, Evolution and Determinants). Federal Plan Bureau, Brussels (2006)

    Google Scholar 

  18. Federal Plan Bureau: De Kosten van een Storing in de Stroomvoorziening (The Costs of a Disturbance in the Power Supply). Federal Plan Bureau, Brussels (2004)

    Google Scholar 

  19. Hodgson, T.A., Meiners, M.R.: Cost-of-illness methodology: a guide to assessment practices and procedures. Milbank Q. 60, 429–491 (1982)

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Dahlberg, L., Lundkvist, J., Lindman, H.: Health care costs for treatment of disseminated breast cancer. Eur. J. Cancer 45, 1987–1991 (2009)

    PubMed  Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Gordon, L., Scuffham, P., Hayes, S., Newman, B.: Exploring the economic impact of breast cancers during the 18 months following diagnosis. Psychooncology 16, 1130–1139 (2007)

    PubMed  Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Lidgren, M., Wilking, N., Jönsson, B.: Cost of breast cancer in Sweden in 2002. Eur. J. Health Econ. 8, 5–15 (2007)

    PubMed  Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Van de Sande, S., De Wachter, D., Swartenbroeckx, N., Peers, J., Debruyne, H., Moldenaers, I., Lejeune, B., Van Damme, V., Ramaekers, D., Leys, M.: Inventaris van Databanken Gezondheidszorg (Inventory of Health Care Databases). Federal Health Care Knowledge Centre, Brussels (2006)

    Google Scholar 

  24. Rao, S., Kubisiak, J., Gilden, D.: Cost of illness associated with metastatic breast cancer. Breast Cancer Res. Treat. 83, 25–32 (2004)

    PubMed  Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This study was supported by a grant from the department Environment, Nature and Energy of the Flemish Community (grant no DTG/OL200400077/5185/M&G). The sponsor commissioned, financed and steered the study, without any responsibility for the scientific contents.

Author information

Affiliations

  1. Flemish Institute for Technological Research, Boeretang 200, 2400, Mol, Belgium

    Steven Broekx, Elly Den Hond & Rudi Torfs

  2. Christian Health Insurance Funds, Haachtsesteenweg 579, 1031, Brussel, Belgium

    Anne Remacle & Raf Mertens

  3. University Hospitals Leuven, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium

    Thomas D’Hooghe, Patrick Neven & Marie-Rose Christiaens

  4. Research Centre for Pharmaceutical Care and Pharmaco-economics, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Onderwijs en Navorsing 2 bus 521, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium

    Steven Simoens

Authors
  1. Steven Broekx
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Elly Den Hond
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Rudi Torfs
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Anne Remacle
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Raf Mertens
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Thomas D’Hooghe
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Patrick Neven
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Marie-Rose Christiaens
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  9. Steven Simoens
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Steven Simoens.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Broekx, S., Hond, E.D., Torfs, R. et al. The costs of breast cancer prior to and following diagnosis. Eur J Health Econ 12, 311–317 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10198-010-0237-3

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10198-010-0237-3

Keywords

  • Breast cancer
  • Cost analysis
  • Resource utilization
  • Health care costs
  • Productivity loss
  • Flanders

JEL Classification

  • I10
  • I18