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Estimated Healthcare Costs of Melanoma in Australia Over 3 Years Post-Diagnosis

Applied Health Economics and Health Policy volume 15, pages 805–816 (2017)Cite this article

An Erratum to this article was published on 12 September 2017

This article has been updated

Abstract

Background

Skin cancer exerts a large and growing burden on health systems. With new pharmacotherapies for metastatic melanoma now available, a contemporary understanding of the cost burden of melanoma control is warranted.

Objective

To comprehensively assess the healthcare costs of malignant melanoma diagnosis and treatment in Australia, over 3 years after diagnosis.

Methods

We developed a decision-analytic model and micro-costing method to estimate the mean cost per patient for melanoma, incorporating all diagnostic and treatment modalities used in Australia (2017 AU$). By using the de-identified 10% sample of Medicare Benefits Scheme, we analysed health service use and supplemented our analyses with published estimates. We took a health system cost perspective, and addressed input uncertainty with sensitivity analyses.

Results

The mean annual cost per patient for melanoma stage 0/I/II was AU$1681 (US$1175) rising to AU$37,729 (US$26,365) for stage III resectable, and AU$115,109 (US$80,440) for stage III unresectable/IV. Three-year costs for stage III unresectable/IV were AU$187,720. Nationally, the annual estimated cost for treatment of all new cases of in situ and invasive melanomas was AU$201 million (95% CI: AU$187 to AU$216 million). When we included treatments for presumptive melanoma later found to be benign lesions, the estimated annual cost burden reached AU$272 million.

Conclusion

With rapidly rising treatment costs, there is a need to consider a comprehensive melanoma control strategy that includes primary prevention of skin cancers and cost-effective sun protection initiatives.

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Fig. 1

Change history

  • 12 September 2017

    The last word in the first paragraph which previously read AU$25 million should read 25 million as this relates to population size.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Population Health Department, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Herston, Brisbane, Q4006, Australia

    Thomas M. Elliott, David C. Whiteman, Catherine M. Olsen & Louisa G. Gordon

  2. Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Centre for Applied Health Economics, Griffith University, Logan Campus, University Dr, Meadowbrook, Q4131, Australia

    Thomas M. Elliott

  3. Centre for Research Excellence in Sun and Health Queensland, University of Technology, Victoria Park Rd, Kelvin Grove, Brisbane, Q4059, Australia

    Thomas M. Elliott, David C. Whiteman & Louisa G. Gordon

  4. School of Public Health, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia

    Catherine M. Olsen & Louisa G. Gordon

  5. School of Nursing, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia

    Louisa G. Gordon

Authors
  1. Thomas M. Elliott
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  2. David C. Whiteman
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  3. Catherine M. Olsen
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  4. Louisa G. Gordon
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Contributions

TE contributed to model development, conceptualisation, data analysis, modelling, writing and editing. CO and DW contributed to model conceptualisation, melanoma knowledge and intellectual inputs. LG contributed to model conceptualisation, data analysis, writing and editing. All authors were involved in writing, editing and approved the final version.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Louisa G. Gordon.

Ethics declarations

DW was supported by a Research Fellowship (APP1058522) from the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia (NHMRC). This work was supported by Program Grants (552429, 1073898) from the NHMRC. TE was supported by the NHMRC Centre for Research Excellence in Sun and Health (APP1001456). No conflicts of interest exist for TE, CO, DW or LG.

Additional information

An erratum to this article is available at https://doi.org/10.1007/s40258-017-0347-5.

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Elliott, T.M., Whiteman, D.C., Olsen, C.M. et al. Estimated Healthcare Costs of Melanoma in Australia Over 3 Years Post-Diagnosis. Appl Health Econ Health Policy 15, 805–816 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40258-017-0341-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40258-017-0341-y