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Economic burden of head and neck cancer

A literature review

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The European Journal of Health Economics, formerly: HEPAC Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This literature review presents the economics of head and neck cancer (HNC), the world's sixth most common neoplasm. HNC economics is complicated by the involvement of multiple body sites, multiple medical specialties, and multiple treatment modalities. Economic analyses of HNC published in English between 1990 and 2002 were identified from electronic data sources. Additional studies were identified manually from bibliographies of retrieved articles. Study characteristics and findings were analyzed. We identified 51 studies that reported original cost data. Most were cost-identification or cost-comparison studies; only one evaluated cost-effectiveness. Few assessed the overall economic burden of HNC or cost effectiveness of current treatments, thus making appropriate comparisons impossible. Systematic measurement of the cost of HNC and its treatment in existing practice settings would be valuable. Inclusion of economic components in clinical trials and the conduct of retrospective or prospective observational studies, such as patient registries, would yield important new information.

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Acknowledgements

This research has been funded in part by Pharmacia Corporation (Milan, Italy). The authors do not perceive any conflict of interest relative to the content of this manuscript and their status either as employees of Pharmacia (M.T.) or as independent researchers whose work has been financially supported by Pharmacia (J.M.L., M.F.B., C.L.P.).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Abt. Associates Inc, Health Economic Research and Quality of Life Evaluation Services, Bethesda, Md., USA

    Jennifer M. Lee, Marc F. Botteman, Jennifer M. Stephens & Chris L. Pashos

  2. Global Outcomes Research Oncology, Pharmacia Corporation, Milan, Italy

    Marco Turini

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  1. Jennifer M. Lee
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  2. Marco Turini
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  3. Marc F. Botteman
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Correspondence to Marco Turini.

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Lee, J.M., Turini, M., Botteman, M.F. et al. Economic burden of head and neck cancer. HEPAC 5, 70–80 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10198-003-0204-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10198-003-0204-3

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