Costs of rectal cancer patient management

Abstract

Approximately 13.7 million Americans with a history of cancer were alive on January 1, 2012 [1]. By 2020, it is estimated that this number will rise to 18.1 million cancer survivors. The associated national medical costs in 2010 dollars are estimated at $157.77 billion [2]. These figures do not include the psychosocial costs associated with living with cancer. Such patients may suffer prolonged and often intense pain, as well as living with the constant threat of disability, recurrence, and death. Despite the substantial resources devoted to cancer care, there is still comparatively little patient level information available regarding the costs of care, though such analyses are much more common now than they were 15 years ago. Common cancers are generally the focus of most cost analyses due to constraints of available datasets. Though colorectal cancer is usually included in these cost analyses, rarely are rectal cancer patient management costs examined separately. This chapter analyzes the costs of rectal cancer patient management focusing primarily on initial treatment costs and costs incurred during the 5 year period after treatment.