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Direct and indirect costs in a prospective cohort of patients with pancreatic cancer
Author(s) -
MÜLLERNORDHORN J.,
BRÜGGENJÜRGEN B.,
BÖHMIG M.,
SELIM D.,
REICH A.,
NOESSELT L.,
ROLL S.,
WIEDENMANN B.,
WILLICH S. N.
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
alimentary pharmacology and therapeutics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.308
H-Index - 177
eISSN - 1365-2036
pISSN - 0269-2813
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2036.2005.02570.x
Subject(s) - medicine , pancreatic cancer , pancreatitis , indirect costs , cancer , cohort , periampullary cancer , prospective cohort study , emergency medicine , intensive care medicine , accounting , business
Summary Background : Pancreatic cancer is an aggressive cancer with a low survival time. So far, there have been no studies assessing direct and indirect costs in individual patients. Aim : To assess prospectively the cost of illness in patients with pancreatic cancer. Methods : Patients were consecutively included at first admission to hospital. Sociodemographic factors, medical resource use and employment status were assessed by patient interviews and from medical records in a standardized way. Costs were calculated from the perspectives of the hospital, social insurance and society. Linear regression analyses were used to determine factors associated with costs. Results : A total of 57 patients were admitted with suspected pancreatic cancer. Of these patients, 45 (79%) had pancreatic cancer as final diagnosis, 11 (19%) pancreatitis and one patient cystadenoma. The median survival was 10.9 months in patients with pancreatic cancer. Per month of observation from societal perspective, total costs were €4075 for patients. Costs of hospitalizations were responsible for 75% of total costs. In multivariable analyses, surgery, a lower educational level, younger age, and the prevalence of metastases were significantly associated with higher total costs. Conclusions : Costs are considerable in patients with pancreatic cancer. Our results may facilitate further economic evaluations and aid health policy‐makers in resource allocation.