Patterns of care and cost profiles of women with breast cancer in Italy: EPICOST study based on real world data

Silvia Francisci, Stefano Guzzinati (), Giulia Capodaglio, Daniela Pierannunzio, Sandra Mallone, Andrea Tavilla, Tania Lopez, Susanna Busco, Walter Mazzucco, Catia Angiolini, Manuel Zorzi, Diego Serraino, Alessandro Barchielli, Mario Fusco, Fabrizio Stracci, Fortunato Bianconi, Massimo Rugge, Silvia Iacovacci, Antonio Giampiero Russo, Rosanna Cusimano and Anna Gigli
Additional contact information
Silvia Francisci: National Institute of Health
Stefano Guzzinati: Azienda Zero
Giulia Capodaglio: Azienda Zero
Daniela Pierannunzio: National Institute of Health
Sandra Mallone: National Institute of Health
Andrea Tavilla: National Institute of Health
Tania Lopez: National Institute of Health
Susanna Busco: ASL Latina
Walter Mazzucco: University of Palermo
Catia Angiolini: Careggi University Hospital
Manuel Zorzi: Azienda Zero
Diego Serraino: IRCCS
Alessandro Barchielli: Institute for Cancer Study and Prevention
Mario Fusco: Registro Tumori ASL Napoli 3 sud
Fabrizio Stracci: University of Perugia
Fortunato Bianconi: University of Perugia
Massimo Rugge: University of Padua
Silvia Iacovacci: Dipartimento di Prevenzione ASL Latina
Antonio Giampiero Russo: Agency for Health Protection of Milan
Rosanna Cusimano: Local Health Unit 6
Anna Gigli: National Research Council

The European Journal of Health Economics, 2020, vol. 21, issue 7, No 4, 1003-1013

Abstract: Abstract Objectives To estimate total direct health care costs associated to diagnosis and treatment of women with breast cancer in Italy, and to investigate their distribution by service type according to the disease pathway and patient characteristics. Methods Data on patients provided by population-based Cancer Registries are linked at individual level with data on health-care services and corresponding claims from administrative databases. A combination of cross-sectional approach and a threephase of care decomposition model with initial, continuing and final phases-of-care defined according to time occurred since diagnosis and disease outcome is adopted. Direct estimation of cancer-related costs is obtained. Results Study cohort included 49,272 patients, 15.2% were in the initial phase absorbing 42% of resources, 79.7% in the continuing phase absorbing 44% of resources and 5.1% in the final phase absorbing 14% of resources. Hospitalization was the most important cost driver, accounting for over 55% of the total costs. Conclusions This paper represents the first attempt in Italy to estimate the economic burden of cancer at population level taking into account the entire disease pathway and using multiple current health care databases. The evidence produced by the study can be used to better plan resources allocation. The model proposed is replicable to countries with individual health care information on services and claims.

Keywords: Breast cancer; Health care utilization; Administrative data; Real world data; Cost analysis (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: H51 H75 I18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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DOI: 10.1007/s10198-020-01190-z

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