Abstract
Objective: To establish the direct costs of diagnosing lung cancer in hospitalised patients.
Material-methods: Hospital data of patients who were hospitalized and diagnosed as lung cancer between September 2013 and August 2014 were respectively analysed. Patients who underwent surgery for diagnosis and whose therapy for lung cancer that began during that admission were excluded from study. Histologic types and stages of lung cancer were determined. Expenses were grouped as laboratory costs, pathology costs, diagnostic imaging costs, overnight room charge, medication costs, blood center costs, stock and inpatient service costs (including consultants' service, follow-up, nursing, diagnostic interventions).
Results: Of the 68 patients, 55 (81%) had non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), 13 (19%) had small cell lung cancer (SCLC). 47% of patients with NSCLC had stage 4 disease and 86% of patients with SCLC had extensive stage disease. Median total cost per patient was 910 (95% CI: 832–1291) Euros (€). Of all costs, 37% were due to inpatient service costs and 22% were medication costs. Median total cost per patient was 912 (95% CI: 783–1213) € in NSCLC patients and 908 (95% CI: 456–2203) € in SCLC patients (p>0.05). In NSCLC group, total cost per patient was 873 (95% CI: 591–1143) € in stage 1-2-3 diseases and 975 (95% CI: 847–1536) € in stage 4 disease (p>0.05). In SCLC group total cost per patient was 937 € in limited stage and 502 (95% CI: 452-2508) € in extensive stage (p>0.05).
Conclusions: There is no significant difference between costs related to diagnosis of different lung cancer types and stages in patients hospitalized in a university hospital.
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