title: Costs of breast cancer and the cost-effectiveness of breast cancer screening.
abstract: Breast cancer is the second leading cause of death by cancer among women in the United States. The total cost of illness for breast cancer has been estimated to be $3.8 billion, of which $1.8 billion represents medical care costs. It has been estimated that breast cancer detected early is considerably less expensive than when the tumor is discovered at a later stage. Mass screening using mammography can improve early detection by as much as 15-35%. Cost-effectiveness studies have estimated that the costs of breast cancer screening range between $13,200 and $28,000 per year of life saved. The cost-effectiveness of breast cancer screening in the 40-49-year-old age group is controversial. Mass screening for breast cancer will probably increase total health care costs, but when all economic costs are included, screening appears to be more cost-effective than not screening.
authors.affiliation: U.S. Agency for Health Care Policy and Research.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Elixhauser
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000191:economics* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000628:therapy; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008327:Mammography / Q000191:economics; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000191:economics*; D008875:Middle Aged; D014481:United States; D026712:Value of Life