[Cost of treatment and follow up of breast cancer: a retrospective assessment in a comprehensive cancer centre].
BACKGROUND
Breast cancer is one of the major causes of premature death for women. Its cost management is important for both the national health insurance and the individual health care providers.


OBJECTIVE
The objective of this study was to assess the global medical cost of breast cancer from diagnosis to follow up in one French medical centre: centre René-Huguenin, Saint-Cloud (92).


METHODS
Duration of medical activities and other medical resources utilisations were collected from a retrospective cohort of 120 patients followed from January 1995 to February 2000. Unit costs were obtained from cost accounts of the Centre.


RESULTS
The mean medical cost per patient was FF 66,067 [60,318-7,815] (USD $ 10,744 [9,809-11,679]). The mean cost varied from FF 41,875 (UDS $ 6,810) to FF 81,020 (UDS $ 13,175) depending on choice of type of therapy. The initial treatment phase was the most expensive, costing FF 48,397 [46,176-50,617] (USD $ 7,870 [7,509-8,231]) which represented 73.3% of the global cost.


CONCLUSIONS
This study has provided an estimate of the real global cost of managing patients with breast cancer in a single French Comprehensive Cancer Centre (CLCC). The study method used is readily transposable to other treatment contexts and to other types of cancer.
Centre René-Huguenin, 35, rue Dailly, 92210 Saint-Cloud, France.
Hervé
H
Lilliu
Denise
D
Stevens
Catherine
C
Brun
Julie
J
Morel
Claude Le
CL
Pen
Julia
J
Bonastre
Florence
F
Bachelot
Christian
C
Davesne
Annie
A
Gentile
Eric
E
Hirlimann
Jean-Christophe
JC
Sabourin
Jacques
J
Berlie
Jacques
J
Rouëssé
D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000191:economics*; D002173:Cancer Care Facilities; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D012189:Retrospective Studies