title: Prevalence of outpatient cancer treatment in the United States: estimates from the Medical Panel Expenditures Survey (MEPS).
abstract: Little is known regarding the prevalence of outpatient cancer treatment in the U.S. We analyzed nationally-representative data from the 2000-2004 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey to estimate the number of U.S. cancer patients receiving outpatient chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy annually. Each year, over 1.1 million individuals are estimated to receive chemotherapy or radiation therapy for cancer. Cancer patients younger than 65 receiving treatment who were uninsured were less likely to receive chemotherapy or combined chemotherapy/radiation therapy than were those with public or private insurance. These estimates may be useful for understanding the burden of cancer care and development of programs for cancer survivors.
authors.affiliation: Health Services Research, American Cancer Society, Atlanta, Georgia 30303, USA. michael.halpern@cancer.org
authors.forename: Michael T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Halpern
authors.forename: K Robin
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Yabroff
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006295:Health Resources / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D007348:Insurance, Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D017057:Medically Uninsured / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008875:Middle Aged; D009313:National Health Programs; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D009819:Office Visits / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010045:Outpatients / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016730:Program Development; D013997:Time Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology