Economic burden associated with the management of cervical cancer, cervical dysplasia and genital warts in Belgium.
OBJECTIVE
Human papillomavirus (HPV) infections can lead to cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) lesions, cervical cancer (CC) and genital warts (GWs). This study intended to assess the annual cost of CC, CIN and GW management in Belgium.


METHODS
A retrospective study using a Belgian Hospital Disease Database (for yearly hospital cost of CC and GW patients) and a clinical expert survey were performed to assess the medical management of CC, CIN and GW patients. Belgian official sources were used to estimate the annual costs of management of CC, CIN and GW patients both from a healthcare payer perspectives (HCPP) and a societal perspective.


RESULTS
Based on the 667 patients diagnosed annually in Belgium with CC and an annual cost per patient of euro9,716, the total annual cost of CC is euro6.5 million (HCPP). The 10,495 estimated CIN 1, 2 and 3 patients led to an annual cost of euro1.97 million (HCPP). The 7,989 estimated annual number of diagnosed GW patients led to an estimated annual cost of euro2.53 million (HCPP).


CONCLUSIONS
HPV-related diseases represent an important burden on Belgian society, especially when considering that the estimates in this study are probably underestimations, as the management costs of other HPV-related diseases (vulvar, vaginal, penile, oropharyngeal (pre-) cancers, recurrent respiratory papillomatosis etc.) are not included in this analysis.
Annemans
Lieven
L
Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
Rémy
Vanessa
V
Lamure
Emilie
E
Spaepen
Erik
E
Lamotte
Mark
M
Muchada
Jean-Paul
JP
Largeron
Nathalie
N
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001530:Belgium / Q000453:epidemiology; D003218:Condylomata Acuminata / Q000191:economics* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D005260:Female; D005102:Health Expenditures / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D017059:Models, Econometric; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000191:economics* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D002578:Uterine Cervical Dysplasia / Q000191:economics* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000191:economics* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D055815:Young Adult