title: Costs for 5-year lung cancer survivors in a tertiary care hospital in South Korea.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  As the population of patients with lung cancer increases, the expenditure on lung cancer treatment will become a huge economic burden in many countries. To support public health services for the treatment of lung cancer, the calculation of lung cancer-specific costs is important.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study included newly diagnosed 76 lung cancer patients who had survived for at least 5 years after the diagnosis in a tertiary care hospital in South Korea. Direct medical costs were calculated from health care claims obtained from Seoul National University Hospital, which included out-of-pocket expenditures. Direct non-medical and indirect costs were calculated from national statistics.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean direct medical costs, direct non-medical costs, and indirect costs amounted to $21,321, $6444 and $4943 respectively, based on an exchange rate of Korean Won 1200=US $1. The average cost for treatment of one lung cancer patient for all 5 years was $32,708. This constituted 44.7% of the per capita income during the same 5-year period.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The economic burden of lung cancer treatment is significant in Korea.
authors: Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine and Lung Institute of Medical Research Center, Seoul National University College of Medicine, 28 Yongon-dong, Chongno-gu, Seoul 110-744, Republic of Korea.
authors: Young Sik
authors: YS
authors: Park
authors: Seon Ha
authors: SH
authors: Kim
authors: Sue Kyung
authors: SK
authors: Park
authors: Byung-Joo
authors: BJ
authors: Park
authors: Young Tae
authors: YT
authors: Kim
authors: Sang-Min
authors: SM
authors: Lee
authors: Jae-Joon
authors: JJ
authors: Yim
authors: Chul-Gyu
authors: CG
authors: Yoo
authors: Young Whan
authors: YW
authors: Kim
authors: Sung Koo
authors: SK
authors: Han
authors: Young-Soo
authors: YS
authors: Shim
authors: Seok-Chul
authors: SC
authors: Yang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000191:economics* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D017281:Cost of Illness; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D017048:Health Care Costs; D006801:Humans; D007345:Insurance Claim Review / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000191:economics* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D056910:Republic of Korea; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors