title: An estimate of the cost of treating melanoma disease in the state of Sao Paulo - Brazil.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to estimate the direct cost of diagnosing and treating melanoma disease in Sao Paulo (Brazil) between the years 2000 and 2007.
  
  
  METHODS
  The project Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology was used, adapted to the proceedings of SOBECCan Foundation. The estimated costs were based on the values of the medical treatment paid by the Brazilian National Health System (SUS) and private healthcare insurance companies (PHIC) in 2007.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The total cost was estimated in R$33,012,725.1 (SUS) and R$76,133,662.8 (PHIC). Stages 0, I and II comprised about 4.2% (SUS) and 1.3% (PHIC) of the total cost; stages III and IV amounted to 95.8% and 98.7% of the total cost, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The diagnosis of malignant melanoma in its initial stages reduces treatment costs generating considerable savings of resources for both National Health System and private healthcare insurance companies.
authors: Fundação SobecCan, Hospital do Câncer de Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil. reynaldojsantanna@gmail.com
authors: Reynaldo José Sant Anna Pereira de
authors: RJ
authors: Souza
authors: Adriana Prest
authors: AP
authors: Mattedi
authors: Marcelo Lacerda
authors: ML
authors: Rezende
authors: Marcelo de Paula
authors: Mde P
authors: Corrêa
authors: Etiene Marques
authors: EM
authors: Duarte
mesh_terms: D001938:Brazil; D017048:Health Care Costs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008545:Melanoma / Q000191:economics* / Q000628:therapy; D009367:Neoplasm Staging / Q000191:economics; D017149:Private Sector / Q000191:economics; D017150:Public Sector / Q000191:economics; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000191:economics* / Q000628:therapy