title: Initial attributable cost and economic burden of clinically-relevant differentiated thyroid cancer: A health care service provider perspective.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Rapid rise in differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) may impose a heavy economic burden on future healthcare. We aimed to calculate the average first-year monetary cost/patient for DTC and estimate the projected cost burden on our local healthcare system.
  
  
  METHODS
  Medical records of 270 clinically-relevant DTC patients were reviewed to calculate the amount of services utilized during the first-year. Only direct costs were included with estimates derived from government gazette. Cancer incidences were derived from the territory-wide cancer registry. Total annual cost equaled to the incidence multiplied by the cost/patient.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The average first-year cost of DTC was USD11,560/patient. Initial surgery accounted for 66.9% of total cost. Male and female annual percentage increases for DTC were 4.86% and 4.28%, respectively. Female DTC is projected to surpass rectal cancer in 2019 (20.4/100,000 vs. 20.0/100,000) and colon cancer (47.2/100,000 vs. 46.8/100,000) in 2039. However, the projected incidence of DTC in 2026 would still be about one fourth that of CRC (19.5/100,000 vs. 83.2/100,000).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The average first-year monetary cost of DTC care was relatively low. Initial surgery accounted for most of the cost. Despite a rapid incidence rise, the projected first-year cost for DTC is unlikely to impose substantial economic burden on our local future healthcare system.
authors: Department of Surgery, University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. Electronic address: blang@hku.hk.
authors: B H-H
authors: BH
authors: Lang
authors: Department of Family Medicine and Primary Care, University of Hong Kong, 3/F Ap Lei Chau Clinic, 161 Main Street, Ap Lei Chau, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
authors: C K H
authors: CK
authors: Wong
authors: Department of Surgery, Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
authors: C T Y
authors: CT
authors: Chan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004180:Direct Service Costs; D005260:Female; D017048:Health Care Costs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006296:Health Services / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006723:Hong Kong / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012042:Registries; D012737:Sex Factors; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000191:economics* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D013965:Thyroidectomy / Q000191:economics
keywords: Cancer incidence; Cost effectiveness; Economic burden; Thyroid cancer; Thyroidectomy