title: Cost and resource utilization in cervical cancer management: a real-world retrospective cost analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We set out to assess the health care resource utilization and cost of cervical cancer from the perspective of a single-payer health care system.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective observational data for women diagnosed with cervical cancer in British Columbia between 2004 and 2009 were analyzed to calculate patient-level resource utilization patterns from diagnosis to death or 5-year discharge. Domains of resource use within the scope of this cost analysis were chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and brachytherapy administered by the BC Cancer Agency; resource utilization related to hospitalization and outpatient visits as recorded by the B.C. Ministry of Health; medically required services billed under the B.C. Medical Services Plan; and prescriptions dispensed under British Columbia's health insurance programs. Unit costs were applied to radiotherapy and brachytherapy, producing per-patient costs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean cost per case of treating cervical cancer in British Columbia was $19,153 (standard error: $3,484). Inpatient hospitalizations, at 35%, represented the largest proportion of the total cost (95% confidence interval: 32.9% to 36.9%). Costs were compared for subgroups of the total cohort.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  As health care systems change the way they manage, screen for, and prevent cervical cancer, cost-effectiveness evaluations of the overall approach will require up-to-date data for resource utilization and costs. We provide information suitable for such a purpose and also identify factors that influence costs.
authors.affiliation: Canadian Centre for Applied Research in Cancer Control, Vancouver, BC;; Department of Cancer Control Research, BC Cancer Agency, Vancouver, BC;
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Cromwell
authors.affiliation: Canadian Centre for Applied Research in Cancer Control, Vancouver, BC;; Department of Cancer Control Research, BC Cancer Agency, Vancouver, BC;
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Ferreira
authors.affiliation: Department of Cancer Control Research, BC Cancer Agency, Vancouver, BC;
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.affiliation: Canadian Centre for Applied Research in Cancer Control, Vancouver, BC;; Department of Cancer Control Research, BC Cancer Agency, Vancouver, BC;
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: van der Hoek
authors.affiliation: School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC;
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ogilvie
authors.affiliation: Department of Cancer Control Research, BC Cancer Agency, Vancouver, BC;
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Coldman
authors.affiliation: Canadian Centre for Applied Research in Cancer Control, Vancouver, BC;; Department of Cancer Control Research, BC Cancer Agency, Vancouver, BC;; Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, BC.
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Peacock
keywords: Cost of care; cervical cancer