Study: Economic Burden of Skin Cancer Increasing in the US

Recent research presented at the Summer Annual Meeting found that the amount of patients being screened and treated for skin cancer is substantial and increasing.

In order to study the trends in skin cancer-related costs in Massachusetts, researchers from Brigham and Women’s Hospital at the Harvard Medical School and the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health studied fee-for-service private insurance claims data. The researchers gathered data from the All-Payer Claims Database of Massachusetts for the years 2009 through 2012 by using ICD-9 codes for melanoma, non-melanoma skin cancer, carcinoma in situ, actinic keratosis, and neoplasm of uncertain behavior and dysplastic nevus. Total costs for each diagnosis, total costs for screening procedures, and costs per patient were calculated and analyzed.

“The primary aim of the study is to determine the cost of skin cancer screening and treatment in the state of Massachusetts using fee-for-service private insurance claims data,” study author Emily Ruiz, MD,  told First Report Managed Care. “Our study not only determines the overall cost but also evaluates the allocation of resources by diagnosis.”

Study results showed that the combined annual cost for skin cancer screening and treatment rose from $421 million in 2009 to $571 million by 2012. The researchers noted that this represents a 36% increase in costs over the 4-year period. 

Furthermore, the researchers found that 49% of annual treatment and screening costs were attributed to non-melanoma skin cancers, while 31% were attributed to melanoma.

The researchers pointed out that, with the exception of melanoma in 2012, increased costs did not translate to an increase in per patient costs to insurers but were instead attributed to a greater number of patients treated for each diagnosis. According to the data, per patient costs for melanoma treatment rose by 50% betweem 2011 and 2012, from $1066  to $1700.

Additionally, the total costs for melanoma chemotherapy visits, excluding drug costs, increased by 350% over the study period, from $20 million to $97 million.

“This finding shows that the implementation of new therapies for aggressive cancers requires an increase in resource allocation,” Dr Ruiz said. “Based on our findings, further studies are needed to determine the cost-benefit of these new and costly medications.” –David Costill