Bladder cancer (BCa) imposes a substantial economic burden on health care systems and patients. Understanding these financial implications is crucial for effective resource allocation and optimization of treatment cost effectiveness. Here, we aim to systematically review and analyze the financial burden of BCa from the health care and patient perspectives.
A Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA)-compliant systematic review was conducted, searching PubMed/Medline, Embase, and public sources for studies evaluating the financial impact of BCa, encompassing costs, cost effectiveness, and financial toxicity (FT).
Non-muscle-invasive BCa (NMIBC) incurs significant costs for surveillance and treatment, with costs exceeding $200 000 after 5 yr for high-risk NMIBC patients progressing after bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) treatment (including inpatient, outpatient, and physician service expenses). Muscle-invasive BCa generates substantial costs from radical cystectomy (RC) and neoadjuvant chemotherapy, averaging $30 000-40 000 from surgical costs of RC, with additional expenses in case of complications. Trimodal therapy has higher costs (1-yr management cost >$200 000) than RC because of higher outpatient, radiology, and medication costs. Metastatic BCa incurs the highest financial burden, with systemic therapy costs ranging from $40 000 to over $100 000 per five-cycle course, increasing further with combination therapies (ie, enfortumab vedotin and pembrolizumab), treatment-related toxicity, and supportive care. FT is particularly prevalent among younger, less educated, and minority populations.
BCa treatment, particularly in advanced stages, imposes a substantial economic burden. Innovations in care, while improving oncologic outcomes, necessitate detailed cost-effectiveness assessments. Addressing these economic challenges is essential for optimizing BCa management, targeting patients at a higher risk of FT, and improving patient quality of life.
European urology. 2024 Dec 26 [Epub ahead of print]
Pietro Scilipoti, Marco Moschini, Roger Li, Seth P Lerner, Peter C Black, Andrea Necchi, Morgan Rouprêt, Shahrokh F Shariat, Shilpa Gupta, Alicia K Morgans, Sarah P Psutka, Ashish M Kamat
Department of Experimental Oncology/Unit of Urology, URI, IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele, Milan, Italy; Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy., Department of Experimental Oncology/Unit of Urology, URI, IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele, Milan, Italy. Electronic address: ., Department of Genitourinary Oncology, Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, FL, USA., Scott Department of Urology, Dan L. Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA., Department of Urologic Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada., Sorbonne University, GRC 5 Predictive Onco-Uro, AP-HP, Urology, Pitie-Salpetriere Hospital, F-75013 PARIS, France., Department of Urology, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria; Department of Urology, University of Texas Southwestern, Dallas, TX, USA; Karl Landsteiner Institute of Urology and Andrology, Vienna, Austria; Department of Urology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA; Department of Urology, Second Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic., Taussig Cancer Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA., Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA., Department of Urology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA., Department of Urology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.