Table 2.
Mean estimates of cancer care costs using random-effects meta-analysis and sub-group meta-analysis
| Cost variable | Cancer type | No. of articles | Mean (95% CI) | I2 (%) | P value | GDP per capita* | Ratio of cost range as GDP per capita** | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall medical costs | Any cancer type | 1 | $2366.00 ($1920.76, $2811.24) | < 0.00001 | $858 | 223.86–327.65 | [37] | |
| Lung cancer | 1 | $3199.25 ($3120.88, $3277.62) | < 0.00001 | $9042 | 34.52–36.25 | [23] | ||
| 1 | $2518.83 ($1837.99, $3199.67) | < 0.00001 | $10,262 | 17.91–31.18 | [21] | |||
| 1 | $5.48 ($4.68, $6.28) | < 0.00001 | $9042 | 0.05–0.07 | [24] | |||
| Sub-total | 3 | $1902.95 ($ − 655.85, 4461.74) | 100 | 0.14 | ||||
| Stomach cancer | 1 | $4961.80 ($4892.80, $5030.80) | < 0.00001 | $10,262 | 47.67–49.02 | [33] | ||
| Breast cancer | 1 | $91.60 ($72.87, $110.33) | < 0.00001 | $9042 | 0.81–1.22 | [25] | ||
| Prostate cancer | 1 | $6141.30 ($5717.88, $6564.72) | < 0.00001 | $5506 | 103.85–119.23 | [32] | ||
| Total | 7 | $2740.18 ($1953.62, $3526.74) | 100 | < 0.00001 | – | – | ||
| Consultation | Any cancer type | 1 | $35.70 (32.23, 39.17) | < 0.00001 | $1817 | 1.77–2.16 | [40] | |
| Diagnosis | Any cancer type | 1 | $138.90 ($126.59, $151.21) | < 0.00001 | $1817 | 6.97–8.32 | [40] | |
| Breast cancer | 1 | $16.02 ($15.12, $16.92) | < 0.00001 | $2715 | 0.56–0.62 | [27] | ||
| Prostate cancer | 1 | $205.80 ($168.32, $243.28) | < 0.00001 | $5506 | 3.06–4.42 | [32] | ||
| Total | 3 | $119.02 ($13.71, $224.33) | 100 | 0.03 | – | – | ||
| Surgery | Any cancer type | 1 | $1268.30 ($1098.57, $1438.03) | < 0.00001 | $1817 | 60.46–79.14 | [40] | |
| Breast cancer | 1 | $82.35 ($76.86, $87.84) | < 0.00001 | $2715 | 2.83–3.24 | [27] | ||
| Prostate cancer | 1 | $3709.50 ($3396.01, $4022.99) | < 0.00001 | $5506 | 61.68–73.07 | [32] | ||
| Total | 3 | $1678.80 ($62.39, $3295.20) | 100 | 0.04 | – | – | ||
| Radiotherapy | Breast cancer | 1 | $22.87 ($16.03, $29.71) | < 0.00001 | $2715 | 0.59–1.09 | [27] | |
| Prostate cancer | 1 | $8242.60 ($7963.29, $8521.91) | < 0.00001 | $5506 | 144.63–154.77 | [32] | ||
| Total | 2 | $4131.50 ($ − 3923.69, $12,186.69) | 100 | 0.31 | ||||
| Chemotherapy | Any cancer type | 1 | $1372.50 ($1050.30, $1694.70) | < 0.00001 | $1817 | 57.80–93.27 | [40] | |
| Lung cancer | 1 | $10,540.00 ($6615.09, $14,464.91) | < 0.00001 | $9042 | 73.16–159.97 | [23] | ||
| Breast cancer | 1 | $476.48 ($346.57, $606.39) | < 0.00001 | $2715 | 12.77–22.33 | [27] | ||
| Prostate cancer | 1 | $14,181.30 ($13,803.62, $14,558.98) | < 0.00001 | $5506 | 250.70–264.42 | [32] | ||
| Total | 4 | $6555.98 ($97.19, $13,014.76) | 100 | 0.05 | – | – | ||
| Hormone therapy | Breast cancer | 1 | $4.25 ($1.63, $6.87) | 0.001 | $2715 | 0.06–0.25 | [27] | |
| Prostate cancer | 1 | $2940.40 ($2786.29, $3094.51) | < 0.00001 | $5506 | 50.60–56.20 | [32] | ||
| Total | 2 | $1471.27 ($ − 1406.10, $4348.65) | 100 | 0.32 | – | – | ||
| Surgery + radiotherapy | Any cancer type | 1 | $1749.35 ($1257.90, $2240.80) | < 0.00001 | $1817 | 69.23–123.32 | [40] | |
| Surgery + chemotherapy + radiotherapy | Any cancer type | 1 | $2547.75 ($1532.40, $3563.10) | < 0.00001 | $1817 | 84.34–196.10 | [40] | |
| Lung cancer | 1 | $17,210.25 ($17,176.28, $17,244.22) | < 0.00001 | $9042 | 189.96–190.71 | [23] | ||
| Total | 2 | $9888.14 ($ − 4480.83, $24,257.12) | 100 | 0.18 | – | – | ||
| Palliative/supportive care | Any cancer type | 1 | $976.65 ($749.60, $1203.70) | < 0.00001 | $1817 | 41.25–66.25 | [40] | |
| 1 | $12,327.00 ($11,803.00, $12,851.00) | < 0.00001 | $8717 | 135.40–147.42 | [49] | |||
| Sub-total | 2 | $6649.27 ($ − 4473.87, $17,772.40) | 100 | 0.24 | – | – | ||
| Lung cancer | 1 | $1897.00 ($1849.16, $1944.84) | < 0.00001 | $9042 | 20.45–21.51 | [23] | ||
| Breast cancer | 1 | $4.50 ($2.02, $6.98) | 0.0004 | $2715 | 0.07–0.26 | [27] | ||
| Total | 4 | $3741.28 ($2241.19, $5241.37) | 100 | < 0.00001 | – | – | ||
| Inpatient care | Any cancer type | 1 | 275.10 (241.87, 308.33) | < 0.00001 | $1817 | 13.31–16.97 | [40] | |
| 1 | 1584.00 (1193.76, 1974.24) | < 0.00001 | $858 | 139.13–230.10 | [37] | |||
| Sub-total | 2 | $914.52 ($ − 367.84, $2196.88) | 98 | 0.16 | ||||
| Breast cancer | 1 | $26.38 ($24.28, $28.48) | < 0.00001 | $2715 | 0.89–1.05 | [27] | ||
| Total | 3 | $436.51 ($190.65, $682.36) | 99 | 0.0005 | – | – | ||
| Outpatient care | Any cancer type | 1 | $782.00 ($638.85, $925.15) | < 0.00001 | $858 | 74.46–107.83 | [37] | |
| Breast cancer | 1 | $591.60 ($572.87, $610.33) | < 0.00001 | $9042 | 6.34–6.75 | [25] | ||
| Total | 2 | $673.03 ($488.40, $857.66) | 85 | < 0.00001 | ||||
| Follow-up care | Breast cancer | 1 | $356.24 ($311.36, $401.12) | < 0.00001 | $2715 | 11.47–14.77 | [27] | |
| Indirect costs | Lung cancer | 1 | $17.34 ($11.87, $22.80) | < 0.00001 | $9042 | 0.13–0.25 | [24] | |
| Prostate cancer | 1 | $4873.93 ($3604.88, $6142.98) | < 0.00001 | $5506 | 65.47–111.57 | [32] | ||
| Total | 2 | $2402.47 ($ − 2356.15, $7161.09) | 98 | 0.32 | – | – | ||
| Direct non-medical | Lung cancer | 1 | $334.00 ($333.74, $334.26) | < 0.00001 | $9042 | 3.69–3.70 | [24] | |
| Informal care | Prostate cancer | 1 | $2454.70 ($2171.84, $2737.56) | < 0.0001 | $5506 | 39.44–49.72 | [32] |
CI confidence interval, GDP gross domestic product. *The 2019 data. **The ratio of cost of care to GDP per capita was computed by dividing the mean cost range by the GDP per capita and multiplying by 100.