Costs of Not Following Breast Cancer Treatment Guidelines
Author Information
Author(s): Kriyana P. Reddy, Oluwadamilola M. Fayanju, Stephany Perez-Rojas, Terry Hyslop, Yousuf S. Zafar, Justin Bekelman, E. Shelley Hwang
Primary Institution: Perelman School of Medicine, The University of Pennsylvania
Hypothesis
What are the incremental costs to the health system due to nonreceipt of guideline-concordant care among women with breast cancer?
Conclusion
Only one-quarter of women with breast cancer received guideline-concordant care, leading to significant additional costs for the health system.
Supporting Evidence
- Only 25.4% of patients received guideline-concordant care.
- The rate of recurrence was lower among patients receiving guideline-concordant care (3.4%) compared to those who did not (5.9%).
- The total incremental cost due to nonreceipt of guideline-concordant care was $104,396.
Takeaway
This study found that many women with breast cancer are not getting the recommended treatments, which ends up costing the healthcare system more money.
Methodology
The study analyzed female patients with specific breast cancer characteristics receiving treatment at Penn Medicine and compared costs and recurrence rates based on guideline-concordant care receipt.
Potential Biases
Potential biases include structural racism and inequitable access to healthcare affecting treatment receipt.
Limitations
The study relied on a small sample size and did not include all potential costs of care, which may overestimate the rate of guideline-concordant care.
Participant Demographics
Female patients aged 50 and older with nonmetastatic hormone receptor-positive and HER2-positive breast cancer.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.61
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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