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Organ transplant recipients experienced cost factor for SCC
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Squamous cell carcinoma, the most frequent cancer among organ transplant recipients, was a recurring cost factor for patients in a recent study.
In a retrospective analysis, researchers in Switzerland gathered billing data for 198 organ transplant recipients (OTR; mean age at transplantation, 48.8 years; 73% men) seen from 2004 to 2007 at a Zurich hospital. Kidneys (61%) were the most common transplantation among the cohort. Mean time from organ transplantation until the end of observation was 10.8 years.
Using biopsy specimen histologies, patients were divided into five groups: squamous cell carcinoma (SCC; n=70), with at least one invasive SCC occurring during the observation period; past SCC (n=40), at least one invasive SCC before observation but no invasive SCC within observation; in situ SCC (n=13), only in-situ SCC had been diagnosed within observation; biopsy negative for SCC (n=49), histological results showed no SCC during observation; or no biopsy within observation (n=26).
For SCC, median annual costs for dermatologic care were $1,398 (US). Other median annual costs were $776 for past SCC, $308 for in situ SCC, $211 for biopsy negative and $156 for no biopsy. In median cost per case comparison, invasive SCC ($1,830) was three times greater than in situ SCC ($603). Male sex (P=.006), age at transplantation (P=.001) and time since transplantation (P<.001) were independent cost factors, according to regression analysis.
“Cost of care for invasive SCC was three times the cost for in situ SCC in our cohort,” the researchers reported. “Our cohort shows that SCC is an important and recurring cost factor in the dermatologic care of OTR. Interventions reducing the progression from in situ SCC to SCC could lead to considerable savings. We advocate sun protection, early diagnoses and intervention to minimize costs associated with SCC.”
Disclosure: Christian Surber, PhD, is an employee of Spirig AG, Switzerland.
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