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Total retinoblastoma treatment cost linked to tumor grade, family income
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The direct costs of retinoblastoma treatment pose acute economic stress on families in China, according to a study.
Investigators retrospectively analyzed 69 children treated for retinoblastoma at three centers in China. They studied direct costs of chemotherapy, laser photocoagulation, cryotherpy, focal enucleation and external beam radiotherapy (EBRT). Costs of hospitalization, outpatient visits, transportation and accommodation of family members were also examined.
The International Classification of Retinoblastoma (ICRB) was used to rate tumors.
Children who underwent enucleation with no other treatment were excluded.
Study results showed that the mean per-patient direct cost in the first year of treatment was US$9,422. Direct medical costs totaled $6,862 and non-medical costs totaled US$2,560.
Data showed a significant association between total direct cost and clinical stage of retinoblastoma (P = .0358) and family income (P = .0185).
“Such correlation was not surprising because the more severe the tumor, the more likely that the patients would go through more cycles of chemotherapy,” the authors said.
Chemotherapy-related expenses comprised 31.74% of total costs and transportation expenses accounted for 18.96%, the authors said.
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