In the United States, bladder cancer has emerged as one of the most financially burdensome malignancies, with treatment costs projected to have exceeded $6.5 billion in 2021.
This impact is due to an aging population, advances in healthcare tech, and the disease’s chronic nature.
Bladder cancer predominantly affects older adults, with the majority of cases diagnosed in individuals aged 65 and above. The standard treatment for non–muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) involves three steps. It accounts for about 80% of new cases.
First, perform a transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT). Second, use intravesical Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) therapy. Finally, conduct intensive surveillance. These procedures necessitate regular cystoscopies, imaging studies, and laboratory tests, contributing to the escalating costs.
A study of 412 high-risk NMIBC patients who got BCG therapy from 2000 to 2015 found median treatment costs of $29,459 at one year, $55,267 at two years, and $117,361 at five years.
Patients experiencing disease progression incurred significantly higher expenses, with a five-year median cost of $232,729.
Muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) is rare but serious. It needs aggressive treatment, such as radical cystectomy, chemotherapy, and radiation. The financial burden for these interventions is substantial, with radical cystectomy costs exceeding $69,000.
Additionally, systemic therapy costs for metastatic bladder cancer can range from $40,000 to over $100,000 per five-cycle course.
Bladder cancer has a high recurrence rate. It requires lifelong monitoring. This puts a heavy financial burden on patients and the healthcare system.
Hospitalizations, office visits, and procedures, like cystectomies, drive up lifetime costs. In some disease stages, hospitalizations account for up to 53% of expenses.
Bladder cancer’s cost worries patients and threatens the U.S. healthcare system. With healthcare expenditures representing nearly 18% of the gross domestic product (GDP), there is an urgent need for cost-effective strategies to manage this disease.
Implementing value-based care approaches, focusing on preventive measures, and investing in research to develop less invasive and more affordable treatments are essential steps toward mitigating the economic impact of bladder cancer. Also, reforms to cut healthcare costs and improve access could ease the financial strain on patients and the system.
The high costs of bladder cancer treatment in the U.S. highlight the need for a sustainable healthcare system. We must work together to tackle these challenges.
Healthcare providers, policymakers, researchers, and patients must collaborate. We need to make sure that new treatments are available and affordable for everyone.
