Cost of Cancer-Related Neutropenia or Fever Hospitalizations, United States, 2012: Journal of Oncology Practice: Vol 0, No 0

Cost of Cancer-Related Neutropenia or Fever Hospitalizations, United States, 2012 Study highlights need for increased attention to infection  prevention and control and patient education.

Each year, 650,000 patients with cancer receive chemotherapy in the United States. This number is projected to increase over the next 20 years since the number of people with cancer is also expected to surge.

Chemotherapy treatment can lead to a life-threatening side effect called neutropenia (a low number of neutrophils in the blood) and subsequent infections. Among patients with cancer, hospitalizations related to neutropenic complications result in substantial medical costs, morbidity, and mortality.

A recent paper by Eric Tai, Gery Guy, Jr., Angela Dunbar, and Lisa C. Richardson, published in the Journal of Oncology Practice, provides the most recent nationally representative estimates of the number and cost of cancer-related neutropenia hospitalizations. The study found that in 2012, there were 108,419 cancer-related neutropenia hospitalizations in the United States at a total cost of $2.7 billion.

The paper also highlights a need for increased attention to infection control and patient and caregiver education which may decrease hospitalizations and associated costs. 

Resources for patients and healthcare providers are available as part of CDC’s Preventing Infections in Cancer Patients:

• Web site for patients with cancer undergoing chemotherapy including an evidence-based, interactive program to help assess a cancer patient’s risk for developing both neutropenia and subsequent infections during treatment. 
  
• Basic Infection Control and Prevention Plan for Outpatient Oncology Settings with policies and procedures needed to meet minimal requirements for patient safety.
  
• Educational materials for patients, caregivers, and doctors including posters, brochures, and videos.

Cost of Cancer-Related Neutropenia or Fever Hospitalizations, United States, 2012: Journal of Oncology Practice: Vol 0, No 0

Cost of Cancer-Related Neutropenia or Fever Hospitalizations, United States, 2012

Eric Tai, Gery P. Guy, Angela Dunbar, and Lisa C. RichardsonShow More

• Abstract
 
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Abstract

ChooseTop of pageAbstract <<INTRODUCTIONMETHODSRESULTSDISCUSSIONREFERENCES

Purpose:

Neutropenia and subsequent infections are life-threatening treatment-related toxicities of chemotherapy. Among patients with cancer, hospitalizations related to neutropenic complications result in substantial medical costs, morbidity, and mortality. Previous estimates for the cost of cancer-related neutropenia hospitalizations are based on older and limited data. This study provides nationally representative estimates of the cost of cancer-related neutropenia hospitalizations.

Methods:

We examined data from the 2012 National Inpatient Sample and Kids’ Inpatient Database. Hospitalizations for cancer-related neutropenia were defined as those with a primary or secondary diagnosis of cancer and a diagnosis of neutropenia or a fever of unknown origin. We examined characteristics of cancer-related neutropenia hospitalizations among children (age < 18 years) and adults (age ≥ 18 years). Adjusted predicted margins were used to estimate length of stay and cost per stay.

Results:

There were 91,560 and 16,859 cancer-related neutropenia hospitalizations among adults and children, respectively. Total cost of cancer-related neutropenia hospitalizations was $2.3 billion for adults and $439 million for children. Cancer-related neutropenia hospitalizations accounted for 5.2% of all cancer-related hospitalizations and 8.3% of all cancer-related hospitalization costs. For adults, the mean length of stay for cancer-related neutropenia hospitalizations was 9.6 days, with a mean hospital cost of $24,770 per stay. For children, the mean length of stay for cancer-related neutropenia hospitalizations was 8.5 days, with a mean hospital cost of $26,000 per stay.

Conclusion:

We found the costs of cancer-related neutropenia hospitalizations to be substantially high. Efforts to prevent and minimize neutropenia-related complications among patients with cancer may decrease hospitalizations and associated costs.