[The health care costs of breast cancer: the case of the Mexican Social Security Institute]

Abstract

Objective: We studied the cost of health care for women with breast cancer treated at the Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS, per its abbreviation in Spanish).

Material and methods: Using the Medical and Operative Information Systems of the IMSS, we constructed a cohort of patients diagnosed in 2002 and followed these patients to the end of 2006, identifying the use of resources and imputing the IMSS-specific cost structure.

Results: Only 14% of women were diagnosed in stage 1 and 48% were diagnosed in stages III-IV. The average cost of their medical care per patient-year was $MX110,459. Costs for stage 1 were $MX74,522 compared to $102,042 for stage II, and were $MX154,018 for stage III and $MX199,274 for stage IV.

Conclusions: Breast cancer accounts for a significant part of the IMSS health budget. Later stage at diagnosis is associated with higher economic costs per patient-year of treatment and lower probability of five-year survival.