The impact of bone metastases and skeletal-related events on healthcare costs in prostate cancer patients receiving hormonal therapy

Bone is the most common site of metastases in men with advanced prostate cancer, one of the most prevalent cancers in the United States and the second leading cause of cancer death after lung cancer.^1–3 The median survival from diagnosis of bone metastases is 30–40 months.² During this time, skeletal-related events (SREs), including pathologic fractures, surgery or radiation to the bone, spinal cord compression, or hypercalcemia of malignancy, can occur. SREs are associated with considerable morbidity, impaired health-related quality of life, reduced survival, and increased costs.^4–10

Although studies have examined the impact of SREs on costs in patients with advanced cancers and bone metastases,^5–9,11 the effects of bone metastases without SREs on healthcare costs in prostate cancer patients have not been studied. The magnitude of these costs may be important in economic evaluations of treatments to prevent or delay bone metastases in prostate cancer patients. The objective of this study was to estimate the effects on healthcare costs of bone metastases in the presence and absence of SREs in men with prostate cancer who were receiving hormonal therapy.

* For a PDF of the full article, click in the link to the left of this introduction.

Bone is the most common site of metastases in men with advanced prostate cancer, one of the most prevalent cancers in the United States and the second leading cause of cancer death after lung cancer.^1–3 The median survival from diagnosis of bone metastases is 30–40 months.² During this time, skeletal-related events (SREs), including pathologic fractures, surgery or radiation to the bone, spinal cord compression, or hypercalcemia of malignancy, can occur. SREs are associated with considerable morbidity, impaired health-related quality of life, reduced survival, and increased costs.^4–10

Although studies have examined the impact of SREs on costs in patients with advanced cancers and bone metastases,^5–9,11 the effects of bone metastases without SREs on healthcare costs in prostate cancer patients have not been studied. The magnitude of these costs may be important in economic evaluations of treatments to prevent or delay bone metastases in prostate cancer patients. The objective of this study was to estimate the effects on healthcare costs of bone metastases in the presence and absence of SREs in men with prostate cancer who were receiving hormonal therapy.

* For a PDF of the full article, click in the link to the left of this introduction.

Bone is the most common site of metastases in men with advanced prostate cancer, one of the most prevalent cancers in the United States and the second leading cause of cancer death after lung cancer.^1–3 The median survival from diagnosis of bone metastases is 30–40 months.² During this time, skeletal-related events (SREs), including pathologic fractures, surgery or radiation to the bone, spinal cord compression, or hypercalcemia of malignancy, can occur. SREs are associated with considerable morbidity, impaired health-related quality of life, reduced survival, and increased costs.^4–10

Although studies have examined the impact of SREs on costs in patients with advanced cancers and bone metastases,^5–9,11 the effects of bone metastases without SREs on healthcare costs in prostate cancer patients have not been studied. The magnitude of these costs may be important in economic evaluations of treatments to prevent or delay bone metastases in prostate cancer patients. The objective of this study was to estimate the effects on healthcare costs of bone metastases in the presence and absence of SREs in men with prostate cancer who were receiving hormonal therapy.

* For a PDF of the full article, click in the link to the left of this introduction.