OBJECTIVES: Melanoma of skin (MS) is one of the most high-cost oncological diseases with high malignancy and mortality. The aim of our study was to calculate Moscow region budget treatment costs for MS.

METHODS: To estimate the annual costs of drug therapy in Moscow region for patients with ICD C43 we have developed an analytical model, relying on data from database of reimbursed drug prescription of Ministry of Health of the Moscow region in 2019, Cancer Registry, as well as literature sources.

RESULTS: There was estimated that depending on the stage of the tumor process, the MS patients on drug therapy (DT) were broken down as follows: I-III - 9,96%, IV - 90,04%. Proportion of patients with stage IV shows high level of late diagnostics. The costs of DT for these groups of patients are 2,45% and 97,55% of all medical therapy MS costs, respectively. Among IV stage patients, 59,02% have a mutation in the BRAF gene. This group of patients costs 43,97% of total costs of DT in patients with MS (and 45,07% of IV stage DT costs). Patient without BRAF mutation – 40,98% and their DT costs is 56,03% of total DT costs in patients with MS (and 54,93% of IV stage DT costs).

CONCLUSIONS: The cost structure for DT of patients with MS in Moscow region shows that the most expensive is the parients treatment of IV stage of the tumor process (90,04% of all costs for DT of MS) and it is important to improve early diagnostics.