OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the healthcare resource utilization (HCRU) by patients with cervical cancer (CC) treated at the Brazilian public healthcare system (SUS, Sistema Único de Saúde).

METHODS: This real-world retrospective study used DATASUS datasets (~75% population coverage). Female aged ≥18 years with claims of CC (ICD-10 C53.*) were identified from January/2014-December/2020. Patient’s follow-up comprises from index date (first claim of C53) to last information available. Non-advanced (stage 1 and 2) and advanced (stage 3 and 4) disease were evaluated. Domains of HCRU includes hospitalization, chemotherapy (CT), radiotherapy (RT) and other outpatient procedure.

RESULTS: A total of 206,861 women were included - median age at index of 49.5 years (interquartile range [IQR] 38-61), majority white (44%) and mixed (43%) color, residing in the southeast region (41%) and northeast (29%). Patients’ median follow-up was of 1.1 years (IQR 0.17-2.84). About 44% had stage classification documented, being 39% had non-advanced and 61% advanced CC. About 72% are known to had treatment: 27% only surgical procedure, 18.6% RT+CT, and 8.5% surgery+RT+CT. Patients submitted to CT increased with staging, reaching 85% in stage 4, with a median per patient of 5 (3-8) and per patient per month (PPPM) 1.20 (1.20-1.20). About 90% stage 1 vs 67% stage 4 patients had RT, both with a median PPPM of 1.50 (1.50-1.50). Of stage 4-patients, 45% were hospitalized and 95% had outpatient procedures, with a median PPPM of 0.11 (IC95% 0.11-0.11) and 0.96 (0.93-0.98), respectively. Lower HCRU was observed for stage 1: 39% were hospitalized (0.05 PPPM [0.05-0.05]) and 94% had outpatient procedure (0.54 [0.53-0.55]).

CONCLUSIONS: HCRU increases with staging, and because many people are diagnosed at advance stage in Brazil, CC impose an important economic burden. This data highlights the need for preventive and screening approaches to be more effective, moving towards the goal of eradicating CC.