OBJECTIVES : Prevalence and mortality associated with head and neck cancer (HNC) are high in Europe; however, little is known on the economic burden of HNC. The objective was to explore disease characteristics/demographics, health care resource utilization and disease management costs associated with HNC in Hungary.

METHODS : Our retrospective, cross-sectional analysis used data from a national claims database in Hungary from 2010-2016. The study population included patients with HNC diagnosis and ≥1 occurrence of out-patient care (i.e., physician visits, diagnostic procedures, laboratory tests, pathological examinations, radiology/imaging, prevention/screening procedures; invasive therapeutic interventions, other interventions) or in-patient care (i.e., hospitalizations, chronic care, chemotherapy and/or radiation, surgeries, emergency interventions). Results were averaged across the 2010-2016 period. Costs were estimated using 2016 tariffs.

RESULTS : The average annual number of HNC patients was 13,654, based on a 9.5 million insured population. Male/female ratio was 2.9 to 1.0, and mean age was 62 years. Most frequent subtypes were cancers of the larynx (29.0%), lip/oral cavity (20.9%), oropharynx (19.5%), and hypopharynx (12.3%), resulting in a prevalence of 52.9, 38.0, 35.6 and 22.4 per 100,000 insured inhabitants, respectively. On average 97.7% of patients received out-patient care with 10.3 episodes per patient per year (Standard Deviation[SD]: 13.7, Median[MED]: 5), and 44.1% received in-patient care with 3.3 episodes per patient annually (SD: 2.9; MED: 2). Average length of stay per patient in in-patient care was 26 days (SD: 28, MED: 18). The total average annual management cost was €13.6 million, of which 87.4% and 13.6% was associated with in-patient and outpatient care, respectively. Average annual cost per HNC patient was €871 and €126 for in-patient and outpatient care, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Our claim database analysis confirmed the high prevalence and economic burden of HNC in Hungary. While outpatient care is more frequent, in-patient care accounts for the vast majority of HCRU costs.