OBJECTIVES: Estimate and project Hepatocellular carcinoma costs to the Brazilian Public Health System (SUS).

METHODS: The study was a retrospective analysis of DataSUS, a Brazilian Public Health System medical claims database. Patients were tracked by the ICD between July 2011 and June 2016. The disease costs were segmented between diagnostic and treatment costs, for each disease status, according to SUS list of procedures. The total costs of HCC were calculated by multiplying the mean annual frequency per patient of each performed procedure at each stage of the disease by its cost and added to the cost of the diagnostic procedures performed in the respective year. The costs were also projected for the next 5 years. Costs expressed in 2016 prices, exchange rate 1.00 USD = 3.19 BRL.

RESULTS: 28,822 patients were identified. 11% of the sample was on initial stage, 13% on intermediate, 9% on advanced and 67% were already diagnosed on terminal stages, receiving only palliative care. In 2016, the costs for treating HCC were USD 7.6 million for 9,028 patients, reaching USD 8.7 million for 10,042 patients in 2021. The stage with the greatest economic impact was the intermediate, with average annual costs estimated at USD 3.04 million, followed by the advanced stage, with an average annual cost of USD 2.33 million. Regarding the economic impact per patient, the advanced stage had the higher costs (USD 2,821).

CONCLUSIONS: More than 75% of the patients are already diagnosed in late stages, where there are no more curative treatment options, and 67% are already diagnosed in the terminal stage of the disease. Thus, the development of screening strategies for patients with hepatopathies and early diagnosis are essential to increase the number of patients diagnosed under curative conditions, where there may be optimization of health resources.