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Integrating heart disease and cancer care could reduce overall healthcare costs, according to researchers

Press releases may be edited for formatting or style | February 21, 2019 Cardiology Rad Oncology
PLYMOUTH MEETING, Pa., Feb. 20, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- New research in the February 2019 issue of JNCCN—Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network calls for much greater integration between cardiologists and oncologists for patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) who are diagnosed with cancer. CAD—commonly referred to as clogged arteries—is the most-common type of heart of disease, and the leading cause of death in the United States. The researchers found that CAD-related medical expenses were considerably higher for patients with this chronic condition who were also diagnosed with cancer, particularly colorectal cancer.

"Heart problems that needed to be treated with in-patient hospitalization accounted for the highest added expenditures; representing two-thirds of the total costs," explained lead researcher Ishveen Chopra, PhD, MBA, Department of Pharmaceutical Systems and Policy, West Virginia University. "There is a need for more coordinated and patient-centered care among older adults with multiple chronic conditions. An interdisciplinary and integrated approach to cardiovascular management in the elderly diagnosed with incident cancer would improve cardiovascular outcomes."

The study used the SEER-Medicare registry as well as a 5% non-cancer random sample of Medicare beneficiaries to compare costs for 12,095 CAD patients diagnosed with breast, colorectal, or prostate cancer, against the costs of 34,237 CAD patients with no cancer. All were continuously enrolled in traditional, fee-for-service Medicare plans. Every individual was 68-years-old or older, and remained alive during the entire 48-month study period. Health care expenses were measured every 120 days during the one-year pre- and one-year post-cancer diagnosis, and were adjusted by the Consumer Price Index for medical services and expressed in 2012 dollars.

The results showed that CAD expenses post-cancer diagnosis increased approximately three times over pre-cancer costs, for people with colorectal cancer. The post-cancer diagnosis expenses were twice as high for women with breast cancer, and one-and-a-half times higher for men with prostate cancer. At the same time, CAD costs in the noncancer group remained steady for the entire time period.

The authors speculated that some of the cost increases could stem directly from cancer treatment.

"Treatment regimens used for colorectal cancer may increase cardiotoxicity and therefore increase the CAD management cost to patients," said Dr. Chopra. "In addition, non-adherence to CAD medications during cancer treatment may also contribute to higher CAD complications and total overall costs."

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