Care and costs for advanced cervical cancer.

The types, amounts and costs of hospital and home care in patients who died from cervical cancer are investigated, using both national data sources and hospital files. Our goal has been assessment of the savings on treatment and care of advanced cervical cancer resulting from cervical cancer screening. Hospital costs account for 70% of the total cost per patient of Dfl 29,200. The amount of hospital care decreases significantly with increasing age. The average number of days of hospitalisation per patient with advanced disease decreases from 62 days below age 50 to less than 10 days at age 70 and older. In-hospital medical procedures, home care and nursing home care account for 24, 22 and 8% of the costs, respectively. Mass screening programmes for cervical cancer will result in a reduction in both advanced disease and mortality. The potential savings compensate approximately 10% of the costs of screening.