[The health care costs of breast cancer: the case of the Mexican Social Security Institute].

OBJECTIVE

We studied the cost of health care for women with breast cancer treated at the Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS, per its abbreviation in Spanish).

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Using the Medical and Operative Information Systems of the IMSS, we constructed a cohort of patients diagnosed in 2002 and followed these patients to the end of 2006, identifying the use of resources and imputing the IMSS-specific cost structure.

RESULTS

Only 14% of women were diagnosed in stage 1 and 48% were diagnosed in stages III-IV. The average cost of their medical care per patient-year was $MX110,459. Costs for stage 1 were $MX74,522 compared to $102,042 for stage II, and were $MX154,018 for stage III and $MX199,274 for stage IV.

CONCLUSIONS

Breast cancer accounts for a significant part of the IMSS health budget. Later stage at diagnosis is associated with higher economic costs per patient-year of treatment and lower probability of five-year survival.