The Economic Burden of Head and Neck Cancers in Denmark

Head and neck cancers originate from the upper aerodigestive tract, including the oral cavity, oropharynx, nasopharynx, hypopharynx, larynx, salivary glands and other sites located in the head and neck area. Smoking, alcohol use and human papilloma virus (HPV) infections are the major risk factors for head and neck cancers. And their treatment depends on the initial localization of the tumor, on the patient’s comorbidity and on the potential side effect of the treatment. The incidence of head and neck cancers has increased markedly over the last decade.

In this paper, the authors aimed to estimate the incidence of head and neck cancers and their health care costs from a hospital perspective. And the results would be used as input into a forthcoming cost-effectiveness analysis of HPV-related cancers and genital warts with the overall objective of estimating the impact of different vaccination programmes.

Data on incidence and health care use related to head and neck cancers were obtained from Danish health care registers. New cancer patients were identified in the Danish National Cancer Register. Resource use per year in the hospital sector was estimated using data from the National Patient Register applying charges as cost estimates. Health care consumption by cancer patients was compared with that by an age- and sex-matched cohort without cancer. And all the data were analyzed by using SAS software version 9.2.

The results showed that nearly 1000 new cases of oral cavity, oropharyngeal, hypopharyngeal and laryngeal cancer are diagnosed annually. In total the cost of these cancers to the Danish hospital sector constituted 31.6 million Euros per year, with the majority of costs (74%) occurring in men. The total costs associated with HPV16/18-related head and neck cancers were estimated to be 6.1 million Euros per year. 

In conclusion, it is expected that the current HPV vaccination programme will reduce this burden.

Article by Jens Olsen, et al, from Denmark.

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Image by David Goehring, from Flickr-cc.