Average cost of cancer treatment in SUS rises 400% – 06/05/2023 – Mônica Bergamo

Breast, prostate, lung and colon and rectum cancers consumed 54% of all resources allocated to oncological treatments in the SUS (Unified Health System) in 2022, says an unprecedented study carried out by the Oncology Observatory of the All Together Against Cancer Movement .

According to the survey, over the past year, approximately R$ 4 billion were invested both in outpatient treatments, such as radiotherapies, chemotherapy and hormone therapies, as well as in hospitalizations and surgeries of cancer patients in the public network — 14% more when compared to 2020.

Procedural costs, on the other hand, rose sharply, despite a sharp drop in the number of patients seen.

While the rate of outpatient procedures recorded a decrease of 74% in the last five years, from 15 million in 2018 to 4 million in 2022, the average value of these therapies jumped by more than 400% in the same period. With that, a procedure that cost BRL 151.33 went to BRL 758.93, according to the Oncology Observatory.

“We believe that this increase in treatment costs may be related to new drugs that were incorporated into the SUS, such as immunotherapy, new equipment and the increasing use of available technologies”, says research coordinator Nina Melo.

“In addition, there is also the large number of patients diagnosed in more advanced stages of the disease. According to the observatory, the treatment of a patient identified with stages three and four [do câncer] it is much more expensive than receiving early diagnosis, in stages one and two”, he adds.

In all, 3% of the resources allocated to public health last year were spent on cancer treatment. Melo points out, however, that the percentage takes into account only direct interventions, without including spending on prevention and health promotion, for example.

The complete survey will be presented at the Eighth Big Data Forum in Oncology, which will be held at Fiocruz headquarters, in Rio de Janeiro, on the 13th.

During the meeting, topics such as incorporation and access to new medicines and investment in primary care as a strategy to save resources in the future will be discussed.

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CELEBRATIONS

Singer Alcione and actress Fernanda Montenegro met backstage at the 30th Brazilian Music Awards, which took place last week at the Municipal Theater in Rio de Janeiro. The brothers Caetano Veloso and Maria Bethânia also attended the event, which honored Alcione. The communicator Felipe Neto and the actor Lázaro Ramos were present.

_{with BIANKA VIEIRA, KARINA MATIAS It is MANOELLA SMITH}

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