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Principles of Evidence Based Screening for Cancers
Kunle Odunsi1, Tanja Pejovic, Raghu Savalgi
1Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT.
Surgical Technology International
|September 10, 2002
Summary
Cancer impacts public health significantly, with 3 in 10 individuals diagnosed lifetime. The American Cancer Society (ACS) reports 1.25 million US diagnoses and 550,000 deaths annually, highlighting a substantial health and economic burden.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
- Health Economics
Background:
- Cancer represents a critical public health issue with significant individual and societal impact.
- Lifetime cancer diagnosis affects approximately 30% of the population.
- Annual incidence and mortality rates underscore the disease's prevalence.
Purpose of the Study:
- To outline the epidemiological scope of cancer in the United States.
- To detail the economic ramifications of cancer, including direct costs, morbidity, and mortality.
- To underscore the comprehensive burden of cancer as a public health concern.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of current cancer incidence and mortality statistics.
- Estimation of the economic burden based on direct medical costs, morbidity, and mortality.
- Review of data from organizations like the American Cancer Society (ACS).
Main Results:
- An estimated 1.25 million cancer diagnoses occur annually in the US.
- Nearly 550,000 cancer-related deaths are recorded each year in the US.
- The total economic burden of cancer in the US was estimated at $104 billion in 1990, encompassing direct costs ($35 billion), morbidity ($12 billion), and mortality ($57 billion).
Conclusions:
- Cancer imposes a staggering financial and human cost.
- The economic impact includes substantial expenditures on prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and productivity losses.
- Addressing cancer requires a multi-faceted approach considering its profound public health and economic consequences.