National-level estimation of long-term economic burden for lung cancer patients in China

With the rapid increase in the incidence and mortality of lung cancer, a growing number of patients with lung cancer and their families are facing a tremendous economic burden owing to the high cost of treatment in China. This study aimed to estimate the long-term (5 years post-diagnosis) economic burden on patients with lung cancer newly diagnosed in 2015 in China.

This study utilized data from a multicenter survey, involving 469 patients in eastern, central, and western China. From the survey, direct and indirect economic burdens were calculated, and the number of survivors 5 years later based on the national incidence of lung cancer and the observed survival rate in 2015 were estimated. Based on this, we performed descriptive statistical analysis using Excel and calculated the long-term economic burden on patients with lung cancer across the country in 2015 during the 5 years after disease onset.

The total economic burden for the 2015 cohort 5 years post-diagnosis was $12.7 billion, equivalent to 0.13% of China's 2015 gross domestic product. Direct costs accounted for 64% ($8.1 billion), while indirect costs accounted for 36% ($4.6 billion). Among the investigated components, direct medical costs constituted the largest share (57% of the total burden), followed by indirect costs from missed work (26%), indirect costs from premature death (10%), and direct non-medical costs (7%).

The economic burden of lung cancer in China is substantial and is dominated by direct medical costs. There is an urgent need for policy measures focusing on multi-tiered medical insurance system improvements, cost-control mechanisms, and the promotion of early screening and diagnosis to alleviate this burden on patients, families, and the healthcare system.