Hospital charges for terminal care of cancer patients dying before age 65

Cancers are common causes of death before age 65 years, but health care costs have rarely been examined. Data from the statewide population-based Connecticut Tumor Registry were linked with the statewide hospital-discharge database, for cancer patients who died in 1992 before age 65 years. Average cancer-related charges for stays at Connecticut hospitals during the last year of life for lung and breast cancer were $31,000-$37,000 per patient, and total charges were $9 million-$12 million. Trends in the health care system and in patient preferences may affect future hospital charges for terminal care of cancer patients.