Cancer treatment in the U.S. could be set to skyrocket in cost, posing a potentially severe problem for patients and insurers alike, according to a study from the National Cancer Institute.
Based on an analysis of the 13 most common cancers in men and the 16 most common in women, the country’s aging population could push spending on treatment for the disease up to $158 billion by 2020. However, this estimate is based solely on the current rates for cancer treatment, and even a 2 percent annual increase could push that number far higher, the NCI said.
The authors say their study has limitations, though, and that more analysis is needed.
“To investigate the impact of specific cancer control strategies on cancer survivorship and to estimate the societal return on investments in cancer research, more complex modeling approaches are necessary,” they wrote.
Preventative care is key to making sure cancers are caught early and not given time to develop, as well as to helping save money on health insurance .
