Evaluating the total costs of cancer. The Northwestern University Costs of Cancer Program.

The Northwestern University Costs of Cancer Program consists of a series of pilot studies that address the costs of cancer care. The program is designed to serve as a template in preparation for undertaking a large-scale study of a nationally representative sample of cancer patients--i.e., in preparation for a cancer costs and services utilization study in the future. In this article, we outline the theoretical framework associated with a study of cancer costs and summarize findings from our ongoing pilot studies in this area.