BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE: In China, esophageal cancer is the forth death cause of malignant cancers. The survival rate of esophageal cancer patients is less than 10%. Early detection and treatment of esophageal cancer is essential to improve the survival rate of these patients. This study was to evaluate the economic and social benefits of the project "early detection and treatment of esophageal cancer" through cost-benefit analysis, so as to provide evidence to extend this project. METHODS: Interview with structured questionnaires was conducted by stratified sampling among 136 esophageal cancer patients in 3 hospitals at Linzhou City, and a sampling survey was conducted among 53 patients at their homes afterwards. The 2 surveys measured the expense of "traditional treatment of esophageal cancer". Based on an intervention study of "early detection and treatment of esophageal cancer" among 936 persons at Linzhou City, cost-benefit analysis and the evaluation of economic burden of disease among esophageal cancer patients were carried out. RESULTS: The expense of "traditional treatment of esophageal cancer" was 7,183 Yuan per patient. Regarding the 936 persons who were recruited to the intervention study, the cost was 148,246 Yuan, and the benefit was 589,006 Yuan. The difference between benefit and cost of the project was 440,760 Yuan. The benefit-cost ratio was 4:1. By the project, the ratio of the expense in treating disease to the total family income in 1 year was reduced from 1.300 to 0.125. CONCLUSION: The cost of "early detection and treatment of esophageal cancer" is low, while the benefit is high, and the project can also lighten the economic burden of esophageal cancer patients.
BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE: In China, esophageal cancer is the forth death cause of malignant cancers. The survival rate of esophageal cancerpatients is less than 10%. Early detection and treatment of esophageal cancer is essential to improve the survival rate of these patients. This study was to evaluate the economic and social benefits of the project "early detection and treatment of esophageal cancer" through cost-benefit analysis, so as to provide evidence to extend this project. METHODS: Interview with structured questionnaires was conducted by stratified sampling among 136 esophageal cancerpatients in 3 hospitals at Linzhou City, and a sampling survey was conducted among 53 patients at their homes afterwards. The 2 surveys measured the expense of "traditional treatment of esophageal cancer". Based on an intervention study of "early detection and treatment of esophageal cancer" among 936 persons at Linzhou City, cost-benefit analysis and the evaluation of economic burden of disease among esophageal cancerpatients were carried out. RESULTS: The expense of "traditional treatment of esophageal cancer" was 7,183 Yuan per patient. Regarding the 936 persons who were recruited to the intervention study, the cost was 148,246 Yuan, and the benefit was 589,006 Yuan. The difference between benefit and cost of the project was 440,760 Yuan. The benefit-cost ratio was 4:1. By the project, the ratio of the expense in treating disease to the total family income in 1 year was reduced from 1.300 to 0.125. CONCLUSION: The cost of "early detection and treatment of esophageal cancer" is low, while the benefit is high, and the project can also lighten the economic burden of esophageal cancerpatients.