Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: Impact on Businesses and the Economy
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Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer |
Burden
of the Disease
Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) accounts for around 85% of all lung cancers
diagnosed. It is one of the most common cancers globally with over 2 million
new cases reported annually. In the United States alone, NSCLC affects over
224,000 individuals each year according to recent cancer statistics. The high
incidence of this disease has serious socioeconomic implications. While
advances in treatment have modestly improved survival rates, NSCLC still has a
5-year survival rate of only 18%. This poor prognosis means the disease tends
to impact individuals during their prime working years resulting in significant
work absences and lost productivity.
Economic Cost of Treatment
Treatment for NSCLC poses a huge financial burden on both individuals and the
healthcare system. Surgery, which is the main treatment option for early-stage
NSCLC, can cost anywhere between $30,000 to $90,000 depending on the procedure.
For later stage or advanced NSCLC, the preferred treatment is often
chemotherapy. The cost of one cycle of chemo ranges from $5,000 to $15,000 on
an average. Targeted therapies and immunotherapy drugs, which are now becoming
standard of care for many Non-Small
Cell Lung Cancer patients, have
a list price of over $10,000 per month. When combined with supportive care
medications and periodic monitoring scans, the total medical expenditure for a
single patient can rise to hundreds of thousands of dollars over the course of
active treatment and follow-up. At a population level, the annual cost of lung
cancer in the US is estimated to be over $24 billion as per American Lung
Association figures.
Impact on Employers and the Workforce
NSCLC not only poses financial costs but also loss of productive man hours and
employee absenteeism which negatively impacts businesses and the overall
economy. Treatment schedules often require frequent hospital visits and
prolonged sick leaves. Physical symptoms from the disease and side effects of
therapy like fatigue, nausea etc. also impair daily functioning and work
performance. A survey found NSCLC patients miss an average of 11 working days
in the initial treatment phase and over 5 days in every follow-up year. This
directly hits company revenues as well as coworker productivity due to
increased workloads. In worst cases, lung cancer may force employees into early
retirement or even result in job termination. This loss of trained, experienced
workers then impacts operations and increases costs of rehiring and retraining
replacements.
Rising Healthcare Insurance Premiums
As medical expenditures on NSCLC and other cancers continue expanding
year-on-year, healthcare insurance providers are forced to regularly raise
insurance premiums to keep up with rising costs. This severely affects
businesses as higher premiums increase employee benefit expenses. A 2019 report
showed employer sponsored family healthcare plans saw average annual premiums
rise by over 5% from the previous year to reach $20,576. Insurance rate hikes
disproportionately hurt small and medium enterprises with limited budgets. They
often struggle to provide comprehensive coverage while continuing to attract
skilled talent. Increased premiums are also passed on to employees in forms of
higher co-pay deductions impacting their take-home income. If left unaddressed,
uncontrollable growth in cancer healthcare costs pose a real threat to
sustainability of employer-sponsored insurance schemes.
Impact on Wellness Programs
Preventive healthcare and wellness initiatives undertaken by companies to curb
rising medical costs are hampered in presence of NSCLC and other lifestyle
unrelated cancers. Resources spent on screening programs, smoking cessation
drives etc. may not yield expected returns as incidence of such cancers cannot
be controlled through behavioral modifications alone. This discourages further
investments in such programs. It also influences design of incentive mechanisms
linked to meeting health targets. Companies may be reluctant to penalize
employees struggling with treatment of NSCLC or experiencing recurrences
despite best efforts to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Alternative incentive
structures focusing more on emotional wellbeing and work-life balance during
illness may need consideration. Overall, incidence of NSCLC limits ability of
businesses to impact healthcare spending through conventional wellness
interventions.
Impact on National Economy
At a macroeconomic level, impacts of NSCLC like lost work hours, increased
disability claims, higher insurance premiums, reduced productivity, costs of
extended treatment and diminished workforce participation directly inflate
healthcare costs for the nation. In US, annual projected costs of cancer to the
economy was estimated at $216 billion as per one report. A large chunk is
attributed to lung cancer owing to its high prevalence and treatment expenses.
Reduced tax collections due to absenteeism, unemployment and lost incomes also
affect government revenues. This strains public health budgets and limits
funding for other developmental programs. With disease burden and costs
projected to rise further worldwide owing to aging populations, untreated risks
and expanding treatment options, NSCLC poses a serious threat to sustainability
of global economies if not adequately addressed.
Concerted Action Needed
It is evident NSCLC exerts considerable financial burden on businesses as well
as national economies. To curb this impact, coordinated multi-pronged
strategies are needed involving stakeholders from public, private and
non-profit sectors. Increased awareness about risks and early symptoms can
boost screening rates helping detect tumors at curable stages. Smoothening
approval pathways for cheaper generic drugs as well as supporting fast access
to innovative immunotherapies may help lower costs of long-term care.
Governments need to incentivize domestic pharmaceutical production while
negotiating fair international drug prices. Employers can support wellness of
NSCLC patients and caregivers through flexible work arrangements and mental
health benefits. Collective efforts are required to decrease incidence and
treatment expenditures of NSCLC to promote economic health aligned with public
health goals.
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