Economic burden of acute myeloid leukemia on patients in a resource-limited tertiary hospital in the Philippines

ABSTRACT Introduction: The remission induction treatment for acute myeloid leukemia (AML) has remained unchanged in the resource-limited setting in the Philippines. AML treatment consists of induction chemotherapy followed by high dose consolidation chemotherapy or allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. In the Philippines, the Filipino household bears the burden of health care cost of hospitalization expenditure. Insights into the treatment costs becomes an essential requirement as these guides the allocation of resources to scheme health programs. Method: This study involved a retrospective cohort analysis of AML patients who underwent treatment for AML. Review of the statements of account per admission per patient during treatment for remission induction, consolidation, relapsed and refractory disease and best supportive care from 2017 to 2019. Of the 251 eligible patients, 190 patients were included. Result: The mean healthcare expenditure for remission induction chemotherapy (Phase 1) was US $2, 504.78 (Php 125,239.29). While 3 to 4 cycles of consolidation chemotherapy cost an average of US $3,222.72 (Php 162,103.20). For patients who had relapsed and refractory disease, an additional mean cost of US $3,163.32 (Php 159,115.28) and US $2, 914.72 (Php 146,610.55) were incurred, respectively. The average cost of palliative care was US $1,687.00 (Php 84,856.59). Conclusion: The cost of chemotherapy and other therapeutics bear most of the weight of the direct healthcare cost. The cost of AML treatment represents a significant economic burden for patients and the institution. The cost increases as patients proceed through subsequent lines of treatment for induction failure. Existing subsidy for health insurance benefits could still be improved for appropriate source allocation of resources.

Sistema de selección de sistemas elastocompresivos en personas con cáncer de mama de un hospital con recursos limitados / Selection system for elastocompressive systems in people with breast cancer from a hospital with limited resources

El cáncer de mama es un problema de salud pública en Chile. El linfedema es un trastorno linfovascular secundario a la extirpación de los ganglios linfáticos por cirugía en el cáncer de mama, que produce un aumento del volumen y la fibrosis en el miembro superior. Diferentes prendas de compresión son usadas para la prevención y el tratamiento del linfedema. Por eso, el programa de Garantías Ex-plícitas en Salud garantiza la entrega de sistemas elastocompresivos a las personas con diagnóstico de cáncer de mama para prevenir y tratar el linfedema. Sin embargo, en hospitales públicos los sistemas elastocompresivos pueden ser recursos limitados, por eso, muchas veces se deben priorizar. Este artículo tiene por objetivo describir un sistema de selección de sistemas elastocompresivos en personas con diagnóstico de cáncer de mama en el modelo de atención kinesiológico temprano y prospectivo.

Breast cancer is a public health problem in Chile. Lymphedema is a lymphovascular disorder secondary to the removal of lymph nodes by surgery in breast cancer, resulting in increased volume and fibrosis in the upper limb. Different compression garments are used for the prevention and treatment of lymphedema. Therefore, the "Garantías Explícitas en Salud" program guarantees the delivery of compression garments to people diagnosed with breast cancer to prevent and treat lymphedema. However, in public hospitals, the compression garments can be limited resources, so they often need to be prioritized. This article aims to describe the selection system for compression garments in people diagnosed with breast cancer in the early and prospective physical therapy care model.