Cost of prostate cancer care varies with initial treatment choice

The investigation demonstrates that treatments that may be less expensive in the short-term may have higher long-term costs. Hormonal therapy plus radiation ($25,097) and surgery ($19,214) had the second and third highest five-year total costs.

After excluding the last 12 months of life (because patterns of costs are quite different in the period prior to death), total costs were highest for hormonal therapy plus radiation ($23,488) and hormonal therapy only ($23,199).

These findings provide new information for patients, providers, and payers involved in prostate cancer care. Despite the high prevalence of early stage prostate cancer and the controversies associated with determining initial treatment, few other studies have examined both the short-term and long-term costs of available treatment options.