Indirect Costs Due to Lung Cancer-Related Premature Mortality in Four European Countries

Lung cancer accounts for approximately 20% of all cancer deaths and for the loss of 3.2 million disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) annually in Europe. The objective of this study was to evaluate the changes of productivity losses from 2010-2015 and 2015-2019 that occur because of premature deaths due to lung cancer in four European countries. The human capital approach (HCA) was used to estimate indirect cost of productivity losses due to premature death from lung cancer (ICD-10 codes: C33-34 malignant neoplasm of trachea, bronchus and lung) in Belgium, the Netherlands, Norway and Poland. Years of productive life lost (YPLL) and present value of future lost productivity (PVFLP) were calculated using age and sex specific mortality, wages and employment rates. Retirement age was fixed at 65 years. Data were sourced from the World Health Organization, Eurostat and the World Bank. Costs were expressed in 2019 euros (€). In 2019 there were 41 469 lung cancer deaths in four countries resulting in 69 520 YPLL and more than 1B€ of premature mortality costs (Table). From 2010-2015 premature mortality cost of lung cancer decreased by 14% in Belgium, 13% in the Netherlands, 28% in Norway and 21% in Poland. From 2015-2019 premature mortality cost of lung cancer decreased by 26% in Belgium, 23% in the Netherlands, 28% in Norway and 27% in Poland.Table: 1351PPresent value of future productivity (€) of lung cancer related mortalityPVFLP (€) 2010PVFLP (€) 2015PVFLP (€) 2019Belgium373,709,938320,593,441236,527,776Netherlands652,533,844568,345,951437,799,736Norway112,256,13380,256,62657,944,606Poland473,181,661375,884,245274,151,921Total1,611,681,5771,345,080,2641,006,424,039 Open table in a new tab The productivity costs of premature mortality due to lung cancer are substantial with a decreasing trend due to a decline in lung cancer deaths in the working-age population. These results provide an economic measure of the lung cancer burden which may assist decision makers in allocating scarce resources amongst competing priorities.