2021 Survey: $43 Billion Spent on Cancer Screening

The estimated cost of the five most common cancer screenings in the United States is $43 billion. That’s according to a just-published study that looked at breast, cervical, colorectal, lung, and prostate cancer screenings; colorectal cancer screening accounting for 64% of the total (Ann Intern Med 2024 Aug 6 [Epub ahead of print]). Pulling self-reported data for the preceding year from the 2021 National Health Interview Survey, researchers found that screening is less expensive than cancer treatment in the 12 months following diagnosis, although they did not factor in the cost of any follow-up care. They also noted that private insurance accounted for about 88% of the total. Because screening rates dropped dramatically in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the true cost could be higher. Regardless, the team wrote, “identification of cancer screening costs and their drivers is critical to help inform policy and…for enhancing access to recommended cancer screening services.”