PharmacoEconomics & Outcomes News 414 - 31 May 2003

■ Elderly survivors of breast cancer receive morenon-cancer preventive healthcare services in the USthan matched controls, say US-based researchers.They used 1997–1998 US Medicare data to comparepreventive healthcare use among 5965 patientsdiagnosed with nonmetastatic breast cancer in1991–1992, and 6062 matched controls with nocancer history. During the 1997–1998 period,significantly more breast cancer survivors receivedinfluenza vaccination, lipid level testing, cervical andcolon examinations and bone densitometry, comparedwith controls. However, the between-groupdifferences disappeared when the control group wasrestricted to those who had undergone mammographyduring 1991–1992. Enhanced participation in thehealthcare system may explain the better quality ofcare among breast cancer patients, the researcherscomment.Earle CC, et al. Quality of non-breast cancer health maintenance amongelderly breast cancer survivors. Journal of Clinical Oncology 21: 1447-1451,15 Apr 2003 800925301

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PharmacoEconomics & Outcomes News 31 May 2003 No. 4141173-5503/10/0414-0001/$14.95 Adis © 2010 Springer International Publishing AG. All rights reserved