The crucial role of early diagnosis for patients and the nation, understanding the costs of late-stage cancer diagnosis from a large district general hospital in England

BACKGROUND: Early cancer diagnosis is crucial in improving the survival. The main goal in NHS in cancer diagnosis is detection rate of 75% by 2028. Our study presents the economic analysis of impact of early versus late-cancer diagnosis on healthcare resources use and costs within our Trust also exploring the influence of deprivation index. METHODS: We retrospectively analyse the cost-of-care and patient-level data for 4596 patients across nine cancer groups who fully completed their cancer pathway between April 2020 and September 2024. Costs were compared between early (stage 1 and 2) versus late (stage 3 and 4) diagnosis. RESULTS: Significant variations in costs were determine across cancer types, with colorectal and haematological malignancies being most costly. Early-stage diagnosis averaged £11,2K, significantly lower than late- stage £23,8K with largest differences seen in haematological, colorectal and breast cancers. A hypothetical 75% early detection rate could save the trust £14.7 million over four years. Successful treatment yielded an average 10.74 years of healthy life expectancy, further increased by early detection. CONCLUSIONS: Late cancer diagnosis dramatically increases healthcare costs underscoring the importance of early detection and advanced screening methods. Extrapolating a 75% early detection rate across the NHS could yield substantial financial savings, highlighting its impact on healthcare efficiency.