Resource allocation in oncology

Resources in the healthcare system are limited. The question thus arises of how to make best use of the available resources in different countries. This paper is based on a literature search for publications on resource allocation for malignant neoplasms in different databases (e.g., Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, OECD; World Health Organization, WHO; PubMed). In countries with highly developed healthcare systems, two trends can be observed regarding oncologic diseases: an increase in incidence and a decrease in mortality. An increase in the occurrence of new disease can be explained by earlier and improved diagnostic measures; the decline in mortality rates is the result of constantly improving treatment methods and new drugs. These trends are accompanied by a continuous increase in healthcare spending. In the USA, the 2003-2012 increase was 38.9 %, in Germany 34.3 % (2003-2013), and in the UK 18.9 % (2007-2011).