The Global, Regional, and National Economic Burden of Malignant Bone and Joint Neoplasms and Soft-Tissue and Other Extraosseous Sarcomas: A Health-Economic Modeling Study

Abstract

<title>Abstract</title> <bold>Background:</bold> The global incidence of bone and soft tissue sarcomas has continued to rise, a trend further exacerbated by population aging and limited healthcare resources in low- and middle-income countries. These malignancies impose a substantial macroeconomic burden through productivity loss and extensive healthcare expenditures. A systematic assessment of their economic impact is therefore essential for optimizing global health resource allocation. This study aims to quantify the macroeconomic burden attributable to malignant neoplasms of bone and joints and soft tissue sarcomas at global, regional, and national levels in 2021. <bold>Methods:</bold> Drawing on data from the World Bank and the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021 dataset, this study applied the Value of Lost Welfare (VLW) model to estimate the macroeconomic burden of malignant neoplasms of bone and joints and soft tissue sarcomas across 193 countries. All economic indicators were adjusted using purchasing power parity (PPP) to ensure comparability across nations. Health losses were quantified using disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) obtained from GBD estimates, and these losses were converted into economic values through the VLW framework, which is based on the Value of a Statistical Life (VSL). To further examine the relative economic impact across regions, the analysis was stratified according to the seven super-regional classifications defined by the GBD. <bold>Results:</bold> Globally, malignant neoplasms of bone and articular cartilage, together with soft tissue and other extra-osseous sarcomas, resulted in a total VLW of USD 32.52 billion, representing 0.03% of the global gross domestic product (GDP). Soft tissue sarcomas accounted for USD 18.86 billion of this burden, substantially exceeding the USD 13.66 billion attributable to malignant neoplasms of bone and articular cartilage. High-income regions exhibited the highest absolute VLW at USD 20.75 billion, whereas Central Europe, Eastern Europe, and Central Asia experienced the greatest relative economic impact, with VLW corresponding to 0.042% of the regional GDP. The value of lost life-years among male patients reached USD 17.92 billion, notably higher than the USD 14.60 billion estimated for female patients. <bold>Conclusion:</bold> This quantitative assessment demonstrates that malignant tumors of bone and soft tissues impose a substantial economic burden on global development, with pronounced heterogeneity across disease types, geographic regions, and sexes. These findings highlight the need to prioritize strengthening fundamental diagnostic and treatment capacities in economically vulnerable regions and to implement targeted prevention and control measures that account for variations by tumor type and sex.

Affiliated Institutions

• Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences MN
• Mongolian National University MN

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