Societal costs of ovarian cancer in a population-based cohort - a cost of illness analysis.

BACKGROUND: The societal cost associated with ovarian cancer (OC) is not well known. Increasing costs for new treatments and/or the impact of organizational changes motivates these costs to be described and communicated. This study aims to evaluate the cost of illness of OC in a population-based cohort. MATERIAL AND METHODS: All patients diagnosed with ovarian, fallopian tube, primary peritoneal cancer, and serous cancer of undesignated primary site (UPS) in 2011-2012 were followed for six years. Direct costs, i.e., costs for health care expenditures, were gathered from the regional healthcare database. Information on indirect costs, i.e., costs of loss of production due to sick leave, was retrieved from Statistics Sweden. Sub-group analyses were conducted regarding stage, income levels, residential area, and diagnosis. RESULTS: The cost of illness for all stages during the six years of follow-up was €201,086 per patient, where indirect costs constituted 43.7%. The mean cost of illness per year per patient for all stages was €33,514. Direct costs were higher in advanced stages compared to early stages for every year from diagnosis. During the first two years, there were no differences in indirect costs between early and advanced stages. However, during the third year there was a difference with higher indirect costs in advanced stages. There was no difference in direct costs depending on income levels. Regarding residential area, there was a difference in the outpatient cost during the index and second year with higher costs when chemotherapy and follow-up were provided at county hospitals, compared to at the tertiary hospital. CONCLUSIONS: Indirect costs constituted a large part of the cost of illness over 6 years from diagnosis. This could indicate that even though treatment costs can be expected to rise with the introduction of new therapies, the societal cost may decrease when survival increase.

In Vitro Assessment of Human Natural Killer Cell Migration and Invasion.

Cell invasion assays are important to obtain valuable functional data relating to tissue migration and invasion of effector lymphocytes. Boyden chamber invasion assays represent a reductionist system that allows for easy manipulation using various extracellular matrix (ECM) components addressing migratory functions or invasion into/through a three-dimensional matrix where migration and invasion inhibitors as well as stimulators can be added. Presented here is a description using the Transwell(®) system where invasion and migration can be studied. It constitutes an inner cell culture well with a (PET) polycarbonate filter with 3-8 µm pores that allow for cells to transverse to the bottom chamber where they can be recorded by various methods (Fig. 1). The polycarbonate filters may be coated with ECM proteins for migration and adhesive studies or covered with a thick layer that occludes the pores to address matrix degradation, i.e., invasion as described in this chapter.

Trends in Gender Differences in Cardiac Care and Outcome After Acute Myocardial Infarction in Western Sweden: A Report From the Swedish Web System for Enhancement of Evidence-Based Care in Heart Disease Evaluated According to Recommended Therapies (SWEDEHEART).

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular disease is the most common cause of death for both genders. Debates are ongoing as to whether gender-specific differences in clinical course, diagnosis, and management of acute myocardial infarction (MI) exist. METHODS AND RESULTS: We compared all men and women who were treated for acute MI at cardiac care units in Västra Götaland, Sweden, between January 1995 and October 2014 by obtaining data from the prospective SWEDEHEART (Swedish Web-System for Enhancement of Evidence-Based Care in Heart Disease Evaluated According to Recommended Therapies) registry. We performed unadjusted and adjusted Cox proportional hazards and logistic regression analyses on complete case data and on imputed data sets. Overall, 48 118 patients (35.4% women) were diagnosed with acute MI. Women as a group had better age-adjusted prognosis than men, but this survival benefit was absent for younger women (aged <60 years) and for women with ST-segment elevation MI. Compared with men, younger women and women with ST-segment elevation MI were more likely to develop prehospital cardiogenic shock (adjusted odds ratio 1.67, 95% CI 1.30 to 2.16, P<0.001 and adjusted odds ratio 1.31, 95% CI 1.16 to 1.48, P<0.001) and were less likely to be prescribed evidence-based treatment at discharge (P<0.001 for ß-blockers, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers, statins, and P2Y12 antagonists). Differences in treatment between the genders did not decrease over the study period (P>0.1 for all treatments). CONCLUSIONS: Women on average have better adjusted prognosis than men after acute MI; however, younger women and women with ST-segment elevation MI have disproportionately poor prognosis and are less likely to be prescribed evidence-based treatment.

Radical prostatectomy versus high-dose irradiation in localized/locally advanced prostate cancer: A Swedish multicenter randomized trial with patient-reported outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Treatment of localized prostate cancer (PC) is controversial. This is the first randomized study comparing an open surgery procedure (radical prostatectomy) with a combination of high-dose rate brachytherapy (2×10 Gy) and external beam radiotherapy (25×2 Gy) in PC patients in Sweden 1996-2001. The two randomization arms were compared regarding differences in patients-reported outcomes, such as complications and health-related quality of life (HRQoL). MATERIAL AND METHODS: The patients had localized/locally advanced PC, clinical category T1b-T3a, N0, M0 and PSA≤50 ng/ml. All underwent total androgen blockade (six months). Self-reported HRQoL and symptoms including urinary, bowel, and sexual side effects were investigated prospectively before randomization and 12 and 24 months after randomization. A total of 89 patients were randomized and completed the EORTC QLQ C-33 and EORTC PR-25 questionnaires. RESULTS: Over the study period, there were no discernible differences in HRQoL, or complications between the two groups. Emotional functioning, however, improved statistically significantly over time, whereas Social functioning decreased, and financial difficulties increased. No statistically significant differences in group-by-time interactions were found. The survival rate was 76%. Only eight patients (9%) died of PC. CONCLUSION: Open radical prostatectomy and the combined high-dose rate brachytherapy with external beam radiation appeared to be comparable in the measured outcomes. It was not possible to draw any conclusion on the efficacy of the two treatments due to insufficient power of the study.

Long-term results following switch from abciximab to eptifibatide during percutaneous coronary intervention.

BACKGROUND: The usage of platelet glycoprotein (GP) IIb/IIIa receptor inhibitors improves the outcome during high-risk percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI). The aim of this study was to evaluate the long-term effects after a planned switch from abciximab to eptifibatide during PCI. HYPOTHESIS: A switch from the general use of abciximab to eptifibatide as a GP IIb/IIIa in connection with PCI would not have any negative effects on long-term clinical outcomes. METHODS: To reduce costs, a general switch from abciximab to eptifibatide was instituted in 2004 in 2 university hospitals in Sweden. All patients treated 6 months before and 6 months after the switch were followed for 30 months. During the study period, 1038 patients underwent PCI and received a GP IIb/IIIa receptor inhibitor, 481 (46%) before the switch (Group A) and 557 (54%) after the switch (Group B). The 2 groups had similar baseline characteristics. The primary endpoint was the composite of death, myocardial infarction, stroke, or new coronary revascularization (percutaneous or surgical); secondary endpoints were the individual components of this composite. A separate analysis was performed on patients treated for ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction, non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction/unstable angina, and diabetes, respectively. Data were collected from the Swedish Coronary Angiography and Angioplasty Registry. RESULTS: There were no differences between the groups in the primary endpoint (29.7% in Group A vs 29.3% in Group B; P = 0.48) or in any of the secondary endpoints. CONCLUSIONS: A switch from the general usage of abciximab to eptifibatide as a GP IIb/IIIa receptor inhibitor in connection with PCI did not seem to have any negative effects on long-term clinical outcomes.