Budget impact analysis of the novel PD-1 inhibitor toripalimab versus pembrolizumab in recurrent or metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

AIM: To estimate the budget impact of adding a toripalimab regimen as a treatment option to the existing pembrolizumab regimen, both including gemcitabine and cisplatin, in untreated recurrent/metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma (R/M NPC) using the published wholesale acquisition cost (WAC) and average sales price (ASP). METHODS: Budget impact analysis comparing a treatment mix "without" versus "with" the toripalimab regimen in the US eligible annual incident R/M NPC population, a 3-year time horizon, toripalimab/pembrolizumab market splits of 60/40 (Y1) and 80/20 (Y2/3), and medication adjustments for discontinuation or progression. Cost inputs included drugs, administration, and adverse event (AE) management. The models were replicated for a hypothetical 1-million-member health plan in which costs per-member-per-month (PMPM) and per-member-per-year (PMPY) were estimated. One-way (OWSA) and probabilistic sensitivity analyses (PSA) as well as scenario analyses were performed. RESULTS: In the "without" scenario, the 3-year WAC-based costs for the pembrolizumab regimen total $1,449,695,333 ($1,305,632,448 for treatment and $144,062,885 for managing AEs). In the "with" scenario, total 3-year costs for pembrolizumab decline to $380,012,135 with toripalimab adding $885,505,900 ($779,206,567 for treatment and $106,299,333 for AE management). Annual net savings range from $46,526,152 in 2024 to $71,194,214 in 2026, for 3-year savings of $184,177,298. Associated net savings in a 1-million-member health plan are $543,068 over 3 years with savings of $0.045 PMPM and $0.543 PMPY. The ASP-based model shows similar patterns with 3-year net savings of $174,235,983 in the US incident population and savings of $0.043 PMPM and $0.514 PMPY in a 1-million-member health plan. The PSA support base case findings; OWSA and scenario analyses reveal how parameter variability impacts results. CONCLUSION: Savings between $174 million and $184 million can be achieved from treating 60% of R/M NPC patients in year 1 and 80% in years 2 and 3 with the toripalimab regimen over a similar pembrolizumab regimen.

Toripalimab, a human monoclonal anti-body that targets PD-1, was recently approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the first-line treatment of adults with metastatic or recurrent, locally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), in combination with gemcitabine and cisplatin. We evaluated how much it would cost a payor to cover the FDA-approved toripalimab plus gemcitabine and cisplatin regimen (the toripalimab regimen) to a non-FDA-approved pembrolizumab plus gemcitabine and cisplatin regimen (the pembrolizumab regimen). With no trial data available for such pembrolizumab regimen, we assumed that it would be comparable to the toripalimab regimen in efficacy and safety. Our model adopted a 3-year time horizon and assumed a 60/40 market share split in year 1 and an 80/20 market split in years 2 and 3. It included two US cost inputs: the wholesale acquisition cost (WAC) or "list price" at market entry and, as no average sales price (ASP) will be available for toripalimab for several quarters, a toripalimab price point of 80% of the pembrolizumab ASP. We adjusted for patients whose cancer progressed or who discontinued treatment to determine the number of fully-treated-patient-equivalents. We found that treating 60% of NPC patients in year 1 and 80% in years 2 and 3 with the toripalimab regimen instead of the pembrolizumab regimen generates, for the entire adjusted patient population, savings ranging from $174 million when using ASP to $184 million when using WAC.

Letter to the editor regarding "Induction chemotherapy regimes in first-line treatment for locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma: A network meta-analysis and cost-effectiveness analysis.

The research paper offers a detailed analysis of induction chemotherapy regimens for locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (LA-NPC), assessing their effectiveness and cost-effectiveness. It presents important data on disease-free survival and overall survival outcomes. However, this letter suggests several improvements. It advocates for the inclusion of patient-centered outcomes such as quality of life and functional status to better gauge treatment impacts on daily living. Additionally, it calls for a more thorough investigation into long-term adverse effects and the role of biomarkers in tailoring treatments. It also recommends a comparative analysis of cost-effectiveness across various healthcare systems and the creation of practical guidelines for regimen selection. These proposed changes aim to enhance the study's practical relevance and clinical applicability.

Cost-effectiveness analysis of bevacizumab for cerebral radiation necrosis treatment based on real-world utility value in China.

BACKGROUND: Bevacizumab shows superior efficacy in cerebral radiation necrosis (CRN) therapy, but its economic burden remains heavy due to the high drug price. This study aims to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of bevacizumab for CRN treatment from the Chinese payers' perspective. METHODS: A decision tree model was developed to compare the costs and health outcomes of bevacizumab and corticosteroids for CRN therapy. Efficacy and safety data were derived from the NCT01621880 trial, which compared the effectiveness and safety of bevacizumab monotherapy with corticosteroids for CRN in nasopharyngeal cancer patients, and demonstrated that bevacizumab invoked a significantly higher response than corticosteroids (65.5% vs. 31.5%, P < 0.001) with no significant differences in adverse events between two groups. The utility value of the "non-recurrence" status was derived from real-world data. Costs and other utility values were collected from an authoritative Chinese network database and published literature. The primary outcomes were total costs, quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs), and incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER). The uncertainty of the model was evaluated via one-way and probabilistic sensitivity analyses. RESULTS: Bevacizumab treatment added 0.12 (0.48 vs. 0.36) QALYs compared to corticosteroid therapy, along with incremental costs of $ 2010 ($ 4260 vs. $ 2160). The resultant ICER was $ 16,866/QALY, which was lower than the willingness-to-pay threshold of $ 38,223/QALY in China. The price of bevacizumab, body weight, and the utility value of recurrence status were the key influential parameters for ICER. Probabilistic sensitivity analysis revealed that the probability of bevacizumab being cost-effectiveness was 84.9%. CONCLUSION: Compared with corticosteroids, bevacizumab is an economical option for CRN treatment in China.

Induction chemotherapy regimes in first-line treatment for locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma: A network meta-analysis and cost-effectiveness analysis.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of various induction chemotherapy (IC) regimens as first-line treatment for Locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (LA-NPC), aiming to provide clinicians and patients with informed insights to aid in treatment decision-making. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We conducted a network meta-analysis (NMA) and cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA) based on data from 10 clinical trials investigating IC regimens for the treatment of LA-NPC. A Bayesian NMA was performed, with the primary outcomes being hazard ratios (HRs) for disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS). To model the disease progression of LA-NPC, we developed a dynamic partitioned survival model consisting of three disease states: progression-free survival (PFS), progression disease (PD), and death. The model was run on a 3-week cycle for a research period of 10 years, with quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) and incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) serving as outcome measures. RESULTS: According to the surface under the cumulative ranking curve (SUCRA) estimates derived from the NMA, TPC and TP, as IC regimens, appear to exhibit superior efficacy compared to other treatment modalities. In terms of CEA, concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT), TPF + CCRT, and GP + CCRT were found to be dominated (more costs and less QALYs). Comparatively, TPC + CCRT emerged as a cost-effective option with an ICER of $1260.57/QALY when compared to PF + CCRT. However, TP + CCRT demonstrated even greater cost-effectiveness than TPC + CCRT, with an associated increase in costs of $3300.83 and an increment of 0.1578 QALYs per patient compared to TPC + CCRT, resulting in an ICER of $20917.62/QALY. CONCLUSION: Based on considerations of efficacy and cost-effectiveness, the TP + CCRT treatment regimen may emerge as the most favorable first-line therapeutic approach for patients with LA-NPC.

Toripalimab plus chemotherapy in American patients with recurrent or metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma: A cost-effectiveness analysis.

BACKGROUND: Toripalimab, combined with gemcitabine and cisplatin, has been approved as the first-line treatment for recurrent or metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma (RM-NPC), representing a significant milestone as the first FDA-approved innovative therapy for this condition. Despite this achievement, there's a lack of data on the cost-effectiveness of toripalimab for RM-NPC patients in the American context. METHODS: To assess the cost-effectiveness of toripalimab plus chemotherapy versus chemotherapy alone, a 3-state partitioned survival model was constructed. The study involved participants with characteristics matching those in the JUPITER-02 trial. Cost and utility inputs were collected from literature. Main outcomes measured were quality-adjusted life year (QALY), and incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER). Univariate and probabilistic sensitivity analyses, subgroup analyses, and scenario analyses were conducted to verify the robustness of results. RESULTS: The study found that the toripalimab regimen resulted in 4.390 QALYs at a cost of $361,813, while the chemotherapy-only regimen yielded 1.685 QALYs at a cost of $161,632. This translates to an ICER of $74,004/QALY, below the willingness-to-pay threshold of $150,000/QALY. Sensitivity analyses indicated that utility values, discount rate, and the price of toripalimab significantly impact INMB. With an 87.10% probability of being cost-effective at a $150,000/QALY threshold, the probabilistic sensitivity analysis supports toripalimab plus chemotherapy as a viable option. Scenario analysis showed that toripalimab remains cost-effective unless its price increases by 125%. Additionally, a simulated 15-year study period increases the ICER to $88,026/QALY. Subgroup analysis revealed ICERs of $76,538/QALY for PD-L1 positive and $70,158/QALY for PD-L1 negative groups. CONCLUSIONS: Toripalimab in combination with chemotherapy is likely to be a cost-effective alternative to standard chemotherapy for American patients with RM-NPC. This evidence can guide clinical and reimbursement decision-making in treating RM-NPC patients.

Optimization and Local Cost-Effectiveness of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Screening Strategies in Southern China: Secondary Analysis of the Guangdong Randomized Trial.

BACKGROUND: Screening with anti-Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) serology and endoscopy decreased nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) mortality in Guangdong in a randomized trial. We conducted a secondary analysis of this trial using local incidence and cost data to optimize screening programs, hypothesizing that screening could be cost-effective in southern China. METHODS: Screening costs and life-years after NPC diagnosis were obtained from the Guangdong trial's intent-to-screen population (men and women aged 30-69). Seropositive subjects were rescreened annually for 5 years. Thereafter, we evaluated 12 screening strategies in Guangdong and Guangxi using a validated model. Strategies used combinations of serology, nasopharyngeal swab PCR (NP PCR), endoscopy, and MRI from trial subcohorts. Incidence data and costs were obtained from local cancer registries and the provincial healthcare system. RESULTS: In the intent-to-screen population, screening with serology and endoscopy was cost-effective (¥42,366/life-year, 0.52 GDP per capita). Screening for 5 to 15 years between ages 35 and 59 years met a willingness-to-pay threshold of 1.5 GDP/quality-adjusted life-years in all modeled populations. Despite doubling costs, adding MRI could be cost-effective via improved sensitivity. NP PCR triage reduced endoscopy/MRI referrals by 37%. One-lifetime screen could reduce NPC mortality by approximately 20%. CONCLUSIONS: EBV-based serologic screening for NPC is likely to be cost-effective in southern China. Among seropositive subjects, the preferred strategies use endoscopy alone or selective endoscopy triaged by MRI with or without NP PCR. These data may aid the design of screening programs in this region. IMPACT: These findings support population-based screening in southern China by defining the target population, cost-effectiveness, and optimized screening approach.

Selectively recommend 18F-FDG PET/CT for patients with de novo nasopharyngeal carcinoma in endemic areas.

INTRODUCTION: To identify the subset of patients with de novo nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) for whom [18F] fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography and computed tomography (18F-FDG PET/CT) should be recommended, and to determine whether PET/CT is a cost-effective decision for precise M staging in endemic areas. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Retrospective analysis of data of 4469 patients diagnosed with de novo NPC between January 2014 and December 2019. The detection rate of distant metastasis was compared between different groups. Univariate and multiple logistic regression analysis was applied to identify the risk factors for distant metastasis. The cost-effectiveness of the diagnostic strategies was assessed. RESULTS: The detection rate of distant metastasis in the whole cohort was 5.46%. In multivariate analysis, male sex, T3-4 stage, N2-3 stage, and high plasma Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) DNA (≥ 14,650 copies/mL) were risk factors for distant metastases. NPC patients with T3-4 stage combined with N2-3 stage, high EBV DNA combined with male sex, or N2-3 stage combined with high EBV DNA were defined as recommended group with relatively higher tendency for metastasis. Distant metastasis incidence in recommended group and unrecommended group were 10.25% and 1.75%, respectively (P < 0.001). In the recommended group, PET/CT significantly improved the detection rate of distant metastasis (13.25% vs 9.02%, P = 0.005). Cost-effectiveness analysis revealed that additional cost for every one percent increase in distant metastasis detection rate was $22,785.58 in the recommended group (< Willingness-to-pay (WTP) threshold of $32,700.00) and $310,912.90 in the unrecommended group. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with de novo NPC, the tendency for metastasis can be predicted based on clinical parameters. 18F-FDG PET/CT should be selectively recommended for the subset of patients with a relatively higher tendency for metastasis.

Effectiveness and cost-effectiveness analysis of nimotuzumab for the radiotherapy of locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to assess the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of nimotuzumab in patients with locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (LA-NPC). METHODS: LA-NPC patients treated between October 2013 and December 2016 were retrospectively reviewed. A well-balanced cohort of patients who received nimotuzumab in addition to standard treatment (n = 50) and patients who did not receive nimotuzumab (n = 100) was selected using propensity score-matching method (1:2 ratio) for the cost-effectiveness analysis. RESULTS: Compared with concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) alone, addition of nimotuzumab to CCRT significantly improved the 3-year overall survival (OS) (98.00% vs. 91.00%, P = 0.032). On multivariate analysis, nimotuzumab (hazard ratio = 0.124, 95% confidence interval: 0.017-0.902, P = 0.039) showed prognostic significance for OS. No serious treatment-related adverse events were observed in the nimotuzumab group (P > 0.05). Cost-effectiveness analysis revealed that addition of nimotuzumab increased the average treatment costs by $14,364.63. The additional cost for every one percent increase in OS rate was $ 2,052.09. CONCLUSION: Addition of nimotuzumab to CCRT for LA-NPC confers significant survival benefits; however, it is not cost-effective.

An optimal posttreatment surveillance strategy for cancer survivors based on an individualized risk-based approach.

The optimal post-treatment surveillance strategy that can detect early recurrence of a cancer within limited visits remains unexplored. Here we adopt nasopharyngeal carcinoma as the study model to establish an approach to surveillance that balances the effectiveness of disease detection versus costs. A total of 7,043 newly-diagnosed patients are grouped according to a clinic-molecular risk grouping system. We use a random survival forest model to simulate the monthly probability of disease recurrence, and thereby establish risk-based surveillance arrangements that can maximize the efficacy of recurrence detection per visit. Markov decision-analytic models further validate that the risk-based surveillance outperforms the control strategies and is the most cost-effective. These results are confirmed in an external validation cohort. Finally, we recommend the risk-based surveillance arrangement which requires 10, 11, 13 and 14 visits for group I to IV. Our surveillance strategies might pave the way for individualized and economic surveillance for cancer survivors.

Correlation of chemotherapy costs with quality of life in nasopharyngeal cancer patients.

Background Nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC) is the most common neck/head cancer occurring in Indonesia and is the fourth most malignant after breast cancer, cervical cancer, and lung cancer. It is known that the cost of chemotherapy may not be separated from quality of life (QoL) to reflect the success of therapy, especially in cancer patients. Thus, studies on the correlation between chemotherapy cost and the QoL in NPC patients are needed. Methods The participants were recruited by a consecutive sampling method. All patients diagnosed with NPC using a paclitaxel-cisplatin chemotherapy regimen in August-March 2019 for first until the third chemotherapy cycle were assessed for their the chemotherapy cost and QoL before the first chemotherapy cycle and after the third cycle using the EORTC QLQ-C30 questionnaire. Chemotherapy cost and QoL were analyzed using SPSS version 20 to find out the correlation. Results Data from 26 patients showed a notable increase in the QoL after the third chemotherapy cycle. Thus, there was a relationship between chemotherapy cost and QoL in NPC patients. The total cost of chemotherapy increased with the increase in cycles of chemotherapy. We further analyzed the correlation between QoL and the cost of chemotherapy. We found that there was a correlation between the cost and the aspects of global health status, the QoL. Conclusions It is concluded that chemotherapy that is followed by the increase in cost in chemotherapy improves the QoL.

Cost-effectiveness analysis of gemcitabine plus cisplatin versus fluorouracil plus cisplatin in the first-line setting for Chinese patients with metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

PURPOSE: A randomized phase III trial demonstrated that gemcitabine plus cisplatin (GP) prolonged progression-free survival and overall survival compared with fluorouracil plus cisplatin (FP) as first-line chemotherapy in patients with metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). The cost-effectiveness analysis was designed to identify the economic option for metastatic NPC from a Chinese societal perspective. METHODS: We established a Markov model that involved three health states representing the stages of disease to simulate therapy. Survival data of clinical outcomes were derived from the trial and adjusted to quality-adjusted life years (QALYs). Transition probabilities and health utilities were obtained from the clinical trial and published literatures. The cost-effective strategy was estimated for these treatments using a willing-to-pay (WTP) threshold. A one-way sensitivity analysis was conducted to study the influences of parameters. RESULTS: GP treatment group produced a gain of 0.37 QALYs with an incremental cost of $2520.80, yielding an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of $6812.97 per QALY, compared with FP treatment ($15,530.96 versus $13,010.16). The ICER was lower than the accepted WTP threshold, which was 3 times gross domestic product per capita of China ($25,749 per QALY). CONCLUSION: GP regimen is more cost-effective compared with FP regimen as the first-line treatment for Chinese patients with metastatic NPC.

Juvenile Nasopharyngeal Angiofibroma Outcomes and Cost: Analysis of the Kids' Inpatient Database.

OBJECTIVE: To report trends in Juvenile Nasopharyngeal Angiofibroma (JNA) hospitalizations and identify key factors affecting treatment outcomes and cost of care in JNA patients. METHODS: The Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) Kids' Inpatient Database was queried for all cases of JNA between the years of 1997 and 2016. Key factors extracted were patient demographics, geographic region, hospital size, teaching status, elective admissions, and number of diagnoses and procedures performed during the hospitalization. These elements were correlated to length of stay (LOS) and cost-per-day (CPD) using a multiple linear regression (MLR). Regional variation in JNA diagnosis and changes in LOS and CPD trends over time were also analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 614 JNA patients were hospitalized in this time period, with a majority of patients identifying as male (98%) and Caucasian/White (55%). The average LOS has decreased by 0.14 day per year since 1997 (P = .0034) whereas the CPD has steadily increased by $2 380 per year (P < .001). MLR analysis revealed that while holding all other factors constant, patients who stayed at teaching hospitals had an increased LOS of 1.7 days (P = .026), but paid $11 961 less per day (P = .05). Regional variation in CPD was found in the Northeast region, where hospitalizations were more expensive by $9 801 per day compared to the South (P = .017). CONCLUSION: These results indicate hospital characteristics, such as teaching status and geographic region, may predict differences in JNA outcomes and cost. Healthcare providers should be cognizant of these variations to ensure optimal patient outcomes and expenditures.

Minimally invasive surgery alone compared with intensity-modulated radiotherapy for primary stage I nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: The National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines recommend intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) as the primary curative treatment for newly diagnosed nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), but the radiation-related complications and relatively high medical costs remain a consequential burden for the patients. Endoscopic nasopharyngectomy (ENPG) was successfully applied in recurrent NPC with radiation free and relatively low medical costs. In this study, we examined whether ENPG could be an effective treatment for localized stage I NPC. METHODS: Ten newly diagnosed localized stage I NPC patients voluntarily received ENPG alone from June 2007 to September 2017 in Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center. Simultaneously, the data of 329 stage I NPC patients treated with IMRT were collected and used as a reference cohort. The survival outcomes, quality of life (QOL), and medical costs between two groups were compared. RESULTS: After a median follow-up of 59.0 months (95% CI 53.4-64.6), no death, locoregional recurrence, or distant metastasis was observed in the 10 patients treated with ENPG. The 5-year overall survival, local relapse-free survival, regional relapse-free survival, and distant metastasis-free survival among the ENPG-treated patients was similar to that among the IMRT-treated patients (100% vs. 99.1%, 100% vs. 97.7%, 100% vs. 99.0%, 100% vs. 97.4%, respectively, P > 0.05). In addition, compared with IMRT, ENPG was associated with decreased total medical costs ($ 4090.42 ± 1502.65 vs. $ 12620.88 ± 4242.65, P < 0.001) and improved QOL scores including dry mouth (3.3 ± 10.5 vs. 34.4 ± 25.8, P < 0.001) and sticky saliva (3.3 ± 10.5 vs. 32.6 ± 23.3, P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: ENPG alone was associated with promising long-term survival outcomes, low medical costs, and satisfactory QOL and might therefore be an alternative strategy for treating newly diagnosed localized stage I NPC patients who refused radiotherapy. However, the application of ENPG should be prudent, and prospective clinical trials were needed to further verify the results.

Concurrent chemoradiotherapy with nedaplatin versus cisplatin in stage II-IVB nasopharyngeal carcinoma: A cost-effectiveness analysis.

BACKGROUND: Nedaplatin-based concurrent chemoradiotherapy became an alternative doublet treatment strategy to cisplatin-based concurrent chemoradiotherapy in patients with locoregional, advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Using a Markov model, we simulated patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma from disease-free to death. Input data for the model were collected from published literature and the standard fee database of West China Hospital. The outcome was expressed in quality-adjusted-years (QALYs), net monetary benefit at the threshold of $25,841, three times the Gross Domestic Product of China in 2017. The costs and benefits were discounted at 3% annually and a half-cycle correction was considered. The input parameters were varied in one-way sensitivity analysis to confirm the robustness of the model. All of the primary analyses used second-order probabilistic sensitivity analysis to capture the impact of parameter uncertainty based on 10,000 Monte-Carlo simulations. RESULTS: The mean QALYs of treatment in stage II-IVB nasopharyngeal carcinoma were comparable: 2.90 QALYs for nedaplatin and 3.12 QALYs for cisplatin. Nedaplatin cost $34,505 compared with $27,167 for cisplatin, generating an incremental net monetary benefit of nedaplatin versus cisplatin of $-13,357 at the ceiling ratio of $25,841. The results of nedaplatin remained cost-ineffective over the majority of the sensitivity analyses. The cost-effectiveness curve showed that the probability of strategies being cost-effective were 0% for nedaplatin and 100% for cisplatin in stage II-IVB nasopharyngeal carcinoma at any willingness-to-pay threshold. CONCLUSIONS: Nedaplatin is a dominated, cost-ineffective alternative to concurrent chemoradiotherapy in stage II-IVB nasopharyngeal carcinoma compared with cisplatin from the perspective of Chinese society.

Comparison of Real Cost Versus the Indonesian Case Base Groups (INA-CBGs) Tariff Rates Among Patients of High- Incidence Cancers Under the National Health Insurance Scheme

Background: The national health insurance of Indonesia has implemented the Indonesian Case Base Groups (INA-CBGs) tariff rates for healthcare payment. However, there is still problem of difference between the real cost of healthcare and the INA-CBGs tariff rates. This study aimed to evaluate the real cost of healthcare in comparison with the INA-CBG's tariff rates and to analyze factors associating with the real cost. The study focus on healthcare cost of non-chemotherapy expenditure among patients of high-incidence cancers having chemotherapy covered by the national health insurance. Methods: The study was conducted from the perspective of healthcare provider. Costs data was obtained from hospital billing of Sanglah hospital, a referral hospital in Bali Provincein the period of January ­ July 2014. The data involved 383, 161, and 152 of in-patient breast cancer cases, cervical cancer cases, and nasopharyngeal cancer cases, respectively. Descriptive statistic was used to analyze patients characteristics, one sample t-test was used to analyze the mean difference of healthcare cost based on real cost and INA-CBG's tariff rates, and finally, bivariate analysis was used to examine relationship between patients' characteristics and the real cost. Results: The study shows there were significant differences of non-chemotherapy expenditures based on the real cost and INA-CBG's tariff rates, in which the costs were lower for the real cost. Factors which significantly associated with the real cost were number of procedure, type of hospitalized room, and length of stay. Conclusions: The study supports the necessary of evaluation of the INA-CBG's tariff rates to adjust to the real healthcare expenditure. On the other hand, the hospital needs to evaluate the service quality of patient treatment by optimizing budget allocated by the health insurance.

Fight against cancer around the Mediterranean area: "Many hands make light work!".

The geopolitical and strategic importance of the Mediterranean area is evident since a long time. In terms of health programs and means for cancer care, significant disparities have been reported between countries that borders the Mediterranean basin. AROME project began modestly in 2006 with a group of leaders who recognized the need to promote practical training of young people and, thus, contribute to reduce these inacceptable inequalities in terms of early diagnosis and management. Moreover, our project has been built from our belief that the socio-cultural specificity of this region, its epidemiology, availability of means for diagnosis and treatment, should impose a sustained regional research and better knowledge of tumor biology and identify the specificities that may require particular strategies of care that should not be based only on Western and Asian research data. We must thus take advantage of advances in the identification of intimate biological tumors to provide answers to our ignorance of the specific Mediterranean biology. In this paper, we illustrate this issue describing some particular cancers in this region such as breast and nasopharyngeal cancers.

Effect of embolisation on endoscopic resection of angiofibroma.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of embolisation on endoscopic resection of angiofibroma. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: A partially blinded trial was undertaken. Twenty-three patients with angiofibroma (nine embolised and 14 not embolised) underwent endoscopic resection between January 2007 and August 2008 in two tertiary referral centres. Demographic data were collected, the pre-operative tumour extent was assessed by computed tomography, and tumours were staged according to their computed tomography appearance (Radkowski scale). In addition, we evaluated the duration of surgery, amount of haemorrhage, blood pressure during surgery, duration of hospitalisation, complications of surgery and embolisation, cost of treatment, and number of post-operative recurrences, as well as the angiographic characteristics in the embolisation group. RESULTS: There was no significant difference between the general characteristics of both groups. At the end of the study period, we could find no significant difference between the two groups regarding haemorrhage, number of recurrences or complications. The only significant difference was cost of treatment, which was significantly higher in the embolisation group. CONCLUSION: Endoscopic resection is a feasible and safe method for angiofibroma surgery. The current evidence does not support obligatory embolisation in every case of endoscopic angiofibroma resection.

The cost-utility analysis of 18-fluoro-2-deoxyglucose positron emission tomography in the diagnosis of recurrent nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES: 18-Fluoro-2-deoxyglucose (18F-FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) is effective but costly in the early detection of recurrence for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) in patients after treatment. In this study, we developed a decision tree model to analyze the cost utility of 18F-FDG PET in detecting loco-regional recurrences for NPC patients after therapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The analysis for cost utility is based on the decision-tree model for three different strategies: 1) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-only, 2) PET-only, and 3) MRI-PET (performing PET if MRI result is uncertain). Sensitivity analyses have been performed to examine changes in the cost ratio of PET/MRI and the probability of uncertain MRI. RESULTS: After inputting the data for utilities and life expectancies into the decision tree model, the quality-adjusted life expectancies turn out to be 16.16 quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) for strategy 1, 16.70 QALYs for strategy 2, and 17.35 QALYs for strategy 3. The additional cost per additional QALYs for strategy 3 relative to strategy 1 is calculated to be US $462. Strategy 3 dominates over strategy 2 because strategy 3 costs less and yields more QALYs than strategy 2. If the cost ratio of PET/MRI is less than 1.85 or the probability of uncertain MRI is greater than 73%, then the PET-only strategy becomes more cost-effective than the MRI-PET strategy. CONCLUSION: Our analysis shows that the MRI-PET strategy is the most cost-effective for now. It is likely the PET-only strategy will become the most cost-effective for recurrent NPC in patients in the near future as the cost of PET has decreased in a faster rate than the cost of MRI.

Chemotherapy and high-dose-rate brachytherapy in the management of advanced cancers of the nasopharynx: clinical impact of high technology--is it worth the cost?

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to calculate the costs of chemotherapy and high-dose-rate brachytherapy in advanced-stage nasopharyngeal cancer. It is argued whether the effect of chemotherapy and this type of high-dose, high-precision radiation therapy is worth the costs. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Clinical results of Stage III-IVB nasopharyngeal cancer in patients treated between 1991 and 2000 are reported. Treatment was broken down into five categories: workup, chemotherapy, preparation of radiation therapy, and application of radiation. For each category, costs were computed. Nasopharyngeal cancer treatment costs were compared with costs previously reported on patients treated for cancers of the oral cavity, larynx, and oropharynx. RESULTS: With the addition of neoadjuvant chemotherapy and high cumulative doses of radiation (77-81 Gy) with brachytherapy, disease-free survival increased from 48% to 74% (p=0.002), and overall survival increased from 35% to 72% (p=0.005). The Rotterdam protocol has been implemented stepwise: as of 1991, costs per patient increased from 4521 Euros (US$5023; 2001 exchange rate [December]: 1 Euro approximately 0.88 US$) for conventional external beam radiation therapy to 13,728 Euros (US$15,253) in 2000 for combinations of chemotherapy, conventional external beam radiation therapy, and brachytherapy. In case of stereotactic radiotherapy, the cost was 14,516 Euros (US$16,495). CONCLUSIONS: Costs for cancer in the nasopharynx vary from 14,528 Euros (US$16,509) to 15,316 Euros (US$17,405) in case of brachytherapy and stereotactic radiotherapy, respectively, if follow-up costs are added. The treatment cost for other head and neck sites was 21,858 Euros (US$24,126). Given the improvement in survival, the sparing capabilities of current high-dose, high-precision radiotherapy techniques, and the favorable cost profile compared with other sites, it is argued that costs should not be considered prohibitive for the introduction of chemotherapy and high-technology-based radiotherapy in advanced nasopharyngeal cancer.

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma: value of bone and liver scintigraphy in the pre-treatment and follow-up period.

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is a disease with a high potential of distant metastasis, especially to bone and liver. To evaluate the routine use of bone and liver scintigraphy in the evaluation of metastatic disease during the pre-treatment and follow-up period, 112 new cases of NPC were enrolled. The pre-treatment scintigraphs were performed at the time of staging evaluation, while the follow-up ones were performed once a year and whenever clinically indicated. At the pre-treatment period, 3/112 cases showed a true positive result, all at bony sites. At the 3 years follow-up, 10/83 and 8/83 cases respectively showed a true positive result in the bone and liver. All of the positive cases had definite symptoms and signs of metastases, which correlated well with the scintigraphic findings. All without clinical evidence showed a negative finding. Therefore, we conclude that, without clinical indication, routine bone and liver scintigraphy are of limited value.