The Impact of Molecularly Targeted Treatment on Direct Medical Costs in Patients with Advanced Non-small Cell Lung Cancer.
Cancer Res Treat
; 47(2): 182-8, 2015 Apr.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-25544584
ABSTRACT
PURPOSE:
To investigate the impact of targeted treatment on direct medical costs of patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). MATERIALS ANDMETHODS:
Medical records of 108 stage IIIB/IV NSCLC patients treated in Seoul National University Hospital between 2003 and 2009, were reviewed to collect medical resources utilization data from the diagnosis of stage IIIB/IV NSCLC to the end of active anti-cancer treatment. The direct medical costs were calculated by multiplying the number of medical resources used by the unit price. All costs were expressed in US dollars for each patient.RESULTS:
The mean total direct medical costs were $34,732 (standard deviation, 21,168) in the study cohort. The mean total direct medical costs were higher in epidermal growth factor receptor ( EGFR ) mutation (EGFR MT)-positive patients than EGFR wild-type (EGFR WT) patients ($41,403 vs. $30,146, p=0.005). However, the mean monthly direct medical costs did not differ significantly between EGFR MT-positive patients and EGFR WT patients ($2,120 vs. $2,702, p=0.119) because of the longer duration of active anti-cancer treatment in EGFR MT-positive patients. This discrepancy was mainly attributable to EGFR MT-positive patients' lower non-chemotherapy costs ($948 vs. $1,522, p=0.007). The total and monthly direct medical costs of ALK fusion-positive patients who did not receive ALK inhibitors did not differ from WT/WT patients.CONCLUSION:
This study suggests that the availability of targeted agents for EGFR MT-positive patients lowers the mean monthly medical costs by prolonging survival and diminishing the use of other medical resources, despite the considerable drug costs.
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Type of study:
Health_economic_evaluation
Language:
En
Journal:
Cancer Res Treat
Year:
2015
Document type:
Article