Management of patients with metastatic colorectal cancer: economic consequences of different treatment programs

• Main Authors: Stefania Lopatriello, Cristina Negrini, Domenico Amoroso, Sara Donati
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: SEEd Medical Publishers 2009-09-01
• Series: Farmeconomia: Health Economics and Therapeutic Pathways
• Subjects: oral; infusional chemotherapy; clinical pattern; costs
• Online Access: https://journals.seedmedicalpublishers.com/index.php/FE/article/view/173
• ISSN: 2240-256X

The clinical pattern of Metastatic ColoRectal Cancer patients, receiving first-line infusional 5-FU or oral capecitabine (CAP) chemotherapies, was valorized in the perspective of the Italian NHS. A cost-minimization analysis was implemented on the basis of retrospective data from 5 centers. 202 subjects: 126 receiving 5-FU-association, 10 5-FU-monotherapy; 31 CAP-association, 35 CAP-monotherapy. Therapeutic patterns differed as to chemotherapy administration resources consumption: 5-FU was administered in Day Hospital and CAP in the outpatient setting. Mean total cost/patient was in the range of € 6,841 (monotherapy-5-FU)- € 12,620 (association-5-FU) and € 2,056 (monotherapy-CAP)-€ 9,745 (association-CAP). The infusional administration route of 5-FU was the driver of costs.