Background: In recurrent and/or metastatic head and neck squamous cell cancer, Cetuximab is administered once a week, followed by weekly doses. We present the clinical rationale of a different schedule of maintenance Cetuximab and we estimate the potential economic benefits on the health care budget from a societal perspective in Italy. Methods: A budget impact (BI) excel-based model was developed comparing a base case scenario of 100% weekly administration with a dose of 250 mg/m 2 to an every-other-week (EOW) administration at 50% or 100% with a dose of 500 mg/m 2 . Results: In the EOW, 50% scenario it was calculated a cost reduction of €347 000 of which 70% attributable to indirect costs, increasing to €694 000 after 4 months. Conclusions: In our analysis, we showed that this simplified schedule could also reduce the costs of treatments both for the health system (direct costs) and for the society (indirect costs).
Rationale and budget impact of bimonthly use of Cetuximab in patients with recurrent and/or metastatic head and neck cancer
Bossi P.
2019-01-01
Abstract
Background: In recurrent and/or metastatic head and neck squamous cell cancer, Cetuximab is administered once a week, followed by weekly doses. We present the clinical rationale of a different schedule of maintenance Cetuximab and we estimate the potential economic benefits on the health care budget from a societal perspective in Italy. Methods: A budget impact (BI) excel-based model was developed comparing a base case scenario of 100% weekly administration with a dose of 250 mg/m 2 to an every-other-week (EOW) administration at 50% or 100% with a dose of 500 mg/m 2 . Results: In the EOW, 50% scenario it was calculated a cost reduction of €347 000 of which 70% attributable to indirect costs, increasing to €694 000 after 4 months. Conclusions: In our analysis, we showed that this simplified schedule could also reduce the costs of treatments both for the health system (direct costs) and for the society (indirect costs).I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
