Pharmacoeconomic evaluation of drug supply for chemotherapy in small cell lung cancer

Abstract

Introduction: In recent decades, pharmacoeconomic analysis of multiple diseases has significantly progressed; in particular, the most prevalent one is the cost-effectiveness analysis. Chemotherapy remains the leading and most effective treatment option for small cell lung cancer, which accounts for more than a quarter of all other forms of respiratory cancers. Materials and Methods: An assessment of the incidence of lung cancer and its probable causes was carried out. The main methods used in the study were cost-of-treatment analysis, ABC/VEN analysis and cost-effectiveness analysis. Survival rates (number of years or months, interval and average number of years/ months) and the cost of a month of life were also evaluated. Discussion: The results obtained on the basis of a questionnaire survey of patients with lung cancer demonstrate that smoking is the leading risk factor – 24.9% of the pro rata contribution. The author identified the most expensive drugs, costing 60-80% of the budget, that is scheme 2 ‘etoposide + carboplatin’, and the least expensive drugs, costing 5-10% of the budget, which are auxiliary drugs. According to the study results, patients managed following a chemotherapy regimen ‘etoposide + carboplatin’ have the highest survival rate at the highest cost of treatment compared to patients following a chemotherapy regimen ‘cyclophosphamide + doxorubicin + vincristine’, which is the least expensive. Conclusion: Evidence-based comprehensive pharmacoeconomic model for evaluation of drug supply for chemotherapy in small cell lung cancer improves registration of history cases and allows for pharmacoeconomic cost-effectiveness analysis considering features of each patient.

Keywords

• small cell lung cancer
• chemotherapy
• cost-effectiveness
• pharmacoeconomics
• abc/ven analysis
• cost of the survived month