Considerations of Cost-Effectiveness for New Radiation Oncology Technologies

[Evolution of the costs and management of lung cancer between 2004 and 2014]

BACKGROUND

Given its morbidity and mortality, lung cancer is a major public health issue. In recent years, it has benefited from several therapeutic innovations. The objective of this study was to compare, over two distinct periods of ten years, the impact on survival and the costs of lung cancer management.

METHODS

The monocentric study assessed survival and the direct costs of lung cancer management of patients diagnosed in Brest University hospital in 2004 and in 2014.

RESULTS

The analysis included 142 patients in 2004 and 156 in 2014. Most patients were smokers (72%), metastatic at diagnosis (60%) both in 2004 and in 2014. Median survival was not significantly improved between the 2 periods (9.7 versus 10.9 months), but there was a significant increase in the average cost of care per patient (€ 17,063 vs. € 29,264, P=<0.0001) between 2004 and 2014.

CONCLUSION

The significant increase in treatment costs did not translate into an improvement in the survival of patients with lung cancer between 2004 and 2014.

[Valorisation of high technology radiotherapy in Europe]

In order to support adoption and dissemination into clinical practice of innovative treatment strategies, being almost by definition more expensive than the corresponding standard treatments, an appropriate reimbursement is a prerequisite. This article describes different possible financing systems in the context of technological advances in radiation oncology and analyses if and how the reimbursement issue has been tackled in European radiotherapy centres.