Costs of intensive treatment and follow-up of patients with multiple myeloma

In a retrospective study, we calculated the treatment and follow-up costs o f patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma. The total treatment progr amme consisted of eight phases: VAD or VAMP chemotherapy, follow-up I, high -dose melphalan followed by transplantation of whole blood, follow-up II, c ollection of peripheral blood progenitor cells by leukapheresis, follow-up ill, high-dose chemotherapy (busulfan/cyclophosphamide) followed by reinfus ion of peripheral stem cells and follow-up IV (until 3 months from hospital discharge after peripheral stem cell transplantation). For each phase the average costs were calculated for all patients who were on treatment/follow -up in each particular phase. The total average cumulative costs of treatme nt and follow-up of all patients amounted to US$49 850. Considering only th e patients who completed the total treatment programme as it was scheduled, the average total treatment and follow-up costs were US$44 800. The averag e costs of treatment and follow-up of patients who did not complete the pro gramme as it was scheduled (patients who died, patients who were withdrawn from treatment and patients who received additional treatment) were US$57 0 25. [(C) 1998 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.].