PERIPHERAL-BLOOD PROGENITOR-CELL TRANSPLANTATION - ECONOMIC-ISSUES

High-dose chemotherapy with autologous hematopoietic stem cell rescue is an expensive procedure. It is associated with improved long-term su rvival in many patients with cancer, but concern is growing about its cost and cost-effectiveness. The cost-effectiveness of high-dose chemo therapy depends largely on the magnitude of the difference in survival between it and standard-dose chemotherapy. Several economic analyses reported that the cost-effectiveness ratio of high-dose chemotherapy i n the treatment of breast cancer is in the range of or slightly higher than that reported for other widely accepted medical interventions. M ost centers are evaluating new strategies to reduce the overall cost o f this therapy, including using peripheral blood progenitor cells rath er than bone marrow-derived stem cells, optimizing the collection of p eripheral blood progenitor cells, and shifting care from the inpatient to the outpatient setting.