Paclitaxel - A pharmacoeconomic review of its use in non-small cell lung cancer

Sources: Medical literature published in any language since 1980 an Paclita xel and non-small-cell-lung-cancer, identified using Medline supplemented b y AdisBase (a proprietary database of Adis International, Auckland, New Zea land). Additional references were identified from the reference lists of pu blished articles. Bibliographical information, Including contributory unpub lished data, was also requested from the company developing the drug. Search strategy: AdisBase search terms were 'Paclitaxel' or 'BMS-181339' or 'NSC 125973' and ('health-economics' or 'pharmacoepidemiology' or 'prescri bing' or 'hospitalisation' or 'formularies' or 'drug-utilisation' or 'meta- analysis' or 'therapeutic-substitution' or 'epidemiology'), or 'Paclitaxel' and 'non-small-cell-lung-cancer'. Medline search terms were 'Paclitaxel' a nd ('economics' or 'health-policy' or 'quality-of-life' or models-statistic al' or 'health-planning' or 'epidemioloy' or 'guideline in pt' or 'practice -guidelines in pt' or 'Paclitaxel' and 'carcinoma-non-small-cell-lung-cance r'. Searches were last updated 25 October 2001. Selection: Economic analyses in patients with non-small cell lung cancer wh o received paclitaxel. Inclusion of studies was based mainly on the methods section of the trials. Relevant background data on epidemiology and cost o f illness are also included.