L. De Rosa et al., High dose chemotherapy - Costs of high-dose chemotherapy and peripheral blood progenitor cell autograft for breast cancer, BONE MAR TR, 27(10), 2001, pp. 1031-1035
Citations number
33
Categorie Soggetti
Hematology,"Medical Research Diagnosis & Treatment
The aim of the study was to analyze the real cost of single or tandem high-
dose chemotherapy (HDC) and peripheral blood progenitor cell autologous tra
nsplant (PBPCT) in patients with breast cancer. We analyzed the costs of 40
PBPCT performed in 20 patients. Tandem transplant was planned for each pat
ient. Resources used and direct costs were identified for each patient. The
study was carried out using the hospital perspective and monetary values w
ere reported in 1999 Euro, The mean cost of whole procedure for single tran
splant was 20816.63 Euro, while the mean cost of tandem transplant was 3877
0.83 Euro. The cost distribution in the two groups was similar: the most ex
pensive phase of procedure was the supportive phase post transplant (about
60% of total cost), with the categories of cost most represented being prof
essional fees (about 28%) and pharmacy (about 35%), Awaiting more convincin
g trials of the clinical advantage of HDC in breast cancer, our analytical
evaluation of transplant costs for different therapeutic options, single or
tandem, permits identification of the most expensive categories in order t
o intervene for cost savings.