Cost-effectiveness of adjuvant chemotherapy with uracil–tegafur for stage III rectal cancer
Author Information
Author(s): Hisashige A, Yoshida S, Kodaira S
Primary Institution: The Institute of Healthcare Technology Assessment
Hypothesis
Is adjuvant UFT therapy cost-effective compared to surgery alone for stage III rectal cancer?
Conclusion
Adjuvant UFT therapy is cost-saving and can be considered a cost-effective treatment for stage III rectal cancer in Japan.
Supporting Evidence
- UFT therapy gained 0.50 QALYs compared to surgery alone over a 5.6-year observation period.
- Adjuvant UFT therapy reduced costs by $2457 per person compared to surgery alone.
- The cost-effectiveness acceptability analysis showed UFT therapy was likely to be cost-effective in 98% of scenarios.
Takeaway
This study found that a specific cancer treatment called UFT is cheaper and helps patients live longer compared to just surgery.
Methodology
A cost-effectiveness analysis was conducted using data from a randomized controlled trial comparing UFT therapy to surgery alone, with costs and effectiveness measured over different time horizons.
Potential Biases
The study's perspective was that of a payer, which may not capture all societal costs.
Limitations
The analysis was based on a small RCT with relatively short-term follow-up, and the results may not be generalizable to other countries.
Participant Demographics
Patients with completely resected stage III rectal cancer, median age 59, with a similar distribution of sex and tumor characteristics between groups.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.05
Confidence Interval
95% CI
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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