On-Pathway Regimens Are Associated With Significant Cost Savings for Treatment of Solid Tumors

• Published in: Oncology live 2023-08
• Main Author: Fischer, Lindsay
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Bladder; Cancer; Cancer therapies; Chemotherapy; Colorectal cancer; Cost control; Economic aspects; Emergency medical care; Health care expenditures; Health care policy; Hospitalization; Ipilimumab; Lung cancer; Medical care, Cost of; Melanoma; Metastasis; Oncology; Patient care planning; Pharmacy; Toxicity; Tumors; Uterine cancer
• ISSN: 2374-5347; 2767-4924

Findings from a cross-institutional study suggest that on-pathway regimens led to significant cost savings for patients with cancer, despite the rate of hospitalizations and immune-related adverse events (irAES) being similar between on-pathway and off-pathway regimens.1 According to the results, which were published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, prescribing on-pathway regimens led to an average $17,589 reduction in total health care cost per patient (95% CI, –$23,790 to –$11,388; P < .001) and a $22,543 reduction in chemotherapy cost per patient (95% CI, –$27,666 to –$17,420; P < .001).1 The rate of hospitalization for any cause was highest among on-pathway patients with melanoma (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.679; 95% CI, 1.115-2.529; P = .013), yet the rate of treatment-related hospitalization was similar between the 2 groups, at 25.2% vs 22.9%, respectively (aOR, 1.080; P = .201). The rates of irAEs were also comparable between the 2 arms, at 75.2% vs 74.6%, respectively (aOR, 0.961; P = .497).1 "Among patients who received first-line cancer treatment for metastatic solid tumors, use of CCQP [Cancer Care Quality Program]-endorsed on-pathway treatment regimens was associated with significant cost savings," the investigators wrote in the study.1 "Overall, there was a significant reduction in total health care cost for patients prescribed with on-pathway regimens, driven mainly by the lower cancer drug costs for this group." Oncology clinical pathways have been developed to combat the rise of cancer drug costs and variation in quality of care.2 Approximately 60 health insurance plans have adopted these pathways, which comprise a subset of evidence-based regimens selected for their efficacy, toxicity, and costs. Accessed July 11, 2023. bit.ly/43D5mFb Emerging Uses for Circulating Tumor Cell Technology B. Hilda Ye, PhD Maurie Markman, MD Paolo Tarantino, MD Mikkael A. Sekeres, MD HER2 Amplification in mCRC | Image Credit: © Dr_Microbe - stock.adobe.com Jonathan C. Trent, MD, PhD Boris C. Pasche, MD, PhD, FACP Ed Gane, MBChB, MD, FRACP, MNZM data:image/svg+xml,%3csvg%20xmlns=%27http://www.w3.org/2000/svg%27%20version=%271.1%27%20width=%27200%27%20height=%27275%27/%3e data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7 https://www.onclive.com/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.sanity.io%2Fimages%2F0vv8moc6%2Fonclive%2Fc1157422995d5ab429af277345bff431c72f2425-200x200.jpg%3Ffit%3Dcrop%26auto%3Dformat&w=3840&q=75 https://www.oncli