title: Costs of intensive treatment and follow-up of patients with multiple myeloma.
abstract: In a retrospective study, we calculated the treatment and follow-up costs of patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma. The total treatment programme consisted of eight phases: VAD or VAMP chemotherapy, follow-up I, high-dose melphalan followed by transplantation of whole blood, follow-up II, collection of peripheral blood progenitor cells by leukapheresis, follow-up III, high-dose chemotherapy (busulfan/cyclophosphamide) followed by reinfusion of peripheral stem cells and follow-up IV (until 3 months from hospital discharge after peripheral stem cell transplantation). For each phase the average costs were calculated for all patients who were on treatment/follow-up in each particular phase. The total average cumulative costs of treatment and follow-up of all patients amounted to US$49850. Considering only the patients who completed the total treatment programme as it was scheduled, the average total treatment and follow-up costs were US$44800. The average costs of treatment and follow-up of patients who did not complete the programme as it was scheduled (patients who died, patients who were withdrawn from treatment and patients who received additional treatment) were US$57025.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Medical Technology Assessment, Erasmus University Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Buijt
authors.forename: G J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Ossenkoppele
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Uyl-de Groot
authors.forename: P C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Huijgens
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000191:economics* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy / Q000191:economics; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000191:economics; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000191:economics; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D017048:Health Care Costs; D006302:Health Services Research / Q000191:economics*; D019650:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Mobilization / Q000191:economics; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000191:economics; D006801:Humans; D007937:Leukapheresis / Q000191:economics; D008558:Melphalan / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000191:economics; D008875:Middle Aged; D009101:Multiple Myeloma / Q000191:economics* / Q000628:therapy; D011344:Procarbazine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000191:economics; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014750:Vincristine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000191:economics
chemical_list: D011344:Procarbazine; D014750:Vincristine; D003907:Dexamethasone; D004317:Doxorubicin; D008558:Melphalan; D008727:Methotrexate