Economic assessment in the management of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.
An increasing need for economic evaluations of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) treatments exists. We performed a literature review on the currently available NHL economic evaluations, using PubMed and the Cochrane database. English and Dutch language papers on treatment in adults were selected. A total of 88 publications were found, 44 of which were included. Of these, 6 economic evaluation-specific methodological items are evaluated (study perspective, overhead costs, data sources, charges or prices, sensitivity analysis, presentations of resource use and unit costs), enabling readers to judge the value of these studies. The 11 subjects covered by the economic evaluations are discussed. Many NHL treatments remain to be studied in economic evaluations. Future publications should report on the six methodological items in more detail, and preferably tackle them in the recommended way.
van Agthoven
Michel
M
University Medical Centre Rotterdam, Erasmus MC, Institute for Medical Technology Assessment, PO Box 1738, 3000 DR Rotterdam, The Netherlands. vanagthoven@bmg.eur.nl
Uyl-de Groot
Carin A
CA
Sonneveld
Pieter
P
Hagenbeek
Anton
A
D000328:Adult; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D017048:Health Care Costs; D006801:Humans; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000191:economics* / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy; D033581:Stem Cell Transplantation
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal