title: Capecitabine plus docetaxel combination therapy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  For patients with anthracycline-pretreated metastatic breast carcinoma, capecitabine plus docetaxel significantly increased overall survival compared with docetaxel alone. The current study evaluated the cost-effectiveness of the capecitabine/docetaxel combination versus docetaxel monotherapy, comparing the gain in quality-adjusted survival with associated health care costs.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients were randomized to receive 21-day cycles of oral capecitabine 1250 mg/m2 twice daily, on Days 1-14, plus docetaxel 75 mg/m2 Day 1 (n = 255), or docetaxel 100 mg/m2 on Day 1 (n = 256). Health and cost outcomes in the two arms were compared, and cost-effectiveness was estimated. Data on survival time and medical care resource use were prospectively collected in the trial. Costs associated with medical care resource use and quality-of-life adjustments were obtained from the published literature. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio was calculated as the cost per quality-adjusted life year (QALY) gained.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Capecitabine/docetaxel increased the median overall survival by 3 months compared with docetaxel alone (14.5 vs. 11.5 months). The mean quality-adjusted survival was increased by 1.8 months in the capecitabine/docetaxel group. The total medical-resource utilization cost per patient was 8.9% higher with the combination: 24,475 dollars for combination therapy versus 22,477 dollars for single-agent docetaxel. The mean cost per QALY gained with combination therapy was 13,558 dollars (standard deviation, 6742 dollars). Cost savings due to reduced docetaxel dose and hospital use were the major cost offsets with the combination. Sensitivity analyses showed that varying the mean hospital cost per day from the 5th to the 95th percentile resulted in cost-utility ratios ranging from 20,326 dollars to as low as 6360 dollars.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Capecitabine/docetaxel was a cost-effective treatment in patients with anthracycline-pretreated advanced breast carcinoma, and had an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio that compares very favorably with that of many other oncology therapies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Ottawa Regional Cancer Centre, Ottawa, Canada. sverma@ottawahospital.on.ca
authors.forename: Shailendra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Verma
authors.forename: Dominique
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Maraninchi
authors.forename: Joyce
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: O'Shaughnessy
authors.forename: Carol
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Jamieson
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: Miguel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Martín
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: McKendrick
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Miles
authors.forename: Chris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Twelves
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hornberger
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000191:economics* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000191:economics* / Q000556:secondary; D000069287:Capecitabine; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D003841:Deoxycytidine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D000077143:Docetaxel; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D015996:Survival Rate; D043823:Taxoids / Q000008:administration & dosage; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D043823:Taxoids; D003841:Deoxycytidine; D000077143:Docetaxel; D000069287:Capecitabine; D005472:Fluorouracil