Economic implications of using pegfilgrastim rather than conventional G-CSF to prevent neutropenia during small-cell lung cancer chemotherapy.
BACKGROUND
For the prevention of chemotherapy-induced febrile aplasia, a single injection of pegfilgrastim per cycle has the same efficacy as six to ten injections of conventional granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF). However, there are few data on the economic impact of pegfilgrastim use, especially in the context of small-cell lung cancer.


METHODS
This retrospective study involved 31 patients and 129 treatment cycles (32 with pegfilgrastim and 97 with granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF)). We estimated the direct costs for preventing and managing febrile aplasia from the payer's perspective and also conducted a willingness-to-pay study with 100 healthy subjects, in order to estimate how highly a single-jab strategy was valued relative to multiple injections.


RESULTS
The costs per cycle were respectively 1743 euros+/- 837 euros and 1466 euros +/- 836 euros for the pegfilgrastim and G-CSF strategies (p < 0.001). The excess cost of the pegfilgrastim strategy was partly compensated for by the perceived value of the single-jab strategy: 88% of interviewees would prefer the pegfilgrastim strategy; 16% would be willing to pay all the excess cost (277 euros) and 67% would be willing to pay half the excess cost.


CONCLUSIONS
In this willingness-to-pay survey, the excess cost associated with pegfilgrastim relative to other G-CSF-based prophylactic strategies is partly offset by the perceived convenience of a single injection.
Tan Sean
P
P
AP-HP, Hôpital Saint-Antoine, Service de Pharmacie, Paris, France.
Chouaid
C
C
Hettler
D
D
Baud
M
M
Hejblum
G
G
Tilleul
P
P
D000328:Adult; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017281:Cost of Illness; D005260:Female; D000069585:Filgrastim; D016179:Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000191:economics* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017048:Health Care Costs; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000191:economics; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018803:Models, Economic; D009503:Neutropenia / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000191:economics / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055752:Small Cell Lung Carcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000191:economics; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors
D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D016179:Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor; C455861:pegfilgrastim; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D000069585:Filgrastim