title: Transoral laser microsurgery versus radiation therapy for early glottic cancer in Canada: cost analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  There is debate over whether radiation therapy or transoral laser microsurgery (TLM) is the superior treatment for early glottic cancer. Both offer similar cure rates and posttherapy quality of life. One factor that could decide the optimum therapy is cost. Several studies in Europe and the United States show that TLM is the most cost-effective treatment. The goal of this study was to conduct the first cost analysis in Canada on the treatment of early glottic cancer comparing radiation therapy and TLM.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was conducted retrospectively. TLM and radiation therapy were broken down into individual components, and then the price for each component was summed.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was conducted at the Queen Elizabeth II Health Science Centre in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
  
  
  METHODS
  The main outcome measure was total cost.
  
  
  RESULTS
  It was found that radiation therapy was approximately four times more expensive than TLM.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study suggests that TLM should be the preferred treatment option for treating early glottic cancer in Canada as it is the most economical and has been shown in previous studies to be as effective as radiation therapy in both cure rates and quality of life.
authors: Division of Otolaryngology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia.
authors: Timothy J
authors: TJ
authors: Phillips
authors: Chady
authors: C
authors: Sader
authors: Tim
authors: T
authors: Brown
authors: Martin
authors: M
authors: Bullock
authors: Derek
authors: D
authors: Wilke
authors: Jonathan R B
authors: JR
authors: Trites
authors: Rob
authors: R
authors: Hart
authors: Michael
authors: M
authors: Murphy
authors: S Mark
authors: SM
authors: Taylor
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D005260:Female; D005931:Glottis; D017048:Health Care Costs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007822:Laryngeal Neoplasms / Q000191:economics / Q000628:therapy*; D053685:Laser Therapy / Q000191:economics* / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008866:Microsurgery / Q000191:economics* / Q000379:methods; D009674:Nova Scotia; D011878:Radiotherapy / Q000191:economics*