title: Cost-effectiveness of rituximab in follicular lymphoma.
abstract: In advanced follicular lymphoma, rituximab is currently used with chemotherapy as induction therapy, and as maintenance monotherapy following induction in previously untreated patients and treatment-experienced relapsed/refractory patients. Herein, the authors characterize the clinical effectiveness, safety and cost-effectiveness of rituximab in follicular lymphoma, based on the literature review. Rituximab has a favorable safety profile and has been shown to improve progression-free survival, with some evidence of improvements to overall survival, particularly for relapsed/refractory patients. Rituximab has consistently been found to have a favorable economic profile, with cost per quality-adjusted life year falling within standard thresholds for cost-effectiveness. Challenges in cost-effectiveness analysis include the fact that life expectancy for patients with follicular lymphoma exceeds the period of available follow-up data and that treatment pathways are more complex than the model structures frequently used in oncology models. As data accrue and more complex models are developed, the cost-effectiveness of rituximab can be more accurately assessed.
authors.affiliation: Canadian Centre for Applied Research in Cancer Control, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
authors.forename: Karissa M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Johnston
authors.forename: Corneliu
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bolbocean
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Connors
authors.forename: Stuart
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Peacock
mesh_terms: D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D006801:Humans; D008224:Lymphoma, Follicular / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000191:economics / Q000473:pathology; D018803:Models, Economic; D019057:Quality-Adjusted Life Years; D000069283:Rituximab; D015996:Survival Rate; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D000069283:Rituximab