title: Cost-effectiveness analysis comparing degarelix with leuprolide in hormonal therapy for patients with locally advanced prostate cancer.
abstract: Degarelix, approved in the USA in 2008, is a gonadotropin-releasing hormone antagonist, representing one of the latest additions to androgen deprivation therapy (ADT). ADT is used as first-line therapy for locally advanced or metastatic prostate cancer with the aim to reduce testosterone to castrate levels. Like other gonadotropin-releasing hormone-antagonists, degarelix treatment results in rapid decrease in luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone and testosterone levels without the associated risk of flare. Using one registration trial for degarelix with leuprolide as the active control, a cost-effectiveness analysis with a Markov model and a 20-year time horizon found the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio for degarelix to be US$245/quality-adjusted life years. Degarelix provides a cost-effective treatment for ADT among patients with locally advanced prostate cancer.
authors.affiliation: Hind T Hatoum & Company, 155 N Harbor Drive, 1912, Chicago, IL 60601, USA. hthatoum@sbcglobal.net
authors.forename: Hind T
authors.initials: HT
authors.lastname: Hatoum
authors.forename: E David
authors.initials: ED
authors.lastname: Crawford
authors.forename: Sandy Kildegaard
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Nielsen
authors.forename: Swu-Jane
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Dennis C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Marshall
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000378:metabolism; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D006801:Humans; D016729:Leuprolide / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008390:Markov Chains; D009842:Oligopeptides / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000191:economics / Q000473:pathology; D019057:Quality-Adjusted Life Years; D013739:Testosterone / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal; D009842:Oligopeptides; C431566:acetyl-2-naphthylalanyl-3-chlorophenylalanyl-1-oxohexadecyl-seryl-4-aminophenylalanyl(hydroorotyl)-4-aminophenylalanyl(carbamoyl)-leucyl-ILys-prolyl-alaninamide; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone; D013739:Testosterone; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone; D016729:Leuprolide