title: Cost-utility analysis of adjuvant chemotherapy in patients with stage III colon cancer in Thailand.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In Thailand, there has been no economic evaluation study of adjuvant chemotherapy for stage III colon cancer patients after resection.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study aims to evaluate the cost-utility of all chemotherapy regimens currently used in Thailand compared with the adjuvant 5-fluorouracil/leucovorin (5-FU/LV) plus capecitabine as the first-line therapy for metastatic disease in patients with stage III colon cancer after resection.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cost-utility analysis was performed to estimate the relevant lifetime costs and health outcomes of chemotherapy regimens based on a societal perspective using a Markov model.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results suggested that the adjuvant 5-FU/LV plus capecitabine as the first-line therapy for metastatic disease would be the most cost-effective chemotherapy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The adjuvant FOLFOX and FOLFIRI as the first-line treatment for metastatic disease would be cost-effective with an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of 299,365 Thai baht per QALY gained based on a societal perspective if both prices of FOLFOX and FOLFIRI were decreased by 40%.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, Siriraj Hospital, 2 Prannok road, Siriraj, Bangkoknoi, Bangkok, Thailand 10700.
authors.forename: Panattharin
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lerdkiattikorn
authors.forename: Usa
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Chaikledkaew
authors.forename: Wirote
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Lausoontornsiri
authors.forename: Somjin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chindavijak
authors.forename: Thirawud
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Khuhaprema
authors.forename: Narisa
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tantai
authors.forename: Yot
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Teerawattananon
mesh_terms: D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000069287:Capecitabine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant / Q000191:economics; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000191:economics / Q000473:pathology; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D002955:Leucovorin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008297:Male; D008390:Markov Chains; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D019057:Quality-Adjusted Life Years; D013785:Thailand
chemical_list: D000069287:Capecitabine; D002955:Leucovorin; D005472:Fluorouracil
keywords: Thailand; adjuvant chemotherapy; cost-utility analysis; oxaliplatin; stage III colon cancer