Economic sustainability of anti-PD-1 agents nivolumab and pembrolizumab in cancer patients: Recent insights and future challenges.
Anti-programmed death (PD)-1 agents pembrolizumab and nivolumab have recently obtained enthusiastic results in terms of progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS) and tolerability in cancer patients. Despite these promising data, the high cost of these agents needs careful consideration. Indeed, the evaluation of cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA) and quality-adjusted life year (QALY), as well as different drug reimbursement modalities, will represent fundamental tools in order to guarantee the economic sustainability of health system and the access to care for all cancer patients. In this review, we discussed the recent results obtained by immunotherapy in cancer patients and we evaluated the economic impact of recently approved nivolumab and pembrolizumab in patients with advanced melanoma, non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and renal cell carcinoma (RCC).
School of Economics, University of Macerata, Macerata, Italy.
Francesca
F
Tartari
Medical Oncology, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Ospedali Riuniti Umberto I, GM Lancisi, G Salesi, Ancona, Italy. Electronic address: mattymo@alice.it.
Matteo
M
Santoni
Medical Oncology, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Ospedali Riuniti Umberto I, GM Lancisi, G Salesi, Ancona, Italy.
Luciano
L
Burattini
Medical Oncology, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Ospedali Riuniti Umberto I, GM Lancisi, G Salesi, Ancona, Italy.
Paola
P
Mazzanti
Medical Oncology, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Ospedali Riuniti Umberto I, GM Lancisi, G Salesi, Ancona, Italy.
Azzurra
A
Onofri
Medical Oncology, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Ospedali Riuniti Umberto I, GM Lancisi, G Salesi, Ancona, Italy.
Rossana
R
Berardi
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000191:economics*; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000191:economics*; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000191:economics; D002292:Carcinoma, Renal Cell / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000191:economics / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000191:economics / Q000276:immunology; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000191:economics / Q000276:immunology; D008545:Melanoma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000191:economics / Q000276:immunology; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000191:economics* / Q000276:immunology; D000077594:Nivolumab; D061026:Programmed Cell Death 1 Receptor / Q000276:immunology
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; C105992:PDCD1 protein, human; D061026:Programmed Cell Death 1 Receptor; D000077594:Nivolumab; C582435:pembrolizumab
Economic sustainability; Immunotherapy; Lung cancer; Melanoma; Per patient cost; Renal cell carcinoma