Economics & Value

Chicago, IL—So far, 2 chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapies have been approved by the FDA for some types of relapsed or refractory lymphoma and leukemia. Although CAR T-cell therapy has shown promise in many ­patients who have run out of standard treatment options, it is incredibly ­resource-intense: the complexities of its administration ­require an interdisciplinary approach for success, the side effects can be severe, and its high cost can reach upward of $1 million per course of treatment.

Although the cost of care can have severe effects on patients with cancer and their families, oncologists rarely address financial toxicity, according to Hanna K. Sanoff, MD, MPH, Medical Director, University of North Carolina (UNC) NC Cancer Hospital Clinics.

Chicago, IL—Healthcare costs in the United States have spiraled out of control, and polls show that single-payer healthcare is gaining traction.

“NGS decreased the cost of testing, identified the highest percentage of targetable genetic alterations, and had the fastest turnaround,” reported Nathan A. Pennell, MD, PhD.

“Treating financial toxicity at the patient level is similar to treating a symptom like fatigue. You can try to prevent it, but to some degree, patients are going to experience it, and when they do, you need a plan,” says Yousuf Zafar, MD, MHS.

Atlanta, GA—A retrospective analysis of a large commercial payer database has demonstrated a link between various treatment episodes of acute myeloid leukemia and substantial economic burden. According to data presented at ASH 2017, healthcare resource use and direct healthcare costs were associated with high-intensity chemotherapy induction, hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation (HSCT), and episodes of relapsed or refractory disease in a US commercially insured population.

Atlanta, GA—A recent analysis of a commercial claims database suggests that oral therapy for multiple myeloma may help decrease the economic burden for patients and healthcare systems. According to data presented at ASH 2017, patients with multiple myeloma who received injectable therapy used significantly more disability benefits and incurred higher productivity costs than patients who received oral medications.