Economic evaluation of fulvestrant as an extra step in the treatment sequence for ER-positive advanced breast cancer.

ABSTRACT: Drug therapies for advanced breast cancer in hormone-receptor-positive disease include both hormonal and chemotherapies. Current UK practice is to minimise toxicity by using sequential hormonal agents for as long as clinically appropriate. A Markov model was developed to investigate the cost effectiveness of different sequences of therapies, particularly exploring the effects of adding an additional hormonal agent, fulvestrant, to the treatment pathway. A systematic review was undertaken and a panel of seven UK oncologists validated assumptions used for treatment efficacy, treatment pathways and resources used. Fulvestrant was found to be a cost-effective treatment option when added to the treatment sequence as a second- or third-line hormonal therapy for advanced disease. For a cohort of

SUBMITTER: Cameron DA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2607221 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature