Optimizing the dose in patients treated with imatinib as first line treatment for gastrointestinal stromal tumours: A cost-effectiveness study.

ABSTRACT:

Aims

Patients with metastatic gastrointestinal stromal tumours (GIST) are treated in first line with the oral tyrosine kinase inhibitor, imatinib, until progressive disease. With this fixed dosing regimen, only approximately 40% of patients reach adequate plasma levels within the therapeutic index. Therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) is a solution to reach plasma levels within the therapeutic index. However, introducing TDM will also increase costs, due to prolonged imatinib use and laboratory costs. The aim of this study was to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of TDM in patients with metastatic/unresectable GIST treated with imatinib as a first line treatment, compared with fixed dosing.

Methods

A survival model was created to simulate progression, mortality and treatment cost

SUBMITTER: Zuidema S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6710511 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature