OBJECTIVES: Patients with bone metastases often experience skeletal-related events (SREs: radiation or surgery to bone, pathologic fracture, and spinal cord compression). This study examined health resource utilization and costs associated with SREs. METHODS: Data presented are from the European cohort (Germany, Italy, Spain, and the UK) of patients with solid tumours enrolled in a multi-national, prospective, observational study in patients with solid tumours or multiple myeloma. Patients with Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group score 0-2 and life expectancy ≥6 months, who experienced an SRE up to 97 days before enrolment, were eligible. Health resource utilization associated with SREs (including number/length of inpatient stays, numbers of procedures and outpatient visits) were collected through chart review for up to 97 days before enrolment and prospectively during follow-up. Country-specific cost calculations were performed. RESULTS: In total, 478 eligible patients contributed 893 SREs to this analysis. Radiation to bone occurred most frequently (66% of total). Spinal cord compression (7%) and surgery to bone (10%) were the least common events, but most likely to require inpatient stays. The most costly SREs were also spinal cord compression (mean per SRE across countries, €4884-€12,082) and surgery to bone (€3348-€9407). Inpatient stays were the main cost drivers. LIMITATIONS: Health resource utilization used to calculate the costs associated with SREs may have been under-estimated as a result of exclusion of patients with low performance status or life expectancy; unavailable information and exclusion of resource consumption associated with pain. Thus, the estimate of associated costs is likely to be conservative. CONCLUSIONS: SREs result in considerable health resource utilization, imposing a substantial financial burden driven by inpatient stays. Treatments that prevent/delay SREs may help ease this burden, thereby providing cost savings across European healthcare systems.
OBJECTIVES:Patients with bone metastases often experience skeletal-related events (SREs: radiation or surgery to bone, pathologic fracture, and spinal cord compression). This study examined health resource utilization and costs associated with SREs. METHODS: Data presented are from the European cohort (Germany, Italy, Spain, and the UK) of patients with solid tumours enrolled in a multi-national, prospective, observational study in patients with solid tumours or multiple myeloma. Patients with Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group score 0-2 and life expectancy ≥6 months, who experienced an SRE up to 97 days before enrolment, were eligible. Health resource utilization associated with SREs (including number/length of inpatient stays, numbers of procedures and outpatient visits) were collected through chart review for up to 97 days before enrolment and prospectively during follow-up. Country-specific cost calculations were performed. RESULTS: In total, 478 eligible patients contributed 893 SREs to this analysis. Radiation to bone occurred most frequently (66% of total). Spinal cord compression (7%) and surgery to bone (10%) were the least common events, but most likely to require inpatient stays. The most costly SREs were also spinal cord compression (mean per SRE across countries, €4884-€12,082) and surgery to bone (€3348-€9407). Inpatient stays were the main cost drivers. LIMITATIONS: Health resource utilization used to calculate the costs associated with SREs may have been under-estimated as a result of exclusion of patients with low performance status or life expectancy; unavailable information and exclusion of resource consumption associated with pain. Thus, the estimate of associated costs is likely to be conservative. CONCLUSIONS: SREs result in considerable health resource utilization, imposing a substantial financial burden driven by inpatient stays. Treatments that prevent/delay SREs may help ease this burden, thereby providing cost savings across European healthcare systems.
Authors: Fred Saad; Neil E Fleshner; Alan So; Jacques Le Lorier; Louise Perrault; Melanie Poulin-Costello; Raina Rogoza; Ewan J D Robson Journal: Can Urol Assoc J Date: 2018-06-19 Impact factor: 1.862
Authors: Prue Cormie; Daniel A Galvão; Nigel Spry; David Joseph; Dennis R Taaffe; Robert U Newton Journal: Support Care Cancer Date: 2014-01-15 Impact factor: 3.603
Authors: Jean-Jacques Body; João Pereira; Harm Sleeboom; Nikos Maniadakis; Evangelos Terpos; Yves Pascal Acklin; Jindrich Finek; Oliver Gunther; Guy Hechmati; Tony Mossman; Luis Costa; Wojciech Rogowski; Hareth Nahi; Roger von Moos Journal: Eur J Health Econ Date: 2015-08-08