Brachytherapy provides comparable outcomes and improved cost-effectiveness in the treatment of low/intermediate prostate cancer.

Abstract

PURPOSE:

To evaluate the cost-effectiveness and outcomes of low-dose-rate (LDR) and high-dose-rate (HDR) brachytherapy compared with intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) in patients with low/intermediate risk of prostate cancer.

METHODS AND MATERIALS:

One thousand three hundred twenty-eight patients with low or intermediate risk of prostate cancer were treated with LDR (n=207), HDR with four fractions (n=252), or IMRT (n=869) between January 1992 and December 2008. LDR patients were treated with palladium seeds to a median dose of 120 Gy, whereas HDR patients were treated to a median dose 38.0 Gy (four fractions). IMRT patients received 42-44 fractions with a median dose of 75.6 Gy. Clinical outcomes were compared, including biochemical failure, cause-specific survival, and overall survival.

RESULTS:

Overall, no differences in 5-year biochemical control (BC) or cause-specific survival were noted among treatment modalities. The calculated reimbursement for LDR brachytherapy, HDR brachytherapy with four fractions, and IMRT was $9,938; $17,514; and $29,356, respectively. HDR and LDR brachytherapy were statistically less costly to Medicare and the institution than IMRT (p<0.001), and LDR brachytherapy was less costly than HDR brachytherapy (p=0.01 and p<0.001). Incremental cost-effectiveness ratios for cost to Medicare for BC with IMRT were $4045 and $2754 per percent of BC for LDR and HDR brachytherapy, respectively. Incremental cost-effectiveness ratio using institutional cost comparing IMRT with LDR and HDR brachytherapy was $4962 and $4824 per 1% improvement in BC.

CONCLUSIONS:

In this study of patients with low and intermediate risk of prostate cancer, comparable outcomes at 5 years were noted between modalities with increased costs associated with IMRT.

• Authors: Chirag Shah, Thomas B Lanni Jr, Mihai I Ghilezan, Gary S Gustafson, Kimberly S Marvin, Hong Ye, Frank A Vicini, Alvaro A Martinez
• Journal: Brachytherapy (Brachytherapy) 2012 Nov-Dec Vol. 11 Issue 6 Pg. 441-5 ISSN: 1873-1449 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 22728157 (Publication Type: Comparative Study, Journal Article)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2012 American Brachytherapy Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Topics

• Brachytherapy (economics, mortality)
• Cost-Benefit Analysis
• Health Care Costs (statistics & numerical data)
• Hospitalization (economics, statistics & numerical data)
• Humans
• Male
• Michigan (epidemiology)
• Prevalence
• Prostatic Neoplasms (economics, mortality, radiotherapy)
• Survival Analysis
• Survival Rate
• Treatment Outcome