Cost-consequence analysis of surgical and clinical treatment modalities of laryngeal cancer

TL;DR

This study compares the costs and survival outcomes of surgical and clinical treatments for laryngeal cancer in Brazil, finding similar costs but better survival with surgery.

Contribution

The study provides the first cost-consequence analysis of laryngeal cancer treatments in Brazil.

Findings

Surgical and clinical treatments for laryngeal cancer had similar total costs (USD 32,259.65 vs. USD 34,385.87).

Patients in the surgical group had better overall survival compared to the clinical group (HR 0.53; p = 0.047).

Abstract

•Laryngeal carcinoma may be treated clinically or surgically as an initial therapeutic option.•Differences in terms of costs and outcomes has not been evaluated in Brazil.•Clinical and surgical therapeutic modalities for laryngeal carcinoma showed similar total costs.•Overall survival of laryngeal carcinoma patients was better in the surgical group.•Further studies should consider implementing cost-effectiveness analysis.

Laryngeal carcinoma may be treated clinically or surgically as an initial therapeutic option.

Differences in terms of costs and outcomes has not been evaluated in Brazil.

Clinical and surgical therapeutic modalities for laryngeal carcinoma showed similar total costs.

Overall survival of laryngeal carcinoma patients was better in the surgical group.

Further studies should consider implementing cost-effectiveness analysis.

Laryngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma (LSCC) may be treated clinically or surgically as a therapeutic option with a curative intention. The aim of this study is to compare direct medical costs and overall survival associated with the treatment of LSCC.

Retrospective cost-consequence analysis, from the perspective of a Brazilian public hospital that included patients with LSCC, from 2014 to 2017. Unit costs were estimated using a macro-costing approach. The Propensity Score Matching method was used. Survival analyses were performed using the Kaplan-Meier method.

The therapeutic modalities were similar in terms of total costs: USD 32,259.65 for the clinical group and USD 34,385.87 for the surgical group (p = 0.215). Patients in the surgical group showed better overall survival than the clinical group (HR 0.53; p = 0.047).

Both therapeutic modalities for the treatment of LSCC showed similar total costs. Nevertheless, overall survival was better in the surgical group.

Figures