[New cytostatic drugs--indications and costs]

In the last decade six new chemotherapeutic agents including the vinca alcaloid vinorelbine, the taxanes paclitaxel and docetaxel, the antimetabolite gemcitabine and the two topoisomerase I-inhibitors irinotecan and topotecan were shown to be active in several phase II- and randomized phase III-trials. This article reviews their mode of action, their efficacy, their side effects and their indications. Their state of registration and reimbursement by insurance companies in Switzerland are summarized. Finally, their costs and cost-effectiveness in a time of increasing financial restraint in health care budgets are analyzed.