[Cost analysis of the treatment of Hodgkin's disease]

In 80% of cases Hodgkin's disease is curable following standard chemotherapeutical regimens. Remaining patients require additional chemotherapy, radiotherapy, bone marrow transplantation and even salvage treatment. Patient treatment costs during I, II, and subsequent lines of chemotherapy were evaluated. Patients were divided into three groups. The first group comprised patients who received first-line therapy, and became cured. The second group comprised patients who received first-line therapy, did not achieve cure, were treated by second-line therapy, which proved successful (in four patients including bone marrow transplantation) and were cured afterwards. The third group comprised patients who were not cured, despite one administration of consecutive treatment regimens. They either are surviving with active disease or they have deceased. The total treatment cost was the lowest in 1st group, amounting to the average of 8.356 euro. The highest treatment cost was found in group III amounting the average of 37.159 euro. Treatment costs were influenced by the hospitalization period ((1/3)-(1/2) of the total cost). In the case of disease recurrence following autologous bone marrow transplantation, additional chemotherapy increased costs to 75.484 euro.