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Updated: May 13, 2026
06:11
Therapy Testing in a Spheroid-based 3D Cell Culture Model for Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Published on: April 20, 2018
Pharmacoeconomic issues in head and neck oncology
Jonas A de Souza1, Gilberto de Lima Lopes, Ezra E W Cohen
1Section of Hematology/Oncology, The University of Chicago Medicine, Chicago, Illinois 60637-1470, USA. jdesouza@medicine.bsd.uchicago.edu
Current Opinion in Oncology
|March 20, 2013
Summary
Pharmacoeconomic analyses reveal cost-effective head and neck cancer chemotherapy. Cetuximab with radiotherapy is cost-effective for specific locally advanced cases, while induction chemotherapy offers value in certain scenarios.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Health Economics
- Pharmacoeconomics
Background:
- Head and neck cancer presents a significant global health burden.
- Advances in chemotherapy offer improved outcomes but require economic evaluation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review pharmacoeconomic analyses of common head and neck cancer chemotherapeutic options.
- To contextualize these analyses within current clinical practice.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing pharmacoeconomic evaluations.
- Comparison of different chemotherapy regimens and treatment modalities.
- Analysis from specific healthcare system perspectives (e.g., British, Italian, US).
Main Results:
- Cetuximab plus radiotherapy is cost-effective for locally advanced head and neck cancer in patients with good performance status and contraindications to platinum agents (British perspective).
- Induction chemotherapy with docetaxel, cisplatin, and 5-fluorouracil is cost-effective compared to cisplatin-5-fluorouracil (British and Italian perspectives).
- The utility of induction chemotherapy versus chemoradiotherapy remains unclear.
- Cetuximab with chemotherapy is not recommended for metastatic/recurrent disease in the UK, contrasting with US guidelines.
Conclusions:
- Pharmacoeconomic evaluations are crucial for optimizing head and neck cancer treatment.
- Integration of economic assessments with clinical practice is essential for informed decision-making.
- Further promotion and critical assessment of these evaluations are needed in head and neck oncology.
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