Cost-effectiveness of cetuximab for colorectal cancer

Cetuximab is a novel biological agent with superior therapeutic efficacy for colorectal cancer treatment. This study aimed to systematically review the existing evidence related to the cost-effectiveness of cetuximab. Areas covered: Using Medline and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, a total of 12 articles were identified. Previous studies have shown mixed results on the cost-effectiveness of first-line cetuximab combined with FOLFIRI (5-Fluorouracil, leucovorin, irinotecan). However, cetuximab-irinotecan therapy as third-line treatment has consistently been found to be cost-ineffective compared to best supportive care or no third-line therapy. The Kristen-rat-Sarcoma-viral-oncogene (KRAS) testing strategy prior to cetuximab use has been reported as cost-effective compared with the cetuximab-containing strategy without KRAS testing. Expert commentary: The results should be interpreted with consideration of the specific healthcare settings in which cetuximab use was evaluated. Future studies are expected to examine the economic value of cetuximab compared with other newly approved biologic products.