Five-year direct costs of acute lymphoblastic leukemia pediatric patients undergoing allogeneic stem cell transplant

Area of Science:

• Hematology
• Pediatric Oncology
• Health Economics

Background:

• Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is a common childhood cancer.
• Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) is a curative treatment option for high-risk ALL.
• Understanding the long-term healthcare burden of HSCT is crucial for resource planning.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the 5-year healthcare resource utilization (HRU) and direct payer costs.
• To analyze HSCT outcomes in pediatric patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of two large US administrative databases.
• Inclusion of 209 pediatric patients diagnosed with ALL who underwent allogeneic HSCT.
• Description of HRU and costs for up to 5 years post-HSCT.

Main Results:

• Substantial HRU and direct costs were observed following allogeneic HSCT.
• The first year post-HSCT exhibited the highest costs (US$683,099) and HRU (49 outpatient visits, 29 lab visits, 68 inpatient days).
• Significant healthcare costs persisted in the subsequent years after HSCT.

Conclusions:

• Allogeneic HSCT for pediatric ALL is associated with considerable HRU and direct financial costs.
• The initial year post-transplant represents the period of highest resource intensity and expenditure.