Related Experiment Video
Updated: Nov 3, 2025
A Bioluminescent and Fluorescent Orthotopic Syngeneic Murine Model of Androgen-dependent and Castration-resistant Prostate Cancer
Published on: March 6, 2018
The value of new drugs for advanced prostate cancer
David H Howard1,2, Ruben G W Quek3, Kathleen M Fox4
1Department of Health Policy and Management, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia.
Background:
The US Food and Drug Administration has recently approved a number of new cancer drugs. The clinical trials that serve as the basis for new cancer drug approvals may not reflect how the drugs will perform in routine practice and do not measure the impact of the drugs on spending. The authors sought to evaluate the real-world effectiveness and value of drugs recently approved for advanced prostate cancer.
Methods:
Using Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results-Medicare data, the authors identified fee-for-service Medicare beneficiaries aged 65 years or older who began treatment with a drug approved for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer in 2007-2009, when only 1 drug was approved for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer, and in 2014-2016, when 5 additional drugs were approved. They calculated life expectancy and lifetime medical costs (ie, Medicare reimbursements) for each group.
Results:
Between 2007-2009 and 2014-2016, life expectancy increased by 12.6 months. Lifetime medical costs increased by $87,000. The incremental cost per life-year gained was $83,000.
Conclusion:
The release of 5 new drugs coincided with increases in survival rates and spending. This study's estimates indicate that the new drugs collectively were cost-effective.
Insights
New advanced prostate cancer drugs improved life expectancy by over a year. Despite increased costs, these cancer treatments were found to be cost-effective, offering significant value.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Health Economics
- Real-World Evidence
Background:
- US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approvals for cancer drugs may not reflect real-world performance or impact on healthcare spending.
- Clinical trial data often differs from outcomes in routine clinical practice.
- Evaluating the real-world effectiveness and economic value of new cancer therapies is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the real-world effectiveness and value of drugs recently approved for advanced prostate cancer.
- To compare outcomes before and after the approval of multiple new treatments.
Main Methods:
- Utilized Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results-Medicare data for beneficiaries aged 65+.
- Compared patients initiating treatment between 2007-2009 (1 drug approved) and 2014-2016 (6 drugs approved).
- Calculated life expectancy and lifetime medical costs (Medicare reimbursements).
Main Results:
- Life expectancy increased by 12.6 months between the two periods.
- Lifetime medical costs rose by $87,000.
- The incremental cost per life-year gained was estimated at $83,000.
Conclusions:
- The introduction of five new advanced prostate cancer drugs correlated with increased survival and healthcare expenditures.
- The study's findings suggest that these new cancer drugs were collectively cost-effective.
- Real-world data analysis provides valuable insights into the value of novel cancer therapies.
More Related Videos
13:19Microarray-based Identification of Individual HERV Loci Expression: Application to Biomarker Discovery in Prostate Cancer
Published on: November 2, 2013
12:23Phosphopeptide Enrichment Coupled with Label-free Quantitative Mass Spectrometry to Investigate the Phosphoproteome in Prostate Cancer
Published on: August 2, 2018
Related Concept Videos
02:57Targeted Cancer Therapies
There are several types of targeted therapies against...
02:56Treatment Resistant Cancers
01:26FDA Approved Drugs: Changes to Approved Drugs