Examining the Medical Resource Utilization and Costs of Relapsed and Refractory Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia in Ontario

Abstract

PurposeThe purpose of the present study was to collect medical resource utilization data and costs in Ontario for the management of patients with relapsed or refractory chronic lymphocytic lymphoma (cll) who have undergone at least 1 treatment course and have been stratified by Rai staging.Methods This retrospective longitudinal cohort study, conducted by chart review, analyzed anonymized patient records from two cancer centres in Ontario. Comprehensive records of 86 patients meeting the inclusion criteria were used to obtain resource utilization, which, multiplied by unit costs, were used to determine overall and mean costs. Descriptive statistics are presented for patient demographics, medical resource utilization, and costing data. ResultsThe total cost for the cohort was $2.2 million over a mean follow-up period of 4.7 years. The mean total cost per patient (regardless of follow-up) was $25,736. In terms of Rai staging, overall mean costs were highest for stage iv patients. Almost 50% of the total cost was attributable to cll treatments, among which fludarabine-based treatments had the highest utilization. ConclusionsFor this Canadian cll cohort, medical resource utilization and costs were determined to be $2.2 million, with cll treatments accounting for about half the cost. Costs generally increased with Rai stage.

Health-related quality of life and economic burden of chronic lymphocytic leukemia in the era of novel targeted agents

“…Of the eight observational studies that reported cost and resource use among patients with R/R CLL, six were conducted in North America (Table 4) [41][42][43][44][45][46][47][48] .…”

“…HRU data were collected in a retrospective study of medical chart data from 86 patients with R/R CLL (mean age, 65 years; 69% males) undergoing treatment in two facilities in Canada between 2002 and 2012 42 . Of the total population studied, 44.2% (38/86) were receiving fludarabine-based 42 .…”

“…HRU data were collected in a retrospective study of medical chart data from 86 patients with R/R CLL (mean age, 65 years; 69% males) undergoing treatment in two facilities in Canada between 2002 and 2012 42 . Of the total population studied, 44.2% (38/86) were receiving fludarabine-based 42 . Chlorambucil-treated patients had higher mean costs per patient than fludarabine-treated patients (CAN$15,783 vs. CAN$5770), which was attributed to chlorambucil-treated patients remaining on treatment longer 42 .…”

“…Of the total population studied, 44.2% (38/86) were receiving fludarabine-based 42 . Chlorambucil-treated patients had higher mean costs per patient than fludarabine-treated patients (CAN$15,783 vs. CAN$5770), which was attributed to chlorambucil-treated patients remaining on treatment longer 42 .…”