scholarly journals Cost-effectiveness analysis of oral nutritional supplements with nutritional counselling in head and neck cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy

2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Beatrice Martin ◽  
Emanuele Cereda ◽  
Riccardo Caccialanza ◽  
Paolo Pedrazzoli ◽  
Rosanna Tarricone ◽  
...  

Abstract Objective There is limited evidence regarding the economic effects of nutrition support in cancer patients. This study aims at investigating the cost-effectiveness profile of systematic oral nutritional supplementation (ONS) in head and neck cancer (HNC) patients undergoing radiotherapy (RT) and receiving nutritional counseling. Methods A cost-effectiveness analysis based on a RCT was performed to estimate direct medical costs, life years gained (LYG) and Quality-Adjusted Life Years (QALY) for nutritional counseling with or without ONS at 5-month and 6-year follow up time. Value of information analysis was performed to value the expected gain from reducing uncertainty through further data collection. Results ONS with nutritional counseling produced higher QALY than nutritional counseling alone (0.291 ± 0.087 vs 0.288 ± 0.087), however the difference was not significant (0.0027, P = 0.84). Mean costs were €987.60 vs €996.09, respectively in the treatment and control group (-€8.96, P = 0.98). The Incremental Cost Effectiveness Ratio (ICER) was -€3,277/QALY, with 55.4% probabilities of being cost-effective at a cost-effectiveness threshold of €30,000/QALY. The Expected Incremental Benefit was €95.16 and the Population Expected Value of Perfect Information was €8.6 million, implying that additional research is likely to be worthwhile. At a median 6-year follow up, the treatment group had a significantly better survival rate when adjusting for late effect (P = 0.039). Conclusion Our findings provide the first evidence to inform decisions about funding and reimbursement of ONS in combination with nutritional counseling in HNC patients undergoing RT. ONS may improve quality of cancer care at no additional costs, however further research on the cost-effectiveness of nutritional supplementation is recommended. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02055833. Registered 5th February 2014 https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02055833

Author(s):  
Anastassia Löser ◽  
Kerstin Ramke ◽  
Maximilian Grohmann ◽  
Linda Krause ◽  
Pia Roser ◽  
...  

Abstract Objective To analyze the impact of nutritional counseling on the development of hypothyroidism after (chemo)radiotherapy in head and neck cancer patients to propose a new normal tissue complication probability (NTCP) model. Materials and methods At baseline, at the end of (chemo)radiotherapy, and during follow-up, thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) with free thyroxin (fT3 and fT4), nutritional status, and nutrient intake were prospectively analyzed in 46 out of 220 screened patients. Patients received (chemo)radiotherapy within an intervention (individual nutritional counseling every 2 weeks during therapy) and a control group (no nutritional counseling). Results Overall median follow-up was 16.5 [IQR: 12; 22] months. Fourteen patients (30.4%) presented with hypothyroidism after 13.5 [8.8; 17] months. During (chemo)radiotherapy, nutritional status worsened in the entire cohort: body mass index (p < 0.001) and fat-free mass index (p < 0.001) decreased, calorie deficit (p = 0.02) increased, and the baseline protein intake dropped (p = 0.028). The baseline selenium intake (p = 0.002) increased until the end of therapy. Application of the NTCP models by Rønjom, Cella, and Boomsma et al. resulted in good performance of all three models, with an AUC ranging from 0.76 to 0.78. Our newly developed NTCP model was based on baseline TSH and baseline ferritin. Model performance was good, receiving an AUC of 0.76 (95% CI: 0.61–0.87), with a sensitivity of 57.1% and specificity of 96.9% calculated for a Youden index of 0.73 (p = 0.004; area = 0.5). Conclusion Baseline TSH and ferritin act as independent predictors for radiotherapy-associated hypothyroidism. The exclusion of such laboratory chemistry parameters in future NTCP models may result in poor model performance.


2003 ◽  
Vol 66 (3) ◽  
pp. 323-326 ◽  
Author(s):  
William P. O'Meara ◽  
Jon K. Thiringer ◽  
Peter A.S. Johnstone

2013 ◽  
Vol 31 (15_suppl) ◽  
pp. 6089-6089
Author(s):  
Diptirani Samanta ◽  
Surendra nath Senapati ◽  
Kirti Ranjan Mohanty ◽  
Saroj Das

6089 Background: To evaluate the response and toxicity of docetaxel, cisplatinum, 5-FU vs paclitaxel, cisplatinum, 5-FU as neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) followed by concurrent chemoradiation (CTRT) with weekly cisplatinum in locally advanced head and neck cancer. Methods: 40 locally advanced head and neck cancer patients who satisfied the eligibility criteria were randomized.21 patients received three cycles of NACT i.e paclitaxel (175 mg/m2) on d1, cisplatinum (30 mg/m2) and 5-FU (600 mg/m2) d2-d4 (TCF) and 19 patients received three cycles of NACT docetaxel (75 mg/m2) on d1, cisplatinum (30 mg/m2) and 5-FU (600 mg/m2) d2-d4 at three week intervals, followed by concurrent weekly cisplatinum 30 mg/m2 along with conventional external beam radiation of total tumor dose dose 66 Gy. Response was assessed after NACT and again after six weeks, three months and six months of completion of chemoradiation. Toxicities were assessed after each cycles of NACT and also weekly during CTRT and thereafter. Results: Two weeks after completion of NACT complete response (CR) in TCF was 4.76%, partial response (PR) 80.9% and no response 9.5%. However in DCF, CR was 15.78 % PR was 73.68%. 10.52% patientd died due to toxicity. With a median follow up of seven months, in TCF CR was 57.14%, PR 33.33% and no response was 4.76%, whereas in DCF CR was 78.94%, PR 10.52% and death 10.5%. On evaluation of toxicities during NACT, patients in DCF had more significant neutropenia and in TCF more incidence of neuropathy. During CTRT, in TCF grade II and III mucositis was 54%, grade II neutropenia 5.6%, and grade II anemia 5.3%. In DCF mucositis grade II and III was 49.0%, neutropenia grade II 18.7% and anemia grade II was 7.4%. Late toxicities included were comparable in both arms. Conclusions: With a median follow up of 7 months, the CR in DCF was 78.94%, superior than TCF i.e 57.14%. Neutropenia was significant in DCF and neuropathy was high in TCF. In CTRT mucositis was the commonest toxicity observed in both TCF and DCF which was not statistically significant.


2017 ◽  
Vol 35 (15_suppl) ◽  
pp. 6610-6610
Author(s):  
Sweet Ping Ng ◽  
Mona K Jomaa ◽  
Courtney Pollard ◽  
Zeina Ayoub ◽  
Abdallah Mohamed ◽  
...  

6610 Background: The goal of surveillance is to detect potentially salvageable recurrence, allowing early salvage treatment and thereby improving clinical outcomes. Currently, there is limited data on the optimal frequency of imaging for head and neck cancer patients treated with definitive radiotherapy. This study aims to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of surveillance imaging in this group of patients. Methods: Eligible patients included those with a demonstrable disease free interval (≥ 1 follow up scan without evidence of disease and a subsequent visit/scan) treated between 2000-2010. Age, tumor site and stage, induction chemotherapy use, dose/ fractionation, mode of detection of recurrence, salvage therapy, number and modality of scans were recorded. Deaths from disease recurrence or from other causes were also recorded. Imaging costs were calculated based on the 2016 Medicare fee schedule. Results: 1508 patients were included. Mean age was 55.8 years (range: 17-87). Median overall survival was 99 months (range: 6-199). Mean imaging follow up period was 70 months. 190 (12.6%) patients had disease recurrence – 107 locoregional (LR) and 83 distant. 119 (62.6%) of the relapsed group were symptomatic and/or had an adverse clinical finding associated with recurrence. 80.4% of LR relapses presented with a clinical finding, while 60.2% of distant relapses were detected via imaging alone in asymptomatic patients. There was no difference between the successful salvage rates and overall survival between those with relapses detected clinically or via imaging alone. 70% of relapses occurred within the first 2 years post-treatment. In those who relapsed after 2 years, the median time to relapse was 51 months (2 LR and 11 distant relapses). After 2 years, the average cost for detecting a salvageable recurrence for image-detected group was $741 447.41, and the cost for preventing 1 recurrence-related death for image-detected disease was $889 736.89. The number of scans required to detect a salvageable recurrence in an asymptomatic patient after 2 years was 3512. Conclusions: Surveillance imaging in asymptomatic patients without clinically suspicious findings beyond 2 years requires judicious consideration.


Head & Neck ◽  
2003 ◽  
Vol 25 (12) ◽  
pp. 1034-1041 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alfred W. Rademaker ◽  
Edward F. Vonesh ◽  
Jeri A. Logemann ◽  
Barbara Roa Pauloski ◽  
Dachao Liu ◽  
...  

2005 ◽  
Vol 133 (6) ◽  
pp. 877-881 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antonio Vitor Martins Priante ◽  
André Lopes Carvalho ◽  
Karina de Cássia Braga Ribeiro ◽  
Hirde Contesini ◽  
Luiz Paulo Kowalski

OBJECTIVE: Analyze the influence of patients lost to follow-up in estimated survival rates calculated by the Kaplan-Meier method. STUDY DESIGN: Only patients with previously untreated squamous cell carcinoma of the upper aerodigestive tract were selected. For the patients lost to follow-up anytime, the last medical evaluation date was collected to calculate the “estimate A” survival time. If the same patient returned to our outpatient clinic or further health information was obtained, the updated last information/evaluation date was also collected to calculate “estimate B” survival time. The survival curves considering “estimate A” and “B” survival rates were compared. RESULTS: The overall 5 and 10-years survival rates for all patients calculated for “estimate A” were 54.0% and 46.0%, respectively; compared with 42.8% and 28.2% when were calculated considering “estimate B” ( P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Close follow-up of the head and neck cancer patients is essential for an accurate estimate of survival by KaplanMeier method. EBM RATING: C


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