Management of patients with metastatic colorectal cancer: economic consequences of different treatment programs

The clinical pattern of Metastatic ColoRectal Cancer patients, receiving first-line infusional 5-FU or oral capecitabine (CAP) chemotherapies, was valorized in the perspective of the Italian NHS. A cost-minimization analysis was implemented on the basis of retrospective data from 5 centers. 202 subjects: 126 receiving 5-FU-association, 10 5-FU-monotherapy; 31 CAP-association, 35 CAP-monotherapy. Therapeutic patterns differed as to chemotherapy administration resources consumption: 5-FU was administered in Day Hospital and CAP in the outpatient setting. Mean total cost/patient was in the range of € 6,841 (monotherapy-5-FU)- € 12,620 (association-5-FU) and € 2,056 (monotherapy-CAP)-€ 9,745 (association-CAP). The infusional administration route of 5-FU was the driver of costs.