Treatment patterns, health care utilization, and costs of ovarian cancer in central and eastern europe using a delphi panel based on a retrospective chart review

Abstract

Objective: Despite the considerable disease burden of ovarian cancer, there were no cost studies in Central and Eastern Europe. This study aimed to describe treatment patterns, health care utilization, and costs associated with treating ovarian cancer in Hungary, Poland, Serbia, and Slovakia. Method: Overall clinical practice for management of epithelial ovarian cancer was investigated through a 3-round Delphi panel. Experts completed a survey based on the chart review (n = 1542). The survey was developed based on clinical guidelines and the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics Annual Report. Means, ranges, and outlier values were discussed with the experts during a telephone interview. Finally, consensus estimates were obtained in face-to-face workshops. Based on these results, overall cost of ovarian cancer was estimated using a Markov model. Results: The patients included in the chart review were followed up from presurgical diagnosis and in each phase of treatment, that is, surgical staging and primary surgery, chemotherapy and chemotherapy monitoring, follow-up, and palliative care. The 5-year overall cost per patient was ε14,100 to ε16,300 in Hungary, ε14,600 to ε15,800 in Poland, ε7600 to ε8100 in Serbia, and ε12,400 to ε14,500 in Slovakia. The main components were chemotherapy-associated costs (68%Y74% of the total cost), followed by cost of primary treatment with surgery (15%Y21%) and palliative care (3%Y10%). Conclusions: Patients with ovarian cancer consume considerable health care resources and incur substantial costs in Central and Eastern Europe. These findings may prove useful for clinicians and decision makers in understanding the economic implications of managing ovarian cancer in Central and Eastern Europe and the need for innovative therapies. ORIGINAL STUDY © 2013 by IGCS and ESGO.