Cost minimization analysis of capecitabine versus 5-fluorouracil-based treatment for gastric cancer patients in Hong Kong

Figures & data

Table 1. Baseline characteristics of patients in both groups.

		EOX (n = 45)	FOLFOX4 (n = 13)	Statistical significance p-value
% of Male		57.8	61.5	.81
% of Chinese Ethnicity		100	100	–
Mean age, years (SD)		56.6 (10.0)	56.5 (13.3)	.955
Mean body surface area, m^2 (SD)		1.57 (0.18)	1.52 (0.18)	.381
% of patients with ECOG performance score
<2  ≧2		93.3 6.7	76.9 23.1	.09 0.09
% of patients with alkaline phosphatase which was
Normal  Elevated		73.3 24.4	84.6 15.4	.598
% of patients with no. of metastatic sites =
0  ≧1		6.7 93.3	7.7 92.3	.867
% of patients with liver metastases		20.0	15.4	.711
Mean survival from diagnosis, days (SD)		503.8 (295.5)	610.7 (438.0)	.447

Table 2. Healthcare resources used by patients in both groups.

	EOX (n = 45)Mean (SD)	FOLFOX (n = 13)Mean (SD)	Statistical significancep-value
No. of chemotherapy cycles	5.3 (1.0)	7.9 (3.5)	.011
No. of drugs used
Expected  Unexpected	5.3 (2.0) 7.8 (5.1)	8.2 (2.1) 14.1 (6.2)	<.001 .001
No. of hospital bed-days
Expected  Unexpected	5.3 (1.0) 2.1 (5.8)	23.5 (10.2) 4.7 (5.1)	<.001 .001
No. of hospital visits
Expected  Unexpected	20.3 (5.1) 5.6 (4.3)	21.1 (10.0) 5.9 (5.1)	.963 .97
No. of laboratory investigations
Expected  Unexpected	22.9 (6.4) 7.2 (6.4)	25.5 (12.9) 13.7 (15.6)	.867 .08
No. of X-rays & scans
Expected  Unexpected	1.5 (0.8) 0.7 (1.8)	3.1 (5.2) 0.7 (0.9)	.194 .359

Table 3. Healthcare cost for patients in both groups.

	EOX (n = 45)Mean (SD)	FOLFOX (n = 13)Mean (SD)	Statistical significancep-value
Expected cost (USD)/cycle
Medication	290.3 (45.4)	66.9 (13.4)	<.001
Day ward/inpatient visits	76.9 (0)	1,269.2 (0)	<.001
Laboratory tests	145.6 (37.7)	108.5 (25.7)	.002
X-rays & scans	97.5 (46.3)	108.6 (47.1)	.479
Outpatient visits	140.3 (33.7)	110.9 (20.9)	.002
Total expected cost (USD)/cycle	750.6 (86.8)	1,664.1 (82.6)	<.001
Total expected cost (USD)/patient	3,969.6 (459.2)	13,056.6 (648.1)	<.001
Unexpected cost (USD)/cycle
Medication	14.5 (31.9)	14.0 (21.2)	.202
A&E	4.9 (9.3)	10.7 (13.7)	.068
Hospital bed-days	191.4 (576.0)	353.8 (544.8)	.005
Laboratory tests	37.1 (32.1)	62.2 (58.8)	.167
X-rays & scans	26.5 (65.0)	39.5 (98.2)	.63
Outpatient visits	43.0 (31.4)	50.6 (54.2)	.758
Total unexpected cost (USD)/cycle	317.5 (633.1)	530.8 (609.4)	.028
Total unexpected cost (USD)/patient	1,679.3 (3,348.2)	4,193.3 (4,781.4)	.002
Total cost (USD)/patient	5,549.6 (3,388.2)	16,923.5 (4,885.5)	<.001

Table 4. Societal cost for patients in both groups.

	EOX (n = 45)Mean (SD)	FOLFOX (n = 13)Mean (SD)	Statistical significancep-value
Expected cost (USD)/cycle
Patient time cost (USD)	68.0 (19.3)	126.6 (58.9)	<.001
Patient travel cost (USD)	50.3 (36.3)	29.6 (14.8)	.097
Patient treatment cost (USD)	387.1 (58.5)	290.3 (33.5)	<.001
Total expected cost (USD)/cycle	505.5 (88.5)	446.5 (44.4)	.259
Total expected cost (USD)/patient	2,673.3 (467.8)	3,527.6 (348.1)	<.001
Unexpected cost (USD)/cycle
Patient time cost (USD)	40.4 (61.1)	38.3 (50.0)	.107
Patient travel cost (USD)	13.3 (13.8)	8.68 (7.9)	.195
Patient treatment cost (USD)	10.6 (17.6)	16.8 (17.2)	.043
Total unexpected cost (USD)/cycle	64.3 (80.6)	63.8 (67.3)	.267
Total unexpected cost (USD)/patient	340.0 (439.6)	504.1 (527.7)	.023
Total cost (USD)/patient	3,013.2 (710.7)	4,031.7 (698.0)	.001

Table

	Median hourly wage
Age	Female	Male
15	$42.5	$38.4
25	$65.5	$68.0
35	$68.5	$73.0
45	$43.3	$68.6
55	$37.0	$50.0
	Median monthly wage
15	$5,500.0	$5,500.0
20	$9,500.0	$9,500.0
30	$13,000.0	$14,200.0
40	$11,000.0	$15,000.0
50	$8,000.0	$12,000.0
60	$6,000.0	$9,000.0

Table

Fare Table – Urban Taxi	Fare (HK$)
First 2 km or any part thereof	$20
Every subsequent 200 m or part thereof, or Every period of 1-min waiting time or part thereof
• Until the chargeable amount reaches $72.5	$1
• After the chargeable amount has reached $72.5	$1.5
Surcharge for every hiring involving the use of toll tunnel, toll road, or toll area
Cross-Harbor tunnel	Amount of toll paid by driver + $10* (Return toll)
Eastern Harbor crossing	Amount of toll paid by driver + $15* (Return toll)
Western Harbor crossing	Amount of toll paid by driver + $15* (Return toll)
Lantau Link	$30
Other toll tunnel, toll road, or toll area	Amount of toll paid by driver

* The return toll is not payable by passenger if: (a) the hiring begins from a cross-harbor taxi stand; or (b) the final destination is not on the opposite side of the harbor.