Economic comparison of capecitabine + oxaliplatin and 5-fluorouracil + oxaliplatin in the adjuvant treatment of colon cancer

Figures & data

Table 1 Unit costs of the resources considered in the analysis

Treatment	Unit cost (per mg)
5-FU	€0.0020
LV	€0.0930
Capecitabine	€0.0056
Oxaliplatin	€3.7100
Day hospital	€424.00
Ambulatory visits (first/control visits)	€22.51
Hospital admissions	€2203.00
Day-surgery for CVC	€219.00
Central venous catheter Portacath	€21.38
Central venous catheter Groshon	€359.50
Disposable baxter infusion elastomeric pump	€11.61
ECG	€16.92
Kit for CVC positioning	€10.80

Abbreviations: LV, Leucovorin; CVC, Central Vein Catheter.

Table 2 Mean cycles and doses per patient in both arms

	XELOX	FOLFOX-4
Average cycles carried out	7	10.75
Cycle duration (days)	21	14
Average overall dose (mg) per cycle
Capecitabine	3187.50
Oxaliplatin	214.75
5-FU		3500.50
LV		345.50
Oxaliplatin		148.95

Table 3 Mean cost per patient by treatment and type of cost

	XELOX	FOLFOX-4
Drugs
5-FU	–	€6.68
LV	–	€30.57
Capecitabine	€247.10	–
Oxaliplatin	€731.93	€504.31
Total	€979.03	€541.56
Administration and catheter positioning
Positioning CVC	–	€648.89
DRG and ambulatory visits	€410.01	€1,229.03
Total	€410.01	€1,877.93
Therapy maintenance costs
Extra visits	–	€79.93
Support therapy	€13.06	€126.01
CVC complications	–	€19.98
Total	€13.06	€225.91
Total per cycle	€1,402.10	€2,645.40
Difference	€1,243.31
Total per complete treatment	€9,814.68	€28,438.08
Difference	€18,623.40

Figure 1 Mean cost per patient by treatment and type of cost.

Figure 2 Sensibility analysis excluding diagnosis-related group costs.