Cost-effectiveness-analysis of different treatment modalities in bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) unresponsive non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NIMBC).

Abstract

556 Background: Elaborate treatment and repetitive surveillance makes bladder cancer to the most expensive cancer type over the lifetime of a patient with a peak in non-muscle invasive bladder cancer. Radical cystectomy (RC) as the Standard of Care in BCG unresponsive NMIBC is associated with a significant health-related quality-of-life burden (QALY). Gemcitabine/Docetaxel, Pembrolizumab or Hyperthermic Intravesical Chemotherapy (HIVEC) have recently been published as salvage treatment options trying to increase the rate of bladder preservation. Methods: We developed a Markov model from a payer´s perspective with the clinical data of single-arm studies for BCG unresponsive NMIBC (Gemcitabine/Docetaxel and Pembrolizumab) and our clinical data for patients receiving HIVEC (n=29) as intravesical salvage-chemotherapy. Costs were simulated with a non-commercial DRG-grouper, utilities were derived from comparable cost-effectiveness studies. We used a Monte-Carlo Simulation to identify the optimal treatment, comparing the incremental cost effectiveness ratios (ICER) in consideration of a willingness-to pay of 50.000 Euro/QALY. Results: Over a horizon of 10 years, Gemcitabine/Docetaxel, HIVEC and Pembrolizumab were associated with costs of 48.353 64.438 and 204.580 Euro, and QALY´s of 6.16, 6.48 and 6.00, resulting in an ICER of 26.482, 42.567 and 184.533 Euro in comparison to RC (costs: 21.871 Euro; QALY: 5.01). Monte-Carlo Simulation has identified HIVEC as the treatment of choice in the assumption of a WTP of <50.000 Euro. QALY gains in Gemcitabine/Docetaxel and especially HIVEC were mainly driven by bladder preservation and the low rate of progression. Conclusions: Considering a WTP of <50.000 Euro / QALY, Gemcitabine/Docetaxel and HIVEC are highly cost-effective therapy options in BCG unresponsive bladder cancer, while RC remains the cheapest option. At its current price, Pembrolizumab is only cost-effective with a price reduction of 70%.