Costs associated with intravenous (IV) chemotherapy administration in patients with lung cancer

Abstract

18092 Background: The IV method of chemotherapy administration imposes not only a time burden on patients and facilities, but also has cost implications for payers. This study aims to assess the costs associated with the IV administration of chemotherapies for patients with all forms of lung cancer and for a subset of patients with small cell lung cancer (SCLC) in a large employer-payer claims database. Methods: Using medical claims data from 5.5 million beneficiaries between 01/01/1998 and 01/31/2006, we identified 8,605 patients with lung cancer (ICD-9 codes 162.3–162.9, 176.4, or 197.0) receiving IV chemotherapies. We then identified a subset of 942 patients likely to have SCLC by selecting those receiving chemotherapy regimens primarily used to treat SCLC and excluding patients receiving procedures and treatments often associated with NSCLC. Average total costs per day of IV chemotherapy administration (including drug, administration costs, etc.) were computed for all patients and for the SCLC subset based on the actual amount paid. Costs were also computed separately for: IV chemotherapy drugs, IV chemotherapy administration procedures, and other drugs and services such as IV administration of other drugs to treat side effects of chemotherapies, evaluation and management, and laboratory tests. Results: Average total cost per day of IV chemotherapy administration for all patients was $1,112, with $652 (59%) attributable to IV chemotherapy drugs, $85 (8%) to IV chemotherapy administration procedures, and $375 (34%) to other drugs and services. Among patients with SCLC, average total daily cost was $815, with $423 (52%) attributable to IV chemotherapy drugs, $89 (11%) to IV chemotherapy administration, and $303 (37%) to other drugs and services. Conclusions: IV chemotherapy administration procedures and other visit-related services accounted for 42% and 48% of total costs in patients with all forms of lung cancer and those with SCLC, respectively. The increased availability and use of oral chemotherapy drugs in lung cancer should provide savings to payers by avoiding the costs associated with IV administration. No significant financial relationships to disclose.