Neoadjuvant chemoradiation versus surgery first for resectable pancreatic head adenocarcinoma: An economic and outcome analysis.

Abstract

156 Background: The optimal sequence of treating pancreatic cancer (PC) with chemotherapy, radiation and surgical intervention remains elusive. Thus, cost should be considered. This study was conducted to compare the cost and outcome of a surgery first approach versus neoadjuvant chemoradiation (CRT) followed by surgery. Methods: A decision model was constructed to contrast the 2 treatment strategies. The NCDB (2003-5), ACS NSQIP (2005-9) and literature populated probabilities and outcomes in the surgery first arm, including operative outcome, complication rate, pathologic stage, adjuvant therapy and stage-specific survival based. Data from a prospectively maintained PC database (2002-8) populated the neoadjuvant arm. Costs were based on Medicare reimbursement (2011$). Survival, discounted when appropriate, was reported in quality-adjusted life months (QALM). Results: 164 pts completed neoadjuvant CRT. Of these, 36 (22%) did not proceed to surgery. Failure was due to metastases, 18(50%), prohibitive performance status (PS), 17(47%) and pt choice, 1(3%). 12 pts (7%) proceeded to laparotomy but were deemed unresectable. 116 (71%) pts underwent definitive resection. The surgery first approach cost $95,781 to yield survival of 8.7 QALM, while the neoadjuvant strategy cost $71,416 to achieve 18.8 QALM. In the neoadjuvant population, pts not undergoing surgery, those unresectable at laparotomy and those completing surgery demonstrated a cost of $12,401 to yield 7.7 QALM, $39,112 to yield 7.1 QALM and $92,887 to achieve 23.4 QALM, respectively. Conclusions: Treating pts with neoadjuvant CRT identifies those who develop early metastases or prohibitive PS and can be spared an ineffectual or prohibitively morbid operation. Our data suggest this approach is associated with improved OS at significantly lower cost. Neoadjuvant therapy for resectable PC should be employed more frequently to provide cost-effective care for this lethal disease. [Table: see text]