MIAMI - The cost of treating dermatologic toxicities associated with targeted anticancer therapies contributes significantly to the overall financial burden of cancer care, cost analysis data from 131 affected patients suggest.
The overall cost of caring for treatment-related dermatologic toxicities in the 30-month study was more than $337,409, or $2,576 per patient, Dr. Judy H. Borovicka reported at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology.
The analysis included the cost of clinic visits, laboratory tests, diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, medications, and supplies, said Dr. Borovicka, a clinical trial investigator at Northwestern University, Chicago.
Patients had a total of 481 visits (for an average of 3.7 per person) to a subspecialty clinic developed to treat skin and eye reactions to inhibitors of epidermal growth-factor receptor and kinases (the SERIES Clinic in Chicago) between November 2005 and April 2008, for a mean cost per visit of $701. All were diagnosed with 1 of 15 primary cancer types, and were treated with rituximab, erlotinib, imatinib, lapatinib, panitumumab, sorafenib, or sunitinib.
The more common dermatologic toxicities associated with these drugs included papulopustular rash, periungual inflammation, xerosis, alopecia, and ocular changes. Papulopustular rash was the most common toxicity, occurring in 45%-100% of patients.
Sorafenib induced the most costly dermatologic toxicities, with a mean overall patient cost of $2,974; lapatinib and imatinib were associated with the least costly toxicities, with mean overall costs of $1,275 and $1,490, respectively, Dr. Borovicka said, noting that the differences in cost between sorafenib and lapatinib/imatinib were statistically significant.
Toxicity severity was predictive of increased patient cost; however, age, gender, race/ethnicity, cancer type, and cancer severity were not predictors of patient cost, Dr. Borovicka said.
"Toxicities impact the quality of life of patients undergoing treatment with targeted anticancer therapies, and they carry significant financial implications... management of untoward effects is paramount to minimizing the disruption of therapy," she concluded.
Dr. Borovicka stated that she has no relevant financial or other disclosures related to this study.