Are costly new chemotherapies justified in colorectal cancer?

Abstract

N ew chemotherapies are relatively expensive. This fact has more and more and more researchers comparing the economics of new chemotherapies with that of older alternatives. Two new chemotherapeutic agents, Rhone-Poulenc Rorer’s irinotecan and Zeneca’s raltitrexed (‘Tomudex’), have recently been launched for the treatment of colorectal cancer. Despite their higher acquisition cost, these agents do not appear to be economically disadvantaged compared with older regimens based on fluorouracil, according to the results of 2 economic analyses of phase III data. The results of these analyses were presented at the First European Conference on the Economics of Cancer [ Brussels, Belgium; November 1997 ], which was convened by the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC).