Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of Denosumab in the Prevention of Skeletal-Related Events Among Patients With Breast Cancer With Bone Metastasis in India

Abstract

PURPOSE Denosumab is clinically superior to zoledronic acid (ZA) for preventing and delaying time to first and subsequent skeletal-related events (SREs) among patients with breast cancer (BC) with bone metastases. We evaluated the cost and health benefits of denosumab and ZA (once every 4 weeks and once every 12 weeks) among four different molecular subtypes of BC with bone metastases in India. MATERIALS AND METHODS A Markov model was developed in Microsoft Excel to estimate lifetime health consequences and resulting costs among cohort of 1,000 patients with BC with bone metastasis, for three intervention scenarios, namely denosumab (once every 4 weeks), ZA (once every 4 weeks), and ZA (once every 12 weeks). The health outcomes were measured in terms of SREs averted and quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) gained. The cost of each intervention scenario was measured using both the health system and the patient's perspectives. Indirect costs because of lost productivity were not included. The future costs and outcomes were discounted at the standard rate of 3%. RESULTS Over a lifetime, the incremental number of SREs averted with use of denosumab once every 4 weeks (compared with ZA once every 4 weeks and once every 12 weeks) among patients with luminal A, luminal B, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2–enriched, and triple negative breast cancer were estimated as 0.39, 0.26, 0.25, and 0.19, respectively. The number of QALYs lived were slightly higher in the denosumab arm (1.45-2.80) compared with ZA once every 4 weeks and once every 12 weeks arms (1.44-2.78). However, denosumab once every 4 weeks was not found to be a cost-effective alternative for either of the four molecular subtypes of breast cancer. ZA once every 12 weeks was found to be a cost-effective option with an average cost-effectiveness ratio ranging between ₹68,254 and ₹73,636. CONCLUSION ZA once every 12 weeks is the cost-effective treatment option for BC with bone metastases in India. The present study findings hold significance for standard treatment guidelines under India’s government-funded health insurance program.