Transversal Study of Breast Cancer Treatment in Spain

Paladio Duran, N.

doi:10.1016/S2173-5085(08)70035-2

Farmacia Hospitalaria

ISSN: 1130-6343

Farmacia Hospitalaria (Farm Hosp) is the official publication of the Spanish Society of Hospital Pharmacists (SEFH), a professional and scientific organization that currently has about 4.351 members.

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Multi-centre and transversal study, which included consecutive BC patients treated with chemotherapy between 10 and 15 May 2004 in 110 centres throughout Spain. Information was gathered on the general characteristics of the centres, the patient data and the treatments administered. This information was collected prospectively based on the data available in the pharmacy service and/or the patient's clinical history. The following information was requested: demographic, clinical, CT administered during the week of the study, established guidelines, inclusion in clinical trials, and the direct costs of the medication.

Results

A total of 2134 patients were included (99.7% women) from 16 autonomous communities and the average age was 51.5. The majority of the treatments were administered in general hospitals (89.7%), public or public health partnership hospitals (91.5%), and level 3 specialist hospitals (64.5%). Among these patients, 120 (5.6%) received treatment as part of a clinical study. A total of 51% of patients received adjuvant or neoadjuvant treatment, mainly for stage IIA disease (28.7%). A total of 1011 patients presented metastatic disease (MD). The estimated average cost of chemotherapy treatment was %428.5 per cycle and the group of patients with MD incurred the greatest cost (%640.4 per cycle).

Conclusions

The results show the current situation of CT for BC in Spain and a great deal of variability is observed both in the use of drugs as well as in the associated costs.

Key words:

Breast cancer

Chemotherapy

Adjuvant

Neoadjuvant

Metastatic disease

Cost

Resumen

Objetivos

Los objetivos del estudio fueron conocer y describir el tratamiento quimioterápico (QT) en pacientes con cáncer de mama (CM) en España y estimar su coste.

Métodos

Estudio multicéntrico y transversal en el que se incluyó a todos los pacientes consecutivos con CM tratados con quimioterapia entre el 10 y el 15 de mayo de 2004 en 110 centros de España. Se recogió información de las características generales de los centros y datos de los pacientes y tratamientos administrados, la cual se realizó de manera prospectiva a partir de los datos disponibles en el servicio de farmacia y/o en la propia historia clínica. Se solicitaron datos demográficos, clínicos, tratamientos QT administrados durante la semana de estudio y protocolos previos, así como la inclusión en ensayos clínicos y los costes directos de la medicación.

Resultados

Se incluyó a 2.134 pacientes (el 99,7% mujer; edad media, 51,5 años) de 16 comunidades autónomas. La mayoría de los tratamientos se administró en hospitales generales (89,7%), públicos o concertados (91,5%) y de nivel 3 (64,5%). De ellos, 120 pacientes (5,6%) recibieron tratamiento en un ensayo clínico. El 51% de los pacientes recibió tratamiento adyuvante o neoadyuvante, principalmente por enfermedad en estadio IIA (28,7%). En total, 1.011 pacientes presentaron enfermedad metastásica (EM). El coste medio estimado del tratamiento quimioterápico fue de 428,5 €/ciclo, y las pacientes con EM constituyeron el grupo con un mayor coste (640,4 €/ciclo).

Conclusiones

Los resultados presentan una visión de la situación real del tratamiento QT del CM en España, y se observa una amplia variabilidad, tanto en la utilización de fármacos como en los costes asociados.

Palabras clave:

Cáncer de mama

Quimioterapia

Adyuvancia. Neoadyuvancia

Enfermedad metastásica

Coste

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