Table 3.
Costs considered in the analysis
| Cost category | Cost per cycle/event (€) |
Notes | Source |
| NEPA (oral)* | 90.46 | Netupitant 300 mg + PALO 0.5 mg capsule | 33 |
| APR (oral)* | 49.48 | 1×125 mg capsule+2×80 mg capsules | 34 |
| fAPR (intravenous)* | 48.41 | 150 mg vial | 35 |
| ONDA (intravenous)* | 23.00 | 4x8 mg vial | 36 |
| PALO (intravenous)* | 43.21 | 0.25 mg vial | 37 |
| dexamethasone | 0.12 | Cost per mg | 38 |
| CINV episode | 33.49† | KOL interview | |
| Constipation | 0.00 | KOL interview | |
| Headache | 0.00 | KOL interview | |
| Fatigue | 0.00 | KOL interview | |
| Injection site reaction | 62.52‡ | KOL interview | |
| Anorexia | 273.00§ | KOL interview |
For HEC, dexamethasone doses considered are: 12 mg in day 1 and 8 mg on day 2, 3 and 4 for NEPA, APR + PALO, APR + ONDA; 12 mg on day 1, 8 mg in day 2 and 16 mg on day 3 and 4 for fAPR + PALO, fAPR + ONDA; 20 mg on day 1 and 16 mg on day 2, 3 and 4 for PALO.
For MEC the dexamethasone doses considered are: 12 mg on day 1 for NEPA, APR + PALO, fAPR + PALO, APR + ONDA, fAPR + ONDA and 20 mg on day 1 for PALO.
*Costs are inclusive of mandatory legal discounts.
†Equivalent to a day of hospitalisation as for ‘anorexia’ in 2% of patients, multiplied by 5 (the hospitalisation may be repeated up to five times); a rescue medication for 10% of patients (ondansetron + metoclopramide) and a specialist visit for 5% of patients (http://www.salute.gov.it/portale/temi/p2_6.jsp?lingua=italiano&id=3662&area=programmazioneSanitariaLea&menu=vuoto).
‡Equivalent to the cost of 1 cannula, 30 min of nursing time, 30 min of pharmacist time and for 15% of patients, a central venous catheter positioning (code 38.95) (http://www.salute.gov.it/portale/temi/p2_6.jsp?lingua=italiano&id=3662&area=programmazioneSanitariaLea&menu=vuoto).
§Equivalent to a day of hospitalisation for ‘Nutrition disorders and miscellaneous metabolic disorders, >17 years old without complications (DRG 297)’ (http://www.salute.gov.it/portale/temi/p2_6.jsp?lingua=italiano&id=3662&area=programmazioneSanitariaLea&menu=vuoto).
APR, aprepitant; CINV, chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting; fAPR, fosaprepitant; ONDA, ondansetron; PALO, palonosetron.