Why carry out this study?

In a companion study, we showed that expanding access to chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy administration sites can help to reduce patient travel distances and time.

In the current study, we build on these findings by estimating the travel-related economic burden associated with expanding site-of-care options among patients with relapsed or refractory diffuse large B cell lymphoma.

Expansion of CAR T cell therapy sites-of-care in the continental USA will reduce travel-related economic burden.

What was learned from this study?

The economic burden associated with traveling for CAR T cell therapy in the USA was estimated to be $21.1 million if CAR T cell therapies were offered exclusively in academic hospitals, and $14.7 million if offered in academic and community hospitals plus nonacademic specialty oncology network centers, representing a $6.5-million reduction in health system costs associated with expanding access to eligible patients.

Under the current treatment environment, CAR T cell therapy is restricted to academic hospitals; total travel costs could be substantially decreased if access is expanded to nonacademic hospitals and specialty oncology centers.

Patients in rural areas and those living below the federal poverty line are particularly disadvantaged by restricted access.