Treatment patterns and disease burden of stage IIIB/IIIC melanoma in France, Germany and the UK

Abstract

Aim: Real-world data on treatment patterns and costs are often scarce, although much needed for health technology assessments governing patient access in many countries. This study aimed to collect these data in France, Germany and the UK for patients with stage IIIB/IIIC melanoma with macroscopic lymph node involvement, whose primary melanoma and regional lymph node metastases had been completely resected. <br><br>Methods: This retrospective observational study enrolled patients aged ?18 years first diagnosed between 1 January 2009 and 31 December 2011. Data were extracted from patients' medical records until death or study end date, and via a patient survey. Costs were calculated by collecting resource use and multiplying by unit costs. <br><br>Results: 49 centres provided data on 558 patients. Overall, 56% of patients were male and 58% were aged <65 years at diagnosis. Over half had stage IIIB disease. The mean total direct cost per patient over the entire medical record follow-up period was €23,582 in France, €32,058 in Germany, and £31,123 (€35,791) in the UK. The table shows the use of adjuvant systemic therapies in each country. <br><br>Conclusions: Although the great majority of patients received no adjuvant treatment in France (93%) and the UK (97.4%), there was some use of interferon in Germany (high dose 11%; intermediate dose 5%; low dose 15%; pegylated 2%). Relatively high direct costs were observed in all three countries.