Background: This study aimed to assess the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of nimotuzumab in patients with locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (LA-NPC).
Methods: LA-NPC patients treated between October 2013 and December 2016 were retrospectively reviewed. A well-balanced cohort of patients who received nimotuzumab in addition to standard treatment (n = 50) and patients who did not receive nimotuzumab (n = 100) was selected using propensity score-matching method (1:2 ratio) for the cost-effectiveness analysis.
Results: Compared with concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) alone, addition of nimotuzumab to CCRT significantly improved the 3-year overall survival (OS) (98.00% vs. 91.00%, P = 0.032). On multivariate analysis, nimotuzumab (hazard ratio = 0.124, 95% confidence interval: 0.017-0.902, P = 0.039) showed prognostic significance for OS. No serious treatment-related adverse events were observed in the nimotuzumab group (P > 0.05). Cost-effectiveness analysis revealed that addition of nimotuzumab increased the average treatment costs by $14,364.63. The additional cost for every one percent increase in OS rate was $ 2,052.09.
Conclusion: Addition of nimotuzumab to CCRT for LA-NPC confers significant survival benefits; however, it is not cost-effective.
Keywords: Concurrent chemoradiotherapy; Cost-effectiveness analysis; Intensity-modulated radiotherapy; Nasopharyngeal carcinoma; Nimotuzumab.