The Role of Predictive Markers in Outcome and Value of Anticancer Drugs in Non-small Cell Lung Cancer

Abstract

Rising costs and stagnant value of anticancer drugs are of serious concerns to authorities and patients worldwide. The widely used methodology of comparing value of one intervention with another has been the foundation of various additions and modifications.1,2 Quality-of-life (QoL) measures were later introduced and incorporated. At present, the methodology is mainly utilized by medical economists and specialized oncologists. Over the last 10 years, we have developed simplified platforms for use by the practicing physicians, oncologists, pharmacists and nurses.3 The main objective was to facilitate communication of outcome, cost and value of anticancer drugs between oncologists and patients with clarity, transparency and full disclosure. The proposed platforms have been applied successfully in multiple types of cancer, including prostate cancer, and used in the present communication to assess drugs in non-small cell cancer (NSCLC).