Cost-effectiveness of new and emerging treatment options for the treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer.

Cancer of the colon and rectum is now the third most common form of cancer in the United States in both women and men. Approximately 21% of patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) are diagnosed with metastatic spread upon initial presentation, and 50% to 60% of all patients with earlier stage CRC will eventually develop metastases. Advances in systemic therapies have improved overall survival for patients with metastatic CRC (mCRC), but with an increasing cost burden on the healthcare system. Patterns of treatment choice and resulting medical care usage and costs can differ depending on patient-specific characteristics, impacting overall patient care and healthcare usage. The economic burden associated with CRC and its management is affected by several factors, including stage of disease at diagnosis, patient age, time period studied, oncologic therapy choice, and point of view. Available data assessing cost impact have recently been emerging; however, they are complex to interpret given the substantial heterogeneity among study population and the types and duration of analyses.