BACKGROUND

Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) and FMS-like tyrosine kinase 3 (FLT3) inhibitors are promising agents for Ph-positive acute leukemia (Ph AL) and FLT3 mutated acute myeloid leukemia (FLT3-AML), respectively.

METHODS

We examined the cost-effectiveness ratio (CER) of dasatinib and ponatinib for Ph AL and the cost-effectiveness of gilteritinib and quizartinib for FLT3-AML in elderly patients. Molecular therapy can fit the elderly population better than chemotherapy (CT).

RESULTS

The daily drug cost of dasatinib, ponatinib, gilteritinib, and quizartinib was $240, $170, $524, and $479 in terms of treatment maintenance dose, respectively. Treatment of Ph AL with stem cell transplantation (SCT), CT, dasatinib, and ponatinib yielded CERs of $322,375, $34,928, $61,104, and $46,234, respectively. The CERs for FLT3-AML treated with SCT, CT, gilteritinib, and quizartinib were $355,270, $42,717, $94,987, and $90,080, respectively. Treatment of elderly patients with TKIs and FLT3 inhibitors remained expensive and inferior to conventional CT.

CONCLUSION

Although TKIs and FLT3 inhibitors have an inferior CER than does conventional CT, their promising survival benefit with better QOL can offer a profound advantage. TKI or FLT3 inhibitor monotherapy is recommended as an alternative treatment option for unfit (vulnerable) elderly patients with Ph AL or FLT3-AML.