Economic Evaluation of Treatments for Patients with Esophageal Cancer: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Context: Esophageal cancer is considered as a malignant disease with fatal consequences worldwide. In cancers, it is the sixth most common cause of mortality in the world. Objectives: The aim of the current study was to assess the cost-effectiveness of esophageal cancer treatments by performing a systematic review. Data Sources: We conducted systematic searches in Medline through PubMed, Scopus, Cochran Library, EMBASE, and Web of Science databases. The search was limited to English language publications and studies published before July 17, 2018. Results: Of 2487 records, 14 articles met our inclusion criteria. Most were conducted in The United States of America (USA) and The United Kingdom (UK). The majority of the evaluations (8) followed a healthcare system perspective. Of 14 included studies, 4 compared esophagectomy with endoscopy treatment (ET), 2 compared esophagectomy with chemotherapy regimens, 2 contrasted chemotherapy regimens, and 5 studied compared palliative cares. Conclusions: Among all the assessed studies, the ET was more cost-effective than esophagectomy, but there were contradictory results in palliative care for the treatment of esophageal cancer.