Drug utilization research in the area of cancer drugs

• Increased biological understanding of cancer diseases has resulted in a paradigm shift in the medical treatment of cancer. Despite encouraging advances, most cancer types are still incurable and cancer is the second most common cause of death in developed countries.The high price of cancer drugs is a major challenge to equal access and puts heavy strains on public health care payers. After sharp increases in the 2000s, total expenditures on cancer drugs have levelled off due to patent expiration of many expensive and widely used drugs.Cancer drug utilization studies cover a great variety of topics. Four main research areas are patient adherence, physician adherence to guidelines, effectiveness and safety (outcomes research) and access (market uptake).Most cancer drugs are classified under Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical (ATC) group L. The use of defined daily dose (DDD) as a measurement unit is feasible for oral cancer drugs. As most cancer drugs are administered as infusions or injections at hospitals, usage is commonly measured in milligrams.Drug utilization research in the area of cancer is faced with a lack of data. Comparisons are challenging, as prices and population bases vary across regions. The linkage of registries and health care databases that include cancer drug usage will create improved opportunities in the future.

Ämnesord

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Medicinska och farmaceutiska grundvetenskaper -- Farmaceutiska vetenskaper (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Basic Medicine -- Pharmaceutical Sciences (hsv//eng)

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin -- Cancer och onkologi (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine -- Cancer and Oncology (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

neoplasms

antineoplastic agents

antibodies

anticarcinogenic agents

Publikations- och innehållstyp

kap (ämneskategori)

ref (ämneskategori)