Direct medical cost of non-small cell lung cancer patients treated with targeted therapy: A cross-sectional study in Vietnam

Targeted therapy for the Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR-targeted therapy) prolongs survival in patients with advanced stage (IV) non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), but its cost is slightly higher. Cost estimation and analysis of related factors are needed to reduce the economic burden for NSCLC patients and their households. We conducted a cross-sectional study from October 2022 to December 2023 at the Vietnam National Cancer Hospital. The characteristics and costs associated with 310 NSCLC patients were collected from medical records, medical bills, and patient interviews. The study utilized a social perspective and the bottom-up method. All costs have been adjusted for the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and standardized to 2023 USD. The mean total direct medical cost for 310 NSCLC patients was $839.7 ± 486.4 (Mean ± SD) per month, with EGFR-targeted therapy costs of $755.6 ± 471.0 per month, accounting for 90.0% of the total cost. In households with average or higher economic status, patients had higher costs for EGFR-targeted therapy than those in poor or near-poor households ($780.8 and $480.2 per month, respectively; p = 0.001). Compared with other individuals, NSCLC patients with higher education levels, residing in urban areas, having stable jobs, and average or higher household economic status had higher direct medical costs. However, these costs tended to decrease when the duration of illness increased, with p < 0.05 for each group. Direct medical costs are a significant burden for NSCLC patients living in poor or near-poor households, as well as for low-income or unemployed patients.