Economic Burden of Acute Myeloid Leukemia in European Union: Results from a Systematic Review of Literature

BACKGROUND: Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a heterogenous malignancy whose management is associated with considerable healthcare resource utilization and high expenditures because of recurrent and extended hospitalizations, multiple outpatient visits, and a wide range of supportive care. Modern therapies with improved safety profiles may assist in reducing healthcare costs; however, they are usually more expensive than standard chemotherapies. Few studies have addressed the expenses and burden of AML. Most of these studies were conducted in the USA. Very little research is available from the European Union (EU).

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to assess the economic impact of AML and determine the major cost-driving factors for its treatment in the EU.

METHODS: This systematic review is in accordance with PRISMA guidelines. A systematic search was conducted using PubMed, Embase, ScienceDirect, SCOPUS, and Google Scholar databases to identify relevant studies on the economic impact of AML in various countries of the EU, published before April 15, 2024. Original studies investigating direct costs including expenses for treatment and healthcare services, or resource utilization for AML management were included. The systematic review excluded commentaries, editorials, and pharmacoeconomic modeling studies. Two reviewers independently performed data extraction and quality assessment, and the third reviewer resolved disagreements. We employed the Allison Larg Cost-of-Illness Studies evaluation checklist to assess the risk of bias. The mean cost per patient for induction, consolidation, and transplantation was calculated, and the results were converted into 2024 Euros.

RESULTS: Twenty-eight studies met our inclusion criteria, with the sample size of AML patients ranging from 12 to 39,568. The calculated per-patient direct costs of induction chemotherapy in Spain, France, Netherlands, Germany, and Italy were €92,378, €77,844, €61,643, €46,113, and €20,254, respectively. The mean per-patient direct cost of consolidation chemotherapy in the Netherlands and Germany was €42,137, and €32,220, respectively. The mean per-patient direct costs of transplantation in Sweden, Austria, France, Netherlands, and Spain were €192,628, €188,453, €132,352, €122,760, and €47,968, respectively. The cost-driving factors associated with AML treatment were inpatient hospitalization and medication costs.

CONCLUSION: AML seems to incur substantial direct economic expenses. Reducing the days of hospitalization can significantly decrease the economic burden of AML in the European Union. Moreover, there is a necessity for studies that comprehensively evaluate the economic implications, particularly concerning total and indirect costs.

REGISTRATION: Registered in PROSPERO under the registration number 'CRD42024537725'.