[Oral vinorelbine therapy for non-small cell lung cancer: clinical and pharmacoeconomic aspects].

AIM: To evaluate clinical and pharmacoeconomic aspects of treatment for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) by oral vinorelbine. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The evaluation was conducted based on randomized trials that compared NSCLC therapy by oral vinorebline with injectable form of vinorelbine and peme- trexed. Treatment costs were calculated on the basis of prices registered in 2016 including VAT and 10% of trade allow- ances. Medical services costs were calculated based on tariffs of obligatory health insurance for St. Petersburg in 2016. RESULTS: Clinical trials showed that with comparable effi- cacy and tolerability 3 of 4 patients preferred oral vinorelbine to its injectable form, although therapy costs of oral form in- creased 1,9 times. Compared with pemetrexed, therapy of pa- tients with NSCLC by oral vinorelbine allowed reducing costs 1,74 times and the savings occurred 310.0 thousand rubles per 1 patient. CONCLUSION: Currently oral vinorelbine therapy can be regarded as a mode that is comparable by efficacy and tol- erability both with intravenous injections of vinorelbine and pemetrexed therapy. As compared with intravenous vinorelbine its oral form requires additional costs but, being compared with pemetrexed, oral vinorelbine can significantly reduce the burden on the health budget.