Clinical Edge

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New cancer drugs may have saved more than 1.2 million Americans

Key clinical point: Cancer drug approvals corresponded with a significant reduction in deaths from the most common cancers in the United States.

Major finding: Between 2000 and 2016, new cancer drugs were associated with 1,291,769 total deaths prevented among patients with the 15 most common tumor types.

Study details: Analysis of data on patients with the following cancers: breast (female), colorectal, corpus and uterus, kidney and renal pelvis, leukemia, liver and intrahepatic bile duct, lung and bronchus, melanoma, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, oral cavity and pharynx, pancreatic, prostate, stomach, thyroid, and urinary bladder.

Disclosures: This study was funded by Pfizer. Authors disclosed relationships, including employment, with Pfizer.

Citation:

MacEwan JP et al. J Med Econ. 2020 Nov 9;1-12.