Cost-Effectiveness of Adjuvant Immunotherapy in Cancer Treatments

Is adjuvant immunotherapy cost-effective across cancer types?This systematic review including 69 economic evaluations (2015-2025) found that adjuvant checkpoint inhibitors, usually single-agent, were associated with higher quality-adjusted life-year/life-year gains and were determined to be cost-effective by 40 studies (58%), with the strongest signals in non−small cell lung cancer and melanoma, particularly in early-stage/high-risk populations, and for some combination regimens. Industry-funded studies more frequently reported cost-effective decisions and findings were sensitive to drug prices, model assumptions, and country-specific willingness-to-pay thresholds.These findings suggest that adjuvant immunotherapy can offer good value for money in selected high-risk settings; decisions should be indication-specific, aligned with local health technology assessment thresholds, and supported by price negotiation or managed-entry agreements.

Corresponding Author: Rashidul Alam Mahumud, PhD, MCncrSc, MPH, MSc, Health Economics and Health Technology Assessment Unit, National Health and Medical Research Council Clinical Trials Centre, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, 119-143 Missenden Rd, Level 6, Camperdown, NSW 2050, Australia (rashed.mahumud@sydney.edu.au).

Link to the article in your story

We encourage you to link out to this article in your story using the link below. It includes an access token that will give free access to the article for your readers up to one year after publication. (The link will be live after the article publishes and embargo is lifted.)

Please see the article for additional information, including full author list, author contributions and affiliations, conflict of interest and financial disclosures, and funding and support.

Need more information? Contact us.