Quantifying the value of tumor response and survival: Perceived monetary loss in anticancer therapy.

Abstract

878 Background: The clinical benefit of anticancer therapy is usually evaluated using endpoints such as tumor response or survival. However, how healthcare professionals perceive the value of intermediate outcomes remains unclear. We conducted this study to quantify the perceived value of anticancer treatment outcomes by converting them into equivalent monetary loss. Methods: A nationwide web-based survey was conducted among 580 respondents in Japan. After excluding incorrect responses, 530 participants were eligible, including physicians, nurses, pharmaceutical staff, students, and others. Participants were asked to assign a perceived monetary loss (0–100% of one million yen) to three hypothetical scenarios: partial response (PR), stable disease (SD), and 5-yr overall survival (OS) of 50%. Treatment preference was assessed on a 5-point scale (1 = strongly efficacy-oriented, 5 = strongly adverse event–oriented). Descriptive analyses were performed across age, sex, and professional groups. Results: The median perceived loss was 20% for PR, 50% for SD, and 50% for 5-yr OS of 50%. Preference scores were skewed toward efficacy orientation (median = 2), with 53% choosing scores of 1–2. Perceived losses were consistent across subgroups and showed little association with preference scores. male respondents and those who assigned a perceived loss > 20% for PR were more likely to prioritize adverse event avoidance (preference score 4–5). Limitations include reliance on hypothetical scenarios and restriction to healthcare professionals. Conclusions: This study introduced a novel framework by translating tumor response rates into monetary perception, demonstrating how healthcare professionals value treatment outcomes.