Cost-effectiveness analysis of imaging strategy for an intensive follow-up of patients with AJCC stage IIB, IIC and III malignant melanoma.

Background Many follow-up guidelines for patients with high-risk melanoma include expensive imaging studies, serum biomarkers and regular visits to the dermatologist, with little attention to cost-effectiveness. Objectives To establish the cost-effectiveness of chest-abdomen-pelvis computed tomography (CT) and brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in a follow-up protocol for patients at high risk of relapse. Methods This was a prospective single-centre cohort study of 290 patients with clinicopathological American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) stage IIB, IIC and III melanoma. Patients had a body CT scan and brain MRI every 6 months and were withdrawn from the study after completing a 5-year follow-up or when metastases were detected. A cost-effectiveness analysis for each follow-up radiological procedure was performed. Results Patients underwent 1805 body CT scans and 1683 brain MRIs. Seventy-six metastases (26 center dot 2%) were identified by CT or MRI. CT scan was cost-effective in the first 4 years (cost-effectiveness ratio euro4710 center dot 70-euro14 437 center dot 10/patient with metastasis); brain MRI was cost-effective during the first year (cost-effectiveness ratio euro14 090 center dot 60/patient with metastasis). Limitations included lack of survival analysis and comparisons with willingness-to-pay thresholds. Conclusions Six-monthly CT scan of the chest, abdomen and pelvis is a cost-effective technique for the early detection of metastases in the first 4 years of follow-up in patients with AJCC stage IIC and III melanoma, and in the first 3 years in patients with AJCC stage IIB melanoma. In addition, brain MRI has been shown to be cost-effective only in the first year of follow-up in patients with AJCC stage IIC and III melanoma.