Real-world assessment to estimate multiple attributes related to treatment cost driver for mantle cell lymphoma in Japan by econometric modeling

This study was conducted using a nationwide health care database of Japan between 1 April 2008 and 30 September 2022 to evaluate the economic burden on patients with mantle cell lymphoma (MCL). Structural equation modeling (SEM) is an advanced multivariate analysis framework used to assess the relationships between observed and latent variables within predefined causal models. In this study, SEM was employed to identify cost drivers and estimate variables related to MCL treatment cost. A total of 2,838 patients having at least one confirmed diagnosis of MCL participated in this study. As for the index regimen, a combination of bendamustine rituximab was the most frequently used (n = 328), followed by rituximab combined with cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisolone-like regimen (n = 112), and others. The median of total health care cost (unadjusted and adjusted) were 32,228 USD and 31,918 USD, respectively. The mean (SD) of the frequency of bleeding treatment was 23 (35) per year, and that of outpatient visits was 19 (12) per year. SEM analysis revealed Bruton tyrosine kinase inhibitor-based treatment as a cost driver (β: 0.398 [0.340; 0.457], p < 0.001). Key health care resource utilization (HCRU) factors associated with an increased cost were the total length of hospitalization (β: 0.598 [0.551; 0.646], p < 0.001) and number of outpatient visits (β: 0.132 [0.083; 0.180], p < 0.001). This real-world study delivers insights for optimizing MCL care in Japan.