Cost‐Utility Analysis of Indocyanine Green Versus Methylene Blue for Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy in Breast Cancer

BACKGROUND: Sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) is commonly used for axillary staging in breast cancer surgery. Traditional localization methods include technetium-99m, lymphazurin, methylene blue (MB), or a combination of these. Indocyanine green (ICG) is a safe and effective alternative with fewer complications. We compared the cost-effectiveness of ICG and MB for SLNB in breast cancer. METHODS: A systematic PubMed review identified the success and complication rates for MB and ICG. Costs of successful breast cancer surgeries with SLNB and related complications were estimated using Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) rates via Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) and Diagnosis Related Group (DRG) codes. Published utility scores were used to calculate quality-adjusted life years (QALYs). A decision tree model was developed to determine the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER). One-way (deterministic) and Monte Carlo (probabilistic) sensitivity analyses were performed to assess uncertainty. The willingness-to-pay (WTP) threshold was set to $50,000/QALY. RESULTS: SLNB using ICG cost $287 more than MB but gained 0.07 QALY, resulting in an ICER of $4,044.44, well below the WTP threshold. Sensitivity analysis showed SLNB with ICG became cost-ineffective if the probability of complication exceeded 4.9% or if ICG costs exceeded $4,190 per vial. SLNB with MB became cost-effective if the likelihood of complications dropped below 2.6%. Monte Carlo analysis indicated an 80% probability that SLNB with ICG is the more cost-effective option. CONCLUSIONS: Given lower complication rates despite higher upfront cost, ICG proved more cost-effective than MB in SLNB for breast cancer due to its improved quality-adjusted outcomes.