Researchers Found A Way To Cut Expensive Drug Price For Prostate Cancer; Study Reveals

Having an expensive drug treatment for prostate cancer is not easy to deal with. Thus, a new study suggests that having a low-fat meal while taking the expensive drug can lessen the cost by three-quarters.

The researchers said that the expensive drug for prostate cancer, which is Zytiga (abiraterone acetate), costs more than $9,000 monthly. Patients most likely stay medicated with the drug in 12-18 months' time. Thus, patients that have the top health insurances will have to co-pay around $1,000 to $3,000 a month, according to Consumer Health Day.

Assistant professor of medicine from the University of Chicago who is the study author Dr. Russel Szmulewitz said that the drug is more efficient in absorbing if taken with food. "It's inefficient, even wasteful, to take this medicine while fasting, which is how the drug's label says to take it."

However, Szmulewitz warns that patients should not experiment with the doses of the drug on their own. He shared that, "This was a relatively small study, too small to show with confidence that the lower dose is as effective. It gives us preliminary, but far from definitive, evidence." He added that the physicians should have their attention basing on the needs of the patients.

The study that has been presented Monday at the American Society of Clinical Oncology meeting revealed similar outcomes between 36 patients with advanced prostate cancer. They were medicated with 250 milligrams of the drug and have a low-fat breakfast. Also, 36 patients who took the standard 1,000 milligrams dose on an empty stomach were studied.

As follows, the two groups have the time disease progression in about 14 months. As per Szmulewitz, "Our results warrant consideration by doctors who care for prostate cancer patients, as well as payers."

He said that the results suggest that patients with advanced prostate cancer who have a difficulty in purchasing the drug could consider in taking breakfast with a smaller dose with low-fat. However, close monitoring of the doctor is advised. Thus, it could lead to $7,500 of savings for each patient per month, according to Science Daily.

"If we could reduce the cost of medication for this stage of the disease by a few thousand dollars each month simply by having patients take it with food, that would be significant," Szmulewitz also mentioned.

Meanwhile, the researchers indicated that taking the drug together with a high-fat meal increased the absorption of the drug even more. However, the meals that are high in fat increased the levels of the drug more unpredictable compared to the low-fat meals.