Development and economic trends in cancer therapeutic drugs in the UK from 1955 to 2009

Over the past decade, 23 new cancer treatment drugs have been introduced, many have brought major benefits to patient care, whilst others have maintained clinical benefits with reduced toxicity. In this article, the historical trends in drug numbers, therapeutic classification, and treatment costs have been reviewed. Drugs are classified by years of introduction, therapeutic classification, and an assessment of relative treatment cost using a contemporary ‘standard’ treatment compared with the relevant UK GDP per capita. Prior to 1960, there were 5 cancer drugs available, 2 new drugs were introduced in the 1960s, 18 in the 1970s, 14 in the 1980s, 24 in the 1990s, and 23 in the past decade. Prior to 1975, all the cancer treatments were classical cytotoxic agents. Since then, there have been 17 hormonal agents, 6 monoclonal antibodies, and 7 targeted therapies. The number of new classical cytotoxic drugs has declined dramatically with only one new agent in the past decade. The new drugs have become increasingly expensive relative to average GDP, with an average standard course of treatment with a new non-hormonal agent costing 34% of per capita GDP in 1995–1999, 53% in 2000–2004, and 67% in 2005–2009. In contrast, the cost of new hormonal agents introduced has remained at lower levels, with 6-month treatment with Degarelix, the newest hormonal agent, costing 3.8% of per capita GDP in 2009. The data in this article may be of value to those interested in the history of cancer treatment development and associated economic issues.