SYSTEMATIC REVIEW article
Front. Health Serv.
Sec. Health System Economics and Financing
Cost-effectiveness of degarelix versus LHRH agonists in prostate cancer: a systematic review
Wei Wang
Xiaoyan You
Yang Liu
Xianying Wang
Third Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
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Abstract
Objective: The escalating incidence of prostate cancer poses a significant global public health challenge. Optimal utilization of resources is crucial for the effective deployment of funds among the diverse and emerging treatment options for managing prostate cancer. This systematic review aims to offer insights and serve as a reference for pharmacoeconomic studies related to the use of degarelix and luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) agonists in the treatment of prostate cancer. Methods: We conducted a comprehensive search in databases including Embase, PubMed, the Cochrane Library, CNKI, Web of Science, Scopus, and the Tufts CEA Registry to identify cost-effectiveness studies on the use of degarelix and LHRH agonists in the treatment of prostate cancer, spanning from the inception of these databases up to December 30, 2025. Two independent reviewers sequentially examined titles, abstracts, and full-text articles, applying predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria to select studies for data extraction. Any disagreements were resolved through discussion until a consensus was reached. The quality of the included studies was evaluated using the Quality of Health Economic Studies and Consolidated Health Economic Evaluation Reporting Standards. Relevant data were then summarized and comparatively analyzed, focusing on aspects such as the model framework, model parameters, and uncertainty analysis. Results: A total of 13 studies were ultimately incorporated, with an overall high quality but significant methodological variations among them. Eight studies employed the Markov model, with time horizons spanning from 1 year to 30 years. The majority of the studies (n = 7) conducted cost-effectiveness analyses, and most were based in developed countries (n = 7). Degarelix was deemed cost-effective in the United States, United Kingdom, and China. Additionally, 6-month depot LHRH agonists were found to be more cost-effective than their monthly or 3-monthly counterparts. Conclusion: From a societal perspective, the evidence suggests that degarelix may be a cost-effective option for patients with prostate cancer. All assessments of LHRH agonists are of high quality. Among the three LHRH agonists evaluated, the 6-month depot formulation of triptorelin may be a cost-effective option in certain settings.
Summary
Keywords
Degarelix, Goserelin, leuprorelin, prostate cancer, Systematic review, Triptorelin
Received
17 June 2025
Accepted
16 February 2026
Copyright
© 2026 Wang, You, Liu and Wang. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
*Correspondence: Xianying Wang
Disclaimer
All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.