OBJECTIVES: Ovarian cancer (OC), although rare, represents the main cause of death among gynecological neoplasms. In Brazil, incidence of OC is estimated as 6.18/100,000 women, with a mortality rate of 3.75/100,000 women. This analysis investigated the OC chemotherapies in the claim database (DATASUS) by year and treatment line in the Brazilian outpatient public setting from 2017 to 2021.

METHODS: Data were extracted from DATASUS using ICD-10 codes: C48.1, C48.2, C56, C57.0. Chemotherapy costs were obtained in Brazilian real (BRL).

RESULTS: The number of chemotherapy-treated patients increased approximately 17% in first line (1L) (compound annual growth rate [CAGR]=4.1%) and 13% in second line (2L) (CAGR=3.1%) from 2017 to 2021. São Paulo, Minas Gerais, and Parana (Brazilian states) accounted for approximately 51% of patients in 1L and 2L. Average patient age was 58 years. The top three reported chemotherapies for 1L were carboplatin + paclitaxel, carboplatin, and gemcitabine; and for 2L were gemcitabine, carboplatin + paclitaxel, and carboplatin.

Period accumulated chemotherapy costs (2017–2021) were BRL 110,057,063 for 1L and BRL 60,285,932 for 2L. Chemotherapy costs increased by 20% and 19% in 1L and 2L, respectively, from 2017 to 2021. The average cost per patient did not increase in this magnitude with the APAC value remaining the same since 2010, with no significant change in the most used treatments in the public settings across the years.

CONCLUSIONS: This study observed an increasing number of patients with OC and associated costs over the years in the public setting, demonstrating the importance and need for continuous data monitoring. However, significant changes in the cost per patient and treatments used in the outpatient public settings were not observed despite the regulatory approval of novel treatments such as PARP inhibitors since 2018 in Brazil, evidencing the need for discussions around new public funding policies in oncology.