OBJECTIVES: The high societal cost of lung cancer derives mostly from productivity losses associated with premature retirement and premature mortality (Weißflog et al, 2001). Bevacizumab-based therapy is associated with significantly improved progression free survival (PFS) over chemotherapy alone in patients with advanced or metastatic NSCLC (Reck et al, 2009, Sandler et al, 2006), the most common form of lung cancer. The aim of this analysis was to assess the potential cost savings for Italy resulting from a higher number of progression free metastatic NSCLC patients returning to work while treated with bevacizumab-based therapy. METHODS: Productivity losses were calculated on the basis of number of days lost due to illness. Country labor costs and employment rates were taken from EUROSTAT. It was assumed, based on expert opinion, that 20% of progression free patients with ECOG performance status 0-1 and eligible to work would go back to their original employment status after the induction therapy. The percentage of PFS patients was calculated from two clinical trials (Reck et al, 2009, Sandler et al, 2006) at two time points from baseline: 12 and 18 months. PFS percentages were applied to the incidence estimations for metastatic NSCLC in Italy. Incidence of non-squamous metastatic NSCLC was estimated as 37% of lung cancer incidence retrieved from GLOBOCAN. Sensitivity analysis was conducted varying the percentage of employment pattern (part-time/full-time) and the labor cost. RESULTS: Bevacizumab-based therapy resulted in mean savings due to reduced productivity losses per progression free patient of €20,089 at 12months and €36,160 at 18months. Changes in employment patterns, from 60% full-time/40% part-time to 80% full-time/20% part-time, increased cost savings per patient to €22,600 and €40,680 12 and 18 months, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Bevacizumab-based therapy results in societal cost savings due to improved PFS in metastatic NSCLC patients.