Is innovation worth the price? Cost-effectiveness analysis in interventional oncology

Cost-Effectiveness Analysis (CEA) plays a crucial role in Health Technology Assessment (HTA) by informing healthcare decision-making on resource allocation. A rigorous CEA requires selecting appropriate comparators, assessing costs comprehensively, evaluating clinically relevant outcomes, and employing robust modeling techniques to determine an intervention's value for money. This is particularly relevant in interventional oncology, where innovative yet costly procedures must demonstrate long-term benefits to justify adoption. Economic evidence is essential to guide healthcare decision-making by balancing clinical effectiveness with the efficient use of resources. However, CEA findings must be interpreted within the broader HTA framework, incorporating ethical, organizational, and social considerations. Using the analysis by Rognoni et al. as a case study comparing transarterial radioembolization (TARE) and sorafenib for the treatment of liver tumors, this paper illustrates how CEA supports evidence-based healthcare policies.