Evidence mapPaperPMID 41872808Full record

SynthesisBMC health services research2026

Systematic review of cost-effectiveness of Chinese PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors as first-line treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma.

Yibing Hou, Shuo Kang, Huanlong Liu

Abstract readSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in BMC health services research, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors.

Yibing HouDepartment of Pharmacy, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Hebei Shijiazhuang, China.
Shuo KangMedical Insurance Office, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Hebei Shijiazhuang, China. shuok628@hebmu.edu.cn.
Huanlong LiuMedical Insurance Office, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Hebei Shijiazhuang, China. lhlong1026@hebmu.edu.cn.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThis systematic review evaluates the economic evidence of Chinese PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors as first-line therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in China. The primary objective is to summarize cost-effectiveness findings to compare economic outcomes across specific therapeutic regimens and guide policymakers in optimizing resource allocation for HCC treatment.

methodsWe conducted a comprehensive search of PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane databases up to July 19, 2024, following PICO (Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcomes) criteria for study selection. This review was not registered in PROSPERO as it is a narrative synthesis of economic evaluations rather than a protocol-driven meta-analysis. Nonetheless, we rigorously adhered to PRISMA guidelines to ensure methodological transparency and accuracy throughout the study selection and data extraction processes. Data from eligible studies were systematically extracted and analyzed.

resultsFourteen cost-effectiveness analyses met inclusion criteria, and the interventions evaluated primarily compared immunotherapy with targeted therapy. Eleven studies (78.6%) demonstrated cost-effectiveness against their respective willingness-to-pay thresholds (all values reported in US dollars), with the majority favoring sintilimab-based regimens over other therapeutic options.

conclusionCurrent evidence indicates that the sintilimab plus bevacizumab biosimilar regimen is likely cost-effective as a first-line treatment for patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma. These findings support considerations for broader insurance coverage of this specific combination therapy within China’s volume-based procurement system. Future research should incorporate real-world data and enhance both the quantity and quality of economic evaluations to strengthen the evidence base.

Indexed as

Carcinoma, HepatocellularImmune Checkpoint InhibitorsLiver NeoplasmsB7-H1 AntigenChinaCost-Benefit AnalysisCost-Effectiveness AnalysisEast Asian PeopleHumansProgrammed Cell Death 1 ReceptorB7-H1 AntigenImmune Checkpoint InhibitorsPDCD1 protein, humanProgrammed Cell Death 1 ReceptorCost-effectiveness analysisEconomic evaluationHepatocellular carcinomaPD-1 inhibitorsPD-L1 inhibitorsSystematic review

Identifiers

PMID41872808
PMCPMC13134195

What Socratic holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.