Two different chemotherapy regimens can be used for the treatment of breast cancer. The treatment with doxorubicin is known to show a remission rate 40% of the time. This treatment costs $1,000. The other treatment, with docetaxel, shows a remission rate 25% of the time and costs $850. The two treatment plans are as follows:

Plan A: Treatment with doxorubicin—if not effective, treatment with docetaxel.
Plan B: Treatment with docetaxel—if not effective, treatment with doxorubicin.

If you are the patient, which statement is the best choice?

A. Based on the probability of overall remission rate, plan A should be selected over plan B.

B. Based on the probability of overall remission rate, plan B should be selected over plan A.

C. Based on the cost of the first treatment alone, plan A should be selected over plan B.

D. Based on the overall cost of treatment, plan B should be selected over plan A.

E. Based on the probability of survival rate and the cost of treatment, both plans are equivalent, so either can be selected.

I'd would select plan B because depending on how severe the breast cancer is, you should try the least effective medicine first. But, if that doesn't work, then you should get the stronger medicine. In this case, you would be saving money and seeing just how much medicine you need. And so, I would go with letter B.

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toporc toporc · Answer 2 · 2016-07-07T05:30:34+02:00

toporc toporc

07-07-2016

Considering Plan A, the total probability of remission is given by:
[tex]0.4+(0.6\times 0.25)=0.55[/tex]
Considering Plan B, the total probability of remission is given by:
[tex]0.25+(0.75\times0.4)=0.55[/tex]
The cost of treatment is similar for both plans. Therefore I consider that if I were the patient either plan could be selected. So, choice E is the correct answer.

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