Measure the costs of therapy in dollars. Economists use the term “utility” to refer to the amount of satisfaction a consumer receives from consuming a particular good. Cost-utility analysis, therefore, measures outcomes in terms of patient preference and quality. In contrast, cost-effectiveness analysis measures the total costs of therapy compared to the number of life-years gained. In cost-utility analysis, patient preference for outcomes is considered in the measurement of quality-adjusted life-years. For example, in the analysis of cancer chemotherapeutic agents, since different agents have varied side effects, the quality of life-years gained may vary, even though the number of years is equivalent. The patient's preference for a shorter duration of symptom-free survival is considered as an alternative to life prolongation, possibly associated with pain, suffering, and dependence on others.