Real-world outcomes among US Merkel cell carcinoma patients initiating immune checkpoint inhibitors or chemotherapy.
Sunandana ChandraYing ZhengShivani PandyaTing YuMairead KearneyLi WangRuth KimHemant PhatakPublished in: Future oncology (London, England) (2020)
Aim: Retrospectively assessed treatment patterns and clinical and economic outcomes in Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) patients receiving recommended first-line regimens. Materials & methods: MCC patients newly treated with either immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) or chemotherapies (CTs) were selected from the Veterans Health Administration database (2013-2018); 74 patients (ICIs: 20 and CTs: 54) were selected. Results: Median duration of therapy was 300 days for ICIs and 91 days for CTs. Time to next treatment was 245 and 184 days, respectively. Mean total (per patient per month) costs were $15,306 (ICIs) and $10,957 (CTs), of which 51% and 86%, respectively, were non-MCC therapy-related costs. Conclusion: Despite higher costs, utilization of ICIs in first-line MCC shows clinical advantages over CTs in the real world.
Keyphrases
- end stage renal disease
- ejection fraction
- newly diagnosed
- chronic kidney disease
- prognostic factors
- peritoneal dialysis
- healthcare
- public health
- squamous cell carcinoma
- stem cells
- radiation therapy
- patient reported outcomes
- risk assessment
- climate change
- case report
- social media
- bone marrow
- cell therapy
- patient reported
- health information
- weight loss
- drug induced
- health promotion