Global longitudinal assessment of treatment outcomes in recurrent/metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma: GLANCE-NPC study.

Aim: Given a lack of standard of care treatment for recurrent/metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma (R/M NPC), we assessed treatment patterns and overall survival in the real-world setting. Materials & methods: A retrospective chart review was conducted in patients who initiated first-line systemic therapy in Taiwan and South Korea between January 2012 and June 2013 with follow-up through December 2015. Results: Among 154 R/M NPC patients, all patients in Taiwan (n = 104) had distant metastases, whereas in South Korea (n = 50) 42% had distant metastases. Patients with distant metastases generally received systemic therapy only (71%) for whom median overall survival was 23 months (95% CI: 18-32). Conclusion: Prognosis in R/M NPC with distant metastases remains poor, underscoring the need for more efficacious treatments.

Lay abstract Nasopharyngeal carcinoma is an invasive cancer affecting the area behind the nose and above the back of throat. When this cancer returns or spreads to another part of the body, patients receive chemotherapy options with the goal of prolonging survival. To understand chemotherapy approaches used in everyday practice and their effectiveness, we conducted a review of medical records in Taiwan and South Korea. We studied 154 patients who started a first chemotherapy between January 2012 and June 2013 and followed patients through December 2015. Patients whose cancer spread in another part of their body generally received chemotherapy without radiation and lived 23 months on average. Our findings show that more effective treatments must be developed to help prolong survival.

Real-world treatment satisfaction with erenumab in migraine: analysis of the US National Health and Wellness Survey.

OBJECTIVE: The treatment landscape for the prevention of migraine has rapidly evolved in recent years with the advent of calcitonin gene-related peptide therapy, including erenumab. The objective of this study was to assess patient-reported treatment satisfaction among erenumab users. METHODS: This retrospective, cross-sectional study used data from the 2019 US National Health and Wellness Survey collected during March-July 2019. Respondents self-reporting physician-diagnosed migraine and currently using erenumab were analyzed. Treatment satisfaction was measured on a seven-point Likert scale. Data were further reported by the duration of erenumab treatment. Data on respondents' socio-demographic characteristics and treatment patterns were also collected. RESULTS: Overall, 67 respondents using erenumab with or without other migraine preventives for up to 1 year were included in the analysis. The mean (standard deviation) age was 46.7 (12.9) years. Most of the respondents were women (86.6%), White (74.6%), and commercially-insured (67.2%). Notably, 40.3% had ≥1 comorbidity per the Charlson Comorbidity Index. Approximately half of the respondents were college graduates and employed (49.3% each). Among the 67 respondents, 46 received erenumab exclusively. Across both cohorts, the percentage of respondents who were satisfied with erenumab treatment was slightly higher among those with a longer treatment duration (overall erenumab cohort: 63.6%, 69.6%, and 75.8% for 0-<3, 3-<6, and 6-12 months, respectively; erenumab monotherapy cohort: 62.5%, 71.4%, and 87.5% for 0-<3, 3-<6, and 6-12 months, respectively). Treatment patterns before switching to erenumab revealed that most respondents had used ≥1 preventive treatment for migraine (80.6%; 54/67), over two-thirds (33/54) of whom had ≥2 treatment failures owing to nonresponse. CONCLUSION: Satisfaction was high among long-term erenumab users, indicating that those using erenumab for a longer duration are more satisfied. Furthermore, this study provided insights on the basic socio-demographics, disease characteristics, and health behaviors of erenumab users as well as their treatment patterns before switching to erenumab.

Real-World Trends in Characteristics of Patients with Migraine Newly Initiated on Erenumab in the USA: A Retrospective Analysis.

INTRODUCTION: This retrospective analysis aimed to characterize patients with migraine initiating erenumab and the shifting or trend of patient characteristics over time in a real-world setting. METHODS: Adult patients with at least one erenumab written prescription/administration between May 1, 2018 and September 30, 2019 were identified from the Optum De-identified Electronic Health Record (EHR) database (index date = date of the first erenumab prescription/administration). Patient demographics and characteristics, acute and preventive medications used prior to initiation of erenumab, and the initial prescriber specialty were examined. In addition, the shifting or trends of patient characteristics over time were analyzed among subgroups of patients based on when they initiated erenumab. RESULTS: A total of 14,774 eligible patients who met inclusion and exclusion criteria were included in the analysis. Most patients were female (86.4%), average age 46.3 (standard deviation [SD] = 13.1) years, Caucasian (88.7%), non-Hispanic (91.8%), and commercially insured (59.8%) at the index date. During the 12-month pre-index period, commonly observed selected comorbid conditions included anxiety (30.6%), depression (28.2%), and cardiovascular diseases (26.4%), and the mean (SD) Elixhauser comorbidity score was 1.7 (5.5). The most common provider specialty at erenumab initiation was neurologist/headache specialist (46.5%). Over time, there was a decrease in mean baseline Elixhauser comorbidity score at erenumab initiation, an increase in general practitioners prescribing initial erenumab, and increased utilization in patients with less severe migraine overall (a proxy of the declining trend in chronic migraine and triptan use). CONCLUSION: Early use of erenumab post approval focused on patients with more severe disease and a high comorbidity index rating. Over time, utilization of this preventive medication occurred in a broader population of patients with migraine, with increased use by general practitioners and those outside of headache centers.

Patients' Experiences in Transitioning to Secondary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis: Qualitative Interviews.

INTRODUCTION: Critical gaps exist in the understanding of the continuum of multiple sclerosis (MS) progression, particularly with regard to the patient experience prior to and during the transition from relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) to secondary-progressive MS (SPMS) stages. To date, there are no clear diagnostic criteria in the determination of the clinical transition. We report here the use of patient experience data to support the development of a qualitative conceptual model of MS that describes the patient journey of transition from active-relapsing disease to progressive MS. METHODS: The study used a single-encounter, multicenter, qualitative observational study design that included a targeted literature review and individual, in-depth interviews with adult patients with a clinically confirmed diagnosis of SPMS and their adult care partners. Descriptions of symptoms and impacts of RRMS and SPMS were extracted from the literature review and used to support development of the interview guide and conceptual model. RESULTS: Participants described a slow progression in terms of change in symptoms over time, including both the development of new symptoms and the worsening of existing symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: The conceptual model of the transitionary period from RRMS to SPMS expands the current understanding of the progression of MS from the patient and care partner perspectives.

Global treatment patterns and outcomes among patients with recurrent and/or metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: Results of the GLANCE H&N study.

OBJECTIVES: Given a lack of universally-accepted standard-of-care treatment for patients with recurrent/metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (R/M HNSCC), study objectives were to assess treatment utilization and survival outcomes for R/M HNSCC in the real-world setting. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A multi-site retrospective chart review was conducted in Europe (Germany, United Kingdom, Italy, Spain), Asia Pacific (Australia, South Korea, Taiwan), and Latin/North America (Brazil and Canada) to identify patients who initiated first-line systemic therapy for R/M HNSCC between January 2011 and December 2013. Patients were followed through December 2015 to collect clinical characteristics, treatment and survival data. RESULTS: Among 733 R/M HNSCC patients across 71 sites, median age was 60 years (inter-quartile range 54-67), 84% male, and 70% Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status 0-1; 32% had oral cavity and 30% oropharyngeal cancers. The most common first-line regimen across all countries consisted of platinum-based combinations (73%), including platinum + 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) (26%), cetuximab + platinum ± 5-FU (22%), or taxane + platinum ± 5-FU (16%). However, use of different platinum-based combinations varied substantially; administration of cetuximab + platinum ± 5-FU was frequent in Italy (81%), Germany (46%) and Spain (38%), whereas use in other countries was limited. Median follow-up was 22.6 months (95% confidence interval [CI]: 21.5-24.6 months). Median real-world overall survival was only 8.0 months (95% CI: 7.0-8.0), with one-year survival reaching only 30.9% (95% CI: 27.5-34.3). CONCLUSION: Systemic therapies used in clinical practice for patients with R/M HNSCC vary substantially across countries. Prognosis remains poor in this patient population, highlighting the need for newer, more efficacious treatments.