Impact of concurrent medications on clinical outcomes of cancer patients treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors: analysis of Health Insurance Review and Assessment data.

PURPOSE: Medications regulating immune homeostasis and gut microbiota could affect the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). This study aimed to investigate the impact of concurrent medications on the clinical outcomes of patients with cancer receiving ICI therapy in South Korea. METHODS: We identified patients newly treated with ICI for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), urothelial carcinoma (UC), and malignant melanoma (MM) between August 2017 and June 2020 from a nationwide database in Korea. The effect of concurrent antibiotics (ATBs), corticosteroids (CSs), proton-pump inhibitors (PPIs), and opioids prescribed within 30 days before ICI initiation on the treatment duration and survival was assessed. RESULTS: In all, 8870 patients were included in the ICI cohort (NSCLC, 7,128; UC, 960; MM, 782). The patients were prescribed ATBs (33.8%), CSs (47.8%), PPIs (28.5%), and opioids (53.1%) at the baseline. The median overall survival durations were 11.1, 12.2, and 22.1 months in NSCLC, UC, and MM subgroups, respectively, since starting the ICI mostly as second-line (NSCLC and UC) and first-line (MM) therapy. Early progression was observed in 34.2% of the patients. Opioids and CS were strongly associated with poor survival across all cancer types. A high number of concurrent medications was associated with early progression and short survival. Opioid and CS use was associated with poor prognosis in all patients treated with ICIs. However, ATBs and PPIs had a cancer-specific effect on survival. CONCLUSION: A high number of concurrent medications was associated with poor clinical outcomes.

The impact of systematic assessment for adverse events on unscheduled hospital utilization in patients receiving neoadjuvant or adjuvant chemotherapy: A retrospective multicenter study.

BACKGROUND: This study was conducted to compare the reported adverse event (AE) profiles and unexpected use of medical services during chemotherapy between before and after the healthcare reimbursement of AE evaluation in patients with cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Using the electronic medical record database system, extracted patients with breast, lung, gastric, and colorectal cancers receiving neoadjuvant or adjuvant chemotherapy between September 2013 and December 2016 at four centers in Korea were matched using the 1:1 greedy method: pre-reimbursement group (n = 1084) and post-reimbursement group (n = 1084). Unexpected outpatient department (OPD), emergency room (ER) visit, hospitalization rates, and chemotherapy completion rates were compared between the groups. RESULTS: The baseline characteristics were well-balanced between the groups. By chemotherapy cycle, hospitalization (1.8% vs. 2.3%; p = 0.039), and ER visit rates (3.3% vs. 3.9%; p = 0.064) were lower in the post-reimbursement group than that in the pre-reimbursement group. In particular, since cycle 2, ER visit and hospitalization rates were significantly lower in the post-reimbursement group than those in the pre-reimbursement group (2.6% vs. 3.3%; p = 0.020 and 1.4% vs. 2.0%; p = 0.007, respectively), although no significant differences were observed during cycle 1. The OPD visit rates were similar between both groups, regardless of cycles. The post-reimbursement group had a higher proportion of patients who completed chemotherapy as planned than the pre-reimbursement group (93.5% vs. 90.1%; p = 0.006). Post-reimbursement group had more AEs reported, including alopecia, fatigue, diarrhea, anorexia, and peripheral neuropathy, during cycle 1 than the pre-reimbursement group, which significantly decreased after cycle 2. CONCLUSION: The introduction of healthcare reimbursement for AE evaluation may help physicians capture and appropriately manage AEs, consequently, decreasing hospital utilization and increasing chemotherapy completion rates.

Costs and clinical outcomes of patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma in first remission: role of PET/CT surveillance.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The role of [18F]-f luorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET/CT) in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) in first remission is unclear. METHODS: Medical costs within the first 3 years of treatment completion and clinical outcomes of 118 patients with DLBCL in first remission with and without surveillance PET/CT (PET/CT [+] group [n = 76] and PET/CT [-] group [n = 42], respectively) were retrospectively analyzed. RESULTS: In a propensity matched cohort with adjustment for International Prognostic Index risk and relapse, the PET/CT (+) group was shown to have similar medical costs as the PET/CT (-) group. Relapse-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) were comparable between the two groups (median RFS not reached [NR] for both groups, p = 0.133; median OS NR, p = 0.542). Among 76 patients with surveillance PET/CT, 31 (40.8%) had findings suggestive of recurrence and 16 of these (51.6%) were later confirmed to have recurrent disease. Fifteen patients (48.4%) were confirmed to not have recurrence after follow-up CT or PET/CT evaluation (n = 10) and biopsy (n = 4). None of the patients with negative PET/CT findings had disease recurrence. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of PET/CT for detection of recurrence were 1, 0.75, 0.52, and 1, respectively. CONCLUSION: Surveillance PET/CT resulted in similar clinical outcomes and medical costs compared to no surveillance PET/CT. Approximately half of patients with PET/CT findings of recurrence had no recurrence after follow-up imaging and biopsy, which would not have been carried out if PET/CT had not been performed in the first place.

A population-based outcomes study of patients with metastatic gastric cancer receiving second-line chemotherapy: A nationwide health insurance database study.

PURPOSE: The survival benefit of second-line chemotherapy in patients with metastatic gastric cancer (MGC) has recently been established. We conducted a nationwide population-based outcomes study of patients with MGC receiving second-line chemotherapy to better understand real-world treatment patterns and outcomes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data were collected from the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service database. We identified 509 newly diagnosed patients with MGC in 2010 who received second-line chemotherapy. These patients were divided into three groups for analyses: Group A comprised all patients who received second-line chemotherapy (N = 509); Group B comprised those who received fluoropyrimidine (Fp) plus platinum as first-line treatment, followed by irinotecan-based or taxane-based regimens as second-line chemotherapy (N = 284); and Group C comprised those who received Fp plus cisplatin as first-line treatment, followed by 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)/oxaliplatin, irinotecan-based, or taxane-based regimens as second-line chemotherapy (N = 184). RESULTS: Among patients who received first-line chemotherapy, 47.2% (509/1,078) continued to receive second-line chemotherapy. The most commonly used second-line chemotherapy regimens were 5-FU/irinotecan, 5-FU/oxaliplatin, and docetaxel. The median overall survival (OS) of all 509 patients was 5.2 months. The time from the start date of first-line chemotherapy to the start date of second-line chemotherapy > 6.1 months was an independent prognostic factor for improved OS. The type of chemotherapy regimen was not a significant factor affecting OS. CONCLUSION: The findings provide a better understanding of second-line treatment patterns and outcomes in patients with MGC and will help guide treatment decisions in real-world clinical practice.

Lung Cancer in Homeless People: Clinical Outcomes and Cost Analysis in a Single Institute.

Introduction. To characterize the demographic and clinical features, outcomes, and treatment costs of lung cancer in homeless people. Methods. Medical records of 22 homeless patients with lung cancer at Seoul National University Boramae Medical Center in Seoul, South Korea, were retrospectively analyzed. Results. All patients were men (median age, 62 years). Most patients (78%) had advanced disease (stage IIIB, n = 2; stage IV, n = 15). Seven died during initial hospitalization (median survival, 1.5 months). Six were lost to follow-up after initial outpatient visits or discharges from initial admission (median follow-up, 13 days). Only 4 received appropriate treatment for their disease and survived for 1, 15, 19, and 28 months, respectively. Conversely, 4 of 5 patients with early stage disease (stage I, n = 4; stage IIA, n = 1) received curative surgery (median follow-up 25.5 months). The median treatment cost based on 29 days of hospitalization and 2 outpatient visits was $12,513, constituting 47.3% of the 2013 per capita income. Inpatient treatment accounted for 90% of the total costs. The National Health Insurance Service paid 82% of the costs. Conclusion. Among the homeless, lung cancer seems to be associated with poor prognosis and substantial costs during a relatively short follow-up and survival period.

Total costs and clinical outcome of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in adults with leukemia: comparison between reduced-intensity and myeloablative conditioning.

The total cost of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) as well as the financial impact of HSCT on the house holds of patients have been elusive. Between 2005 and 2012, we analyzed 191 HSCT in adult patients with leukemia with reduced-intensity conditioning (RIC) regimen (n = 79) and with myeloablative conditioning (MAC) regimen (n = 112). The direct medical costs were calculated from healthcare claims obtained from the Seoul National University Hospital, and the direct non-medical and the indirect costs were calculated from national statistics. The mean direct medical cost was $55,039, direct non-medical cost was $6394, and indirect cost was $7503 from transplantation to one yr after transplantation in the RIC group and $72,916, $6993, and $9057 in the MAC group, respectively, based on the exchange rate of Korean won 1060 = US$1. The total costs for one yr were $68,938 and $88,967, constituting for 273% and 357% of the per capita income, respectively. The total costs, direct medical costs, and indirect costs showed statistically significant differences (p = 0.006, p = 0.007, and p = 0.017). No significant differences were found for leukemia-free survival and overall survival. RIC-HSCT provides lower costs within the first year of transplantation with comparable long-term clinical outcomes.