Phase-specific healthcare costs of cervical cancer: estimates from a population-based study.

BACKGROUND: There is a lack of evidence on the economic burden of managing cervical cancer in the public payer Canadian setting. OBJECTIVE: We used individual patient-level data to obtain a comprehensive estimate of the cost of managing cervical cancer in the province of Ontario, identifying main cost drivers and predictors of increased costs. STUDY DESIGN: The cost-of-illness technique was used to estimate the incremental costs associated with cervical cancer in 4 phases: prediagnosis, initial care, continuing care, and terminal care. All patients with cervical cancer diagnosed between 2005 and 2009 in the province of Ontario were propensity-score matched to 5 noncancer controls on birth year, income quintile, rurality, comorbidities, and patterns of healthcare utilization pattern during the 2 years before cancer diagnosis. Both cases and the noncancer comparison group were followed to death or March 31, 2013. Costs for all healthcare services paid for by the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-term Care during the follow-up period were estimated by the use of linked administrative data. Incremental costs for managing cervical cancer were calculated through generalized estimating equations. Predictors of greater health costs were explored using multivariate quantile regression models. RESULTS: All costs were presented in 2012 Canadian dollars ($1.00CDN = $1.00USD). The total incremental costs for managing cervical cancer were $362 in the pre-diagnosis phase, $15,722 in the initial phase, $3924 per year in the continuing phase, and $52,539 in the terminal phase. Inpatient care accounted for 34%, 28%, and 52% of total healthcare cost in the initial, continuing, and terminal phase, respectively. Physician services ranked first in the continuing phase (30%) and second in the initial (26%) and terminal (13%) phases. Advanced age, advanced cancer stage at diagnosis, and comorbidities were significant predictors of greater costs in most care phases. CONCLUSION: Aggregate costs of care for cervical cancer are substantial and vary by cancer stage, phase of care, patient age at diagnosis, and comorbidities before diagnosis. These estimates can serve as baseline data in economic analyses that aim to evaluate interventions for managing cervical cancer.

Impact of aggressive management and palliative care on cancer costs in the final month of life.

BACKGROUND: A significant share of the cost of cancer care is concentrated in the end-of-life period. Although quality measures of aggressive treatment may guide optimal care during this timeframe, little is known about whether these metrics affect costs of care. METHODS: This study used population data to identify a cohort of patients who died of cancer in Ontario, Canada (2005-2009). Individuals were categorized as having received or having not received aggressive end-of-life care according to quality measures related to acute institutional care or chemotherapy administration in the end-of-life period. Costs (2009 Canadian dollars) were collected over the last month of life through the linkage of health system administrative databases. Multivariate quantile regression was used to identify predictors of increased costs. RESULTS: Among 107,253 patients, the mean per-patient cost over the final month was $18,131 for patients receiving aggressive care and $12,678 for patients receiving nonaggressive care (P < .0001). Patients who received chemotherapy in the last 2 weeks of life also sustained higher costs than those who did not (P < .0001). For individuals receiving end-of-life care in the highest cost quintile, early and repeated palliative care consultation was associated with reduced mean per-patient costs. In a multivariate analysis, chemotherapy in the 2 weeks of life remained predictive of increased costs (median increase, $536; P < .0001), whereas access to palliation remained predictive for lower costs (median decrease, $418; P < .0001). CONCLUSIONS: Cancer patients who receive aggressive end-of-life care incur 43% higher costs than those managed nonaggressively. Palliative consultation may partially offset these costs and offer resultant savings.

Real-World Treatment Patterns, Clinical Outcomes, Healthcare Resource Utilization, and Costs in Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Ontario, Canada.

The therapeutic landscape for aHCC has evolved in recent years, necessitating a comprehensive analysis of treatment patterns, clinical outcomes, HCRU, and costs to contextualize emerging treatments. This study aimed to investigate these outcomes using real-world data from Ontario, Canada. This retrospective cohort study was conducted using linked administrative databases from April 2010 to March 2020. Patients diagnosed with aHCC were included, and their clinical and demographic characteristics were analyzed, as well as treatment patterns, survival, HCRU, and economic burden. Among 7322 identified patients, 802 aHCC patients met the eligibility criteria for inclusion in the study. Treatment subgroups included 1L systemic therapy (53.2%), other systemic treatments (4.5%), LRT (9.0%), and no treatment (33.3%). The median age was 66 years, and the majority were male (82%). The mOS for the entire cohort from diagnosis was 6.5 months. However, patients who received 1L systemic therapy had an mOS of 9.0 months, which was significantly higher than the other three subgroups. The mean cost per aHCC-treated patient was $49,640 CAD, with oral medications and inpatient hospitalizations as the largest cost drivers. The results underscore the need for the continuous evaluation and optimization of HCC management strategies in the era of evolving therapeutic options.

Real-World Treatment Patterns and Survival Among Patients with Stage I-III, Non-Squamous, Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Receiving Surgery as Primary Treatment.

INTRODUCTION: Approximately half of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) present with early-stage disease at diagnosis. Real-world outcomes data are limited for this population but are of interest given recent and impending results from trials evaluating epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs) and immunotherapies in neoadjuvant, adjuvant, and perioperative settings. METHODS: A retrospective, longitudinal, population-level study was conducted in patients diagnosed with resected stage I-III non-squamous NSCLC in Ontario, Canada, between April 2010 and March 2019. Study outcomes included patient characteristics and median overall survival (mOS), with stratification by disease stage and treatment exposure. Patients receiving EGFR-TKIs (assumed EGFR mutation-positive by proxy) were a key population of interest. RESULTS: Among 8255 cases, 4881 had stage I, 2124 had stage II, and 1250 had stage III NSCLC at diagnosis. The mean patient age was 68 years; 53.5% were female. In the overall cohort, 19.6% received adjuvant chemotherapy. Receipt of adjuvant chemotherapy was associated with significantly longer mOS than not receiving such therapy: stage II (7.6 [95% confidence interval: 6.5-8.5] vs. 4.4 [4.0-4.9] years) or stage III (4.4 [3.6-5.1] vs. 2.7 [2.3-3.3] years), both p < 0.0001. Patients receiving treatment (EGFR-TKIs and chemotherapy) were assumed to have experienced disease recurrence/relapse; mOS was longer among those receiving an EGFR-TKI than among those receiving chemotherapy (2.3 [1.8-3.0] vs. 1.1 [1.0-1.3] years). CONCLUSION: In Ontario, between 2010 and 2019, uptake of adjuvant therapy was low among patients with resected NSCLC, despite such therapy being associated with improved survival. Patients assumed to have recurred/relapsed had markedly reduced mOS, regardless of subsequent therapy, compared with those who did not relapse/recur. Novel peri-adjuvant treatment options are needed to enhance outcomes after lung resection.

Real-world treatment patterns and survival outcomes for treated biliary tract cancer patients using administrative databases in Ontario.

Background: There are limited data available on treatment patterns and outcomes of biliary tract cancers (BTCs) in Canada. The aim of this study was to understand treatment patterns, survival outcomes and healthcare resource use of BTC patients in Ontario, Canada. Methods: We conducted a retrospective population-level study using administrative data of patients diagnosed with advanced or metastatic BTC between January 1, 2010 and December 31, 2019. Results: A total of 2,142 BTC patients were identified; 702 (32.8%) with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, 688 (32.1%) with extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, 363 (16.9%) with gallbladder cancer, 174 (8.1%) with ampulla of Vater cancer, and 215 (10.0%) with other types of BTC. In total, 1,314 patients (61.3%) were recurrent cases, and 828 (38.7%) were diagnosed with de novo advanced disease. A total of 1,727 patients (80.6%) received first-line systemic treatment of cisplatin plus gemcitabine (75.2%), FOLFOX [5-fluorouracil (5-FU), folinic acid (FA), and oxaliplatin] or FOLFIRI (5-FU, FA, and irinotecan) (11.5%), carboplatin plus gemcitabine (7.6%), or gemcitabine plus taxane (5.7%). Five hundred and twelve patients (29.6%) went on to receive a second-line treatment. Mean and median overall survival from diagnosis was 20.6 and 11.0 months, respectively. Mean and median overall survival from diagnosis was much higher among patients who received a systemic treatment at 23.8 and 14.1 months, respectively compared to 7.0 and 3.3 months, respectively for untreated patients (P<0.0001). Conclusions: Platinum and gemcitabine combinations are the most common first-line treatments. However, only a small proportion of patients go on to receive subsequent treatments. Survival in treated patients is higher than that in untreated patients. Our findings highlight the unmet need for effective systemic therapies for BTC.

Healthcare and Cancer Treatment Costs of Breast Screening Outcomes among Higher than Average Risk Women.

Concurrent cohorts of 644,932 women aged 50-74 screened annually due to family history, dense breasts or biennially in the Ontario Breast Screening Program (OBSP) from 2011-2014 were linked to provincial administrative datasets to determine health system resource utilization and costs. Age-adjusted mean and median total healthcare costs (2018 CAD) and incremental cost differences were calculated by screening outcome and compared by recommendation using regression models. Healthcare costs were compared overall and 1 year after a false positive (n = 46,081) screening mammogram and 2 years after a breast cancer diagnosis (n = 6011). Mean overall healthcare costs by age were highest for those 60-74, particularly with annual screening for family/personal history (CAD 5425; 95% CI: 5308 to 5557) compared to biennial. Although the mean incremental cost difference was higher (23.4%) by CAD 10,235 (95% CI: 6141 to 14,329) per breast cancer for women screened annually for density ≥ 75% compared to biennially, the cost difference was 12.0% lower (-CAD 461; 95% CI: -777 to -114) per false positive result. In contrast, for women screened annually for family/personal history, the mean cost difference per false positive was 19.7% higher than for biennially (CAD 758; 95% CI: 404 to 1118); however, the cost difference per breast cancer was only slightly higher (2.5%) by CAD 1093 (95% CI: -1337 to CAD 3760). Understanding that associated costs of annual compared to biennial screening may balance out by age and outcome can assist decision-making regarding the use of limited healthcare resources.

Hospital encounters and associated costs of prostate evaluation for clinically important disease MRI vs. standard evaluation procedures (PRECISE) study from a provincial-payer perspective.

INTRODUCTION: Systematic transrectal ultrasonography (TRUS) biopsy has been the standard diagnostic tool for prostate cancer (PCa) but is subject to limitations, such as a high false-negative rate of cancer detection. Multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI) prior to biopsy is emerging as an alternative diagnostic procedure for PCa. The PRECISE study found that MRI followed by a targeted biopsy was more accurately able to identify clinically significant cancer than TRUS biopsy. METHODS: PRECISE study patients recruited in Ontario between January 2017 and November 2019 were linked to various Ontario provincial administrative databases available at the Institute for Clinical and Evaluative Sciences (ICES ) to determine health resources used, associated costs, and hospitalizations in the 14 days after biopsy. Costs are presented in 2021 CAD. RESULTS: A total of 281 males were included in this study, with 48.4% of the patients in the TRUS biopsy group, 28.1% in the MRI+, and 23.5% in the MRI- group. Twenty-one patients (15%) from the TRUS biopsy group were seen at a hospital in the 14 days after their biopsy compared to fewer than five patients (6%) from the MRI+ group. The mean per person per year (PPPY) costs for the TRUS and all MRI groups (MRI- and MRI+) were $7828 and $8525, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Patients in the TRUS biopsy group experienced more hospital encounters compared to patients who received an MRI prior to their biopsy. This economic analysis suggests that MRI imaging prior to biopsy is not associated with a significant increase in costs.

A real-world retrospective analysis of the management of metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer in Ontario, Canada from 2010 - 2018.

PURPOSE: We sought to quantify mCRPC patient treatment patterns and survival across multiple lines of therapy after prior androgen-receptor-axis-targeted therapy (ARAT) failure. METHODS: Individuals diagnosed with prostate cancer between 2010 and 2018 were identified in the Ontario Cancer Registry (OCR). An algorithm was created to identify patients with mCRPC that was aligned to Prostate Cancer Clinical Trials Working Group 3 criteria (PCWG3) and validated with Canadian clinical experts. In the mCRPC setting, treatment patterns were assessed by line of therapy, and survival was calculated from treatment initiation until death or lost to follow-up. RESULTS: 64,484 men were diagnosed withprostate cancer in Ontario between 2010 and 2018with 5,588 men assessed to have mCRPC and 2,970 (53%) of those received first-line systemic treatment. Across the first-, second- and third-line of therapy, ARATs (abiraterone and enzalutamide) were the most used therapies. Survival for mCRPC patients treated with ARATs in first-, second- and third-line were 13.0 (95% CI, 11.6 - 14.5), 11.5 (95% CI, 10.1 - 13.4) and 8.9 (95% CI, 7.4 - 10.2) months, respectively. Survival for mCRPC patients treated with taxanes in first, second- and third-line were 16.7 (95% CI, 14.8 - 18.0), 11.3 (95% CI, 10.1 - 12.5) and 7.8 (95% CI, 6.5 - 10.6) months, respectively. No statistical difference in overall survival was found between taxanes and ARATs. CONCLUSION: In this analysis of a large retrospective cohort of Canadian men with mCRPC, we found that survival in patients treated with ARATs and taxanes was fairly similar across all lines of therapy. Importantly, this trend was maintained in ARAT-exposed patients, where sequential ARAT and taxanes offered similar survival. These data may help inform optimal sequencing of therapies in mCRPC.

Quality of anticoagulant control and patient experience associated with long-term warfarin in Canadian patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation: A multicentre, prospective study.

BACKGROUND: Despite the fact that direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) are favoured over warfarin for stroke prevention in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF), physicians need to maintain competence in using and monitoring warfarin since many patients have contraindications or other barriers to using DOACs. Unlike DOACs, warfarin therapy requires regular blood testing to ensure that it is within a target range to ensure efficacy and safety. There is limited real-world data on the adequacy of warfarin control and the cost and burden of monitoring warfarin therapy in Canadian NVAF patients. OBJECTIVES: In a large cohort of Canadian patients with NVAF on warfarin we assessed time in therapeutic range (TTR), determinants of TTR, process of care, direct costs, health related quality of life and loss of work time and productivity related to warfarin therapy. METHODS: Five hundred and fifty one patients with NVAF, either newly initiated or stable on warfarin were prospectively enrolled across 9 Canadian provinces from primary care practices and anticoagulant clinics. Participating physicians provided baseline demographic and medical information. Patients completed diaries for 48 weeks, capturing information about International Normalized Ratio (INR) test results, test locations, process of INR monitoring, direct costs of travel, health-related quality of life and work productivity measures. TTR was estimated using linear interpolation of INR results and linear regression used to investigate associations between TTR and factors (defined a priori). RESULTS: Four hundred and eighty (87.1%) patients had complete follow-up with an overall TTR of 74.4% based on 7,175 physician-reported INR values from 501 patients. 88% of this cohort were monitored through routine medical care (RMC). The average number of INRs per patient during the 48-week period was 14.1 (standard deviation (SD) = 8.3) tests with a mean duration of 23.8 (SD = 11.1) days between tests. We did not find a relationship between TTR and age, sex, presence of major comorbidities, patient's province of residence or rural vs. urban residence. 12% of patients monitored through anticoagulant clinics had significantly better TTR than patients monitored through RMC (82% vs. 74%; 95% confidence interval: -13.8, -1.2; p = 0.02). Health related quality of life utility values were high and remained consistent throughout the study. The majority of patients reported no impact on either work productivity or impairment of regular activities due to being on long-term warfarin treatment. CONCLUSIONS: We showed excellent overall TTR in an observed Canadian cohort, with monitoring through a dedicated anticoagulant clinic being associated with a statistically and clinically significant improvement in TTR. The burden of warfarin therapy on patients' health related quality of life or daily work and activities was low.

Treatment journey of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma using real-world data in British Columbia, Canada.

Aim: This study examined treatment patterns, survival outcomes and healthcare costs related to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in British Columbia. Methods: The study utilized data from two physician databases (HCC and MOTION) and the provincial British Columbia transplant database. Results: The analysis revealed diverse treatment approaches and identified the varying treatment journeys of patients. Liver transplant and systemic therapies demonstrated improved survival rates. However, there was a scarcity of Canadian-specific cost data. Conclusion: The research emphasizes the complexities of managing HCC and underscores the need for personalized treatment strategies to enhance patient outcomes. These findings contribute valuable insights into HCC management and provide a foundation for future studies and interventions aimed at optimizing care and resource allocation.

This study looked at how people diagnosed with liver cancer in British Columbia were treated, how long they lived and how much treatment cost. Treatment records were reviewed, and depending on the extent of the disease, treatments could include surgery, treatments directed at the liver and/or anti-cancer therapy. The average survival time varied from 21­33 months, with an average cost per patient of $94,000. This helps us understand the patient journey and future studies would include current treatment options.

Changes in Health Care Costs, Survival, and Time Toxicity in the Era of Immunotherapy and Targeted Systemic Therapy for Melanoma.

Importance: Melanoma treatment has evolved during the past decade with the adoption of adjuvant and palliative immunotherapy and targeted therapies, with an unclear impact on health care costs and outcomes in routine practice. Objective: To examine changes in health care costs, overall survival (OS), and time toxicity associated with primary treatment of melanoma. Design, Setting, and Participants: This cohort study assessed a longitudinal, propensity score (PS)-matched, retrospective cohort of residents of Ontario, Canada, aged 20 years or older with stages II to IV cutaneous melanoma identified from the Ontario Cancer Registry from January 1, 2018, to March 31, 2019. A historical comparison cohort was identified from a population-based sample of invasive melanoma cases diagnosed from the Ontario Cancer Registry from January 1, 2007, to December 31, 2012. Data analysis was performed from October 17, 2022, to March 13, 2023. Exposures: Era of melanoma diagnosis (2007-2012 vs 2018-2019). Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcomes were mean per-capita health care and systemic therapy costs (Canadian dollars) during the first year after melanoma diagnosis, time toxicity (days with physical health care contact) within 1 year of initial treatment, and OS. Standardized differences were used to compare costs and time toxicity. Kaplan-Meier methods and Cox proportional hazards regression were used to compare OS among PS-matched cohorts. Results: A PS-matched cohort of 731 patients (mean [SD] age, 67.9 [14.8] years; 437 [59.8%] male) with melanoma from 2018 to 2019 and 731 patients (mean [SD] age, 67.9 [14.4] years; 440 [60.2%] male) from 2007 to 2012 were evaluated. The 2018 to 2019 patients had greater mean (SD) health care (including systemic therapy) costs compared with the 2007 to 2012 patients ($47 886 [$55 176] vs $33 347 [$31 576]), specifically for stage III ($67 108 [$57 226] vs $46 511 [$30 622]) and stage IV disease ($117 450 [$79 272] vs $47 739 [$37 652]). Mean (SD) systemic therapy costs were greater among 2018 to 2019 patients: stage II ($40 823 [$40 621] vs $10 309 [$12 176]), III ($55 699 [$41 181] vs $9764 [$12 771]), and IV disease ($79 358 [$50 442] vs $9318 [$14 986]). Overall survival was greater for the 2018 to 2019 cohort compared with the 2007 to 2012 cohort (3-year OS: 74.2% [95% CI, 70.8%-77.2%] vs 65.8% [95% CI, 62.2%-69.1%], hazard ratio, 0.72 [95% CI, 0.61-0.85]; P < .001). Time toxicity was similar between eras. Patients with stage IV disease spent more than 1 day per week (>52 days) with physical contact with the health care system by 2018 to 2019 (mean [SD], 58.7 [43.8] vs 44.2 [26.5] days; standardized difference, 0.40; P = .20). Conclusions and Relevance: This cohort study found greater health care costs in the treatment of stages II to IV melanoma and substantial time toxicity for patients with stage IV disease, with improvements in OS associated with the adoption of immunotherapy and targeted therapies. These health system-wide data highlight the trade-off with adoption of new therapies, for which there is a greater economic burden to the health care system and time burden to patients but an associated improvement in survival.

Impact of disability status on ischemic stroke costs in Canada in the first year.

BACKGROUND: Longitudinal, patient-level data on resource use and costs after an ischemic stroke are lacking in Canada. The objectives of this analysis were to calculate costs for the first year post-stroke and determine the impact of disability on costs. METHODOLOGY: The Economic Burden of Ischemic Stroke (BURST) Study was a one-year prospective study with a cohort of ischemic stroke patients recruited at 12 Canadian stroke centres. Clinical history, disability, health preference and resource utilization information was collected at discharge, three months, six months and one year. Resources included direct medical costs (2009 CAN$) such as emergency services, hospitalizations, rehabilitation, physician services, diagnostics, medications, allied health professional services, homecare, medical/assistive devices, changes to residence and paid caregivers, as well as indirect costs. Results were stratified by disability measured at discharge using the modified Rankin Score (mRS): non-disabling stroke (mRS 0-2) and disabling stroke (mRS 3-5). RESULTS: We enrolled 232 ischemic stroke patients (age 69.4 ± 15.4 years; 51.3% male) and 113 (48.7%) were disabled at hospital discharge. The average annual cost was $74,353; $107,883 for disabling strokes and $48,339 for non-disabling strokes. CONCLUSIONS: An average annual cost for ischemic stroke was calculated in which a disabling stroke was associated with a two-fold increase in costs compared to NDS. Costs during the hospitalization to three months phase were the highest contributor to the annual cost. A "back of the envelope" calculation using 38,000 stroke admissions and the average annual cost yields $2.8 billion as the burden of ischemic stroke.

Using Real-World Data to Determine Health System Costs of Ontario Women Screened for Breast Cancer.

Our study was to determine breast cancer screening costs in Ontario, Canada for screenings conducted through a formal (Ontario Breast Screening Program, OBSP) and informal (non-OBSP) screening program using administrative databases. Included women were 49-74 years of age when receiving screening mammograms between 1 January 2013 to 31 December 2019. Each woman was followed for a screening episode with screening and diagnostic components, and costs were calculated as an average cost per woman per month in 2021 Canadian dollars. The final cohort of 1,546,386 women screened had a mean age of 59.4 ± 7.1 years and ~87% were screened via OBSP. The average total cost per woman per month was $136 ± $103, $134 ± $103 and $155 ± $104 for the entire, OBSP and non-OBSP cohorts, respectively. This was further disaggregated into the average total screening cost per month, which was $103 ± $8, $100 ± $4 and $117 ± $9 per woman, and the average total diagnostic cost per woman per month at $219 ± $166, $228 ± $165 and $178 ± $159. for the entire, OBSP and non-OBSP cohorts, respectively. These results indicate similar screening costs across the different cohorts, but higher diagnostic costs for the OBSP cohort.

Systemic Sclerosis and Associated Interstitial Lung Disease in Ontario, Canada: An Examination of Prevalence and Survival Over 10 Years.

OBJECTIVE: Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a rare autoimmune disease. Pulmonary complications of SSc are some of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality. The objective of this study was to determine prevalence and survival estimates of SSc and SSc with interstitial lung disease (SSc-ILD) in the Canadian province of Ontario using administrative data over 10 years. METHODS: Using International Classification of Diseases, 10th revision codes adapted for Canada (ICD-10-CA), adult patients diagnosed with SSc and SSc-ILD between April 1, 2008, and March 31, 2018, were identified from the National Ambulatory Care Reporting System and the Discharge Abstract Database administrative databases. SSc was identified first, and ILD was included if presence occurred after SSc diagnosis. Prevalence estimates were determined for both SSc and SSc-ILD. For survival rates, Kaplan-Meier survival curves were generated. RESULTS: At the start of the 2017/18 fiscal year (final year of the cohort), there were 2114 prevalent SSc cases for a cumulative prevalence of 19.1 per 100,000 persons, as well as 257 prevalent cases of SSc-ILD that generated a prevalence of 2.3 cases per 100,000 persons. Mean ages were 57 and 58 years with 84% and 80% females for patients with SSc and SSc-ILD, respectively. One-, 5-, and 10-year survival rates were 85.0%, 64.5%, and 44.9% for the SSc group and 77.1%, 44.4%, and 22.0% for the SSc-ILD group, respectively. CONCLUSION: To our knowledge, this study provides the first population-based estimates of SSc and SSc-ILD in Canada for prevalence and survival. Results confirm that the prevalence estimates of SSc-ILD fall within the Canadian threshold for rare disease. It also demonstrates the poor survival in SSc, especially when ILD is also present.

Real-World Treatment Patterns, Survival, and Costs for Ovarian Cancer in Canada: A Retrospective Cohort Study Using Provincial Administrative Data.

Background: In 2020, approximately 3100 Canadian women were diagnosed with ovarian cancer (OC), with 1950 women dying of this disease. Prognosis for OC remains poor, with 70% to 75% of cases diagnosed at an advanced stage and an overall 5-year survival of 46%. Current standard of care in Canada involves a combination of cytoreductive surgery and platinum-based chemotherapy. Objective: There are few studies reporting current OC costs. This study sought to determine patient characteristics and costs to the health system for OC in Ontario, Canada. Methods: Women diagnosed with OC in Ontario between 2010 and 2017 were identified. The cohort was linked to provincial administrative databases to capture treatment patterns, survival, and costs. Overall total and mean cost per patient (unadjusted) were reported in 2017 Canadian dollars, using a macro-based costing methodology called GETCOST. It is programmed to determine the costs of short-term and long-term episodes of health-care resources utilized. Results: Of the 2539 OC patients included in the study, the mean age at diagnosis was 60.4±11.35 years. The majority were diagnosed with stage III disease (n=1247). The only treatment required for 74% of stage I patients and 54% of stage II patients was first-line (1L) platinum chemotherapy; in advanced stages (III/IV) 24% and 20%, respectively, did not receive further treatment after 1L therapy. The median overall survival (mOS) for the whole cohort was 5.13 years. Survival was highest in earlier stage disease (mOS not reached in stage I/II), and dropped significantly in advanced stage patients (stage III: mOS=4.09 years; stage IV: mOS=3.47 years). Overall mean costs in patients stage I were CAD $58 099 compared to CAD $124 202 in stage IV. Discussion: The majority of OC patients continue to be diagnosed with advanced disease, which is associated with poor survival and increased treatment costs. Increased awareness and screening could facilitate diagnosis of earlier stage disease and reduce high downstream costs for advanced disease. Conclusion: Advanced OC is associated with poor survival and increased costs, mainly driven by hospitalizations or cancer clinic visits. The introduction of new targeted therapies such as olaparib could impact health system costs, by offsetting higher downstream costs while also improving survival.

Examining Treatment Patterns and Real-World Outcomes in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Using Administrative Data in Ontario.

Information on the real-world experience of Canadians diagnosed with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is limited. This study was conducted to report treatment patterns and outcomes of CLL using Ontario administrative data. A retrospective cohort study was conducted in patients diagnosed with CLL between 1 January 2010 and 31 December 2017 identified in the Ontario Cancer Registry (OCR). Data were accessed using the Institute of Clinical Evaluative Sciences (ICES), which collects various population-level health information. In the Ontario Cancer Registry, 2887 CLL patients receiving treatment and diagnosed between 2010-2017 were identified. Fludarabine, cyclophosphamide and rituximab (FCR) chemoimmunotherapy was most frequently used as a first line, but use declined since ibrutinib and obinutuzumab combinations were funded in 2015. In patients treated with frontline FCR, survival at year one was 89% pre-2015 and 96% post-2015; at year four, survival was 73% and 87%, respectively. Survival in patients treated with frontline chlorambucil was 76% pre-2015 and 75% post-2015 in year 1, and 45% and 56% in year 3. Our analysis shows that, as the treatment landscape for CLL has shifted, use of newer and novel agents as a first line or earlier in the relapsed/refractory setting has resulted in improved survival outcomes.

Assessing the Impact of Early Identification of Patients Appropriate for Palliative Care on Resource Use and Costs in the Final Month of Life.

PURPOSE: This study evaluates whether an intervention to identify Canadian patients eligible for a palliative approach changes the use of health care resources and costs within the final month of life. METHODS: Between 2014 and 2017, physicians identified 1,187 patients in family practice units and cancer centers who were likely to die within 1 year based on diagnosis, symptom assessment, and performance status. A multidisciplinary intervention that included activation of community resources and initiation of palliative planning was started. By using propensity-score matching, patients in the intervention group were matched 1:1 with nonintervention controls selected from provincial administrative data. We compared health care use and costs (using 2017 Canadian dollars) for 30 days before death between patients who died within the 1-year follow-up and matched controls. RESULTS: Groups (n = 629 in each group) were well-balanced in sociodemographic characteristics, comorbidities, and previous health care use. In the last 30 days, there was no differences in proportions between the two groups of patients regarding emergency department visits, intensive care unit admissions, or inpatient hospitalizations. However, patients in the intervention group had greater use of palliative physician encounters, community home care visits, and/or physician home visits (92.8% v 88.4%; P = .007). In the 507 pairs with cancer, more patients in the intervention group underwent chemotherapy (44% v 33%; P < .001) and radiation (18.7% v 3.2%; P = .043) in the last 30 days. Mean cost per patient was similar for the intervention group (mean, $17,231; 95% CI, $16,027 to $18,436) and for the control group (mean, $16,951; 95% CI, $15,899 to $18,004). CONCLUSION: Even with the limitations in our observational study design, identification of palliative patients did not significantly change overall costs but may shift resources toward palliative services.

Does early palliative identification improve the use of palliative care services?

PURPOSE: To evaluate whether the early identification of patients who may benefit from palliative care impacts on the use of palliative, community and acute-based care services. METHODS: Between 2014 and 2017, physicians from eight sites were encouraged to systematically identify patients who were likely to die within one year and would were thought to benefit from early palliative care. Patients in the INTEGRATE Intervention Group were 1:1 matched to controls selected from provincial healthcare administrative data using propensity score-matching. The use of palliative care, community-based care services (home care, physician home visit, and outpatient opioid use) and acute care (emergency department, hospitalization) was each evaluated within one year after the date of identification. The hazard ratio (HR) in the Intervention Group was calculated for each outcome. RESULTS: Of the 1,185 patients in the Intervention Group, 951 (80.3%) used palliative care services during follow-up, compared to 739 (62.4%) among 1,185 patients in the Control Group [HR of 1.69 (95% CI 1.56 to 1.82)]. The Intervention Group also had higher proportions of patients who used home care [81.4% vs. 55.2%; HR 2.07 (95% CI 1.89 to 2.27)], had physician home visits [35.5% vs. 23.7%; HR 1.63 (95% CI 1.46 to 1.92)] or had increased outpatient opioid use [64.3% vs. 52.1%); HR 1.43 (95% CI 1.30 to 1.57]. The Intervention Group was also more likely to have a hospitalization that was not primarily focused on palliative care (1.42 (95% CI 1.28 to 1.58)) and an unplanned emergency department visit for non-palliative care purpose (1.47 (95% CI 1.32 to 1.64)). CONCLUSION: Physicians actively identifying patients who would benefit from palliative care resulted in increased use of palliative and community-based care services, but also increased use of acute care services.

Health system costs for cancer medications and radiation treatment in Ontario for the 4 most common cancers: a retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Previous costing and resource estimates for cancer have not been complete owing to lack of comprehensive data on cancer-related medication and radiation treatment. Our objective was to calculate the mean overall costs per patient of cancer-related medications and radiation, as well as by disease subtype and stage, in the first year after diagnosis for the 4 most prevalent cancers in Ontario. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study using provincial health administrative databases to identify population health system resources and costs for all patients diagnosed with breast, colorectal, lung or prostate cancer between Jan. 1, 2010, and Dec. 31, 2015 in Ontario. The primary outcome measure was the overall average cost per patient in the 365 days after diagnosis for cancer-related medications and radiation treatment, calculated with the use of 2 novel costing algorithms. We determined the cost by disease, disease subtype and stage as secondary outcomes. RESULTS: There were 168 316 Ontarians diagnosed with cancer during the study period, 50 141 with breast cancer, 38 108 with colorectal cancer, 34 809 with lung cancer and 45 258 with prostate cancer. The mean per-patient cost for cancer-related medications was $8167 (95% confidence interval [CI] $8023-$8311), $6568 (95% CI $6446-$6691), $2900 (95% CI $2816-$2984) and $1211 (95% CI $1175-$1247) for breast, colorectal, lung and prostate cancer, respectively. The corresponding mean radiation treatment costs were $18 529 (95% CI $18 415-$18 643), $15 177 (95% CI $14 899-$15 456), $10 818 (95% CI $10 669-$10 966) and $16 887 (95% CI $16 648-$17 125). In general, stage III and IV cancers were the most expensive stages for both medications and radiation across all 4 disease sites. INTERPRETATION: Our work updates previous costing estimates to help understand costs and resources critical to health care system planning in a single-payer system. More refined costing estimates are useful as inputs to allow for more robust health economic modelling and health care system planning.