Burden of chemotherapy-induced myelosuppression among patients with ES-SCLC in US community oncology settings
Future Oncology, our partner journal, has recently published a Research Article exploring the burden of myelosuppression in extensive-stage small cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC) patients who have been treated with chemotherapy.
Abstract
Aims: To describe burden of chemotherapy-induced myelosuppression among chemotherapy-treated patients with ES-SCLC.
Materials & Methods: Occurrence of grade ≥3 myelosuppressive hematological adverse events (HAEs), treatment patterns, and health care resource utilization (HCRU) after chemotherapy initiation were evaluated using data from The US Oncology Network and Non-Network clinics (1/1/2015–12/31/2020).
Results: Among patients with laboratory values (Network: N=1,374/1,574; Non-Network: N=661/959), over half experienced grade ≥3 HAEs in one or more lineages after chemotherapy initiation (Network=56.6%; NonNetwork=64.1%), and approximately one third had grade ≥3 HAEs in at least 2 lineages (Network=33.0%; Non-Network=31.3%). Patients with grade ≥3 HAEs had greater dose reductions, treatment delays, and healthcare use and costs than those without.
Conclusion: Myelosuppression is a burden to patients with ES-SCLC treated with chemotherapy and the healthcare system.
Plain Language Summary
Our objective was to describe the burden of myelosuppression, a side effect of chemotherapy that results from damage to blood forming cells in the bone marrow, among patients with extensive-stage small cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC). We evaluated the prevalence of myelosuppression, chemotherapy treatment patterns, and outpatient health care use and costs (after chemotherapy initiation using data from The US Oncology Network and Non-Network clinics between January 1,2015 and December 31, 2020. Among patients with laboratory values, which were required to identify myelosuppression events, over half of patients experienced severe myelosuppression-related adverse events in one or more lineages after chemotherapy initiation, and approximately one third experienced severe myelosuppression-related adverse events in at least 2 blood cell lines. Patients with severe myelosuppression-related adverse events had greater dose reductions, treatment delays, and healthcare use and costs than those without. Myelosuppression is a burden to patients with ES-SCLC treated with chemotherapy and the healthcare system. Reduction of chemotherapy-induced myelosuppression has the potential to reduce burden on patients and health care organizations.