Iqra Syed’s research while affiliated with Government of Ontario, Canada and other places

Treatment options for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) are evolving, given recent and expected approvals of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) targeting programmed cell death-(ligand) 1 (PD-1/PD-L1). We retrospectively evaluated outcomes among patients with resected stage IB-IIIA NSCLC tumors expressing PD-L1 using PALEOS (Pan-cAnadian Lung cancEr Observational Study) data (2016–2019). Key outcomes included PD-L1 expression rate and treatment patterns, recurrence, and median overall (mOS) and disease-free survival (mDFS) among PD-L1+ patients. Among 539 PD-L1–tested patients, 317 (58.8%) were PD-L1+ (≥1%). At diagnosis, 35.3%, 39.8%, and 24.9% of PD-L1+ patients had stage IB, II, or IIIA disease. Forty-one percent had received adjuvant therapy. At 22.6 months (median follow-up), first disease recurrence had occurred in 31.9% of patients, primarily at metastatic sites. After first metastatic recurrence, ICI regimens were the most common first systemic therapy (29.8%). mOS was not reached; mDFS was 40.0 months. At four years, DFS probability was 44%. Four-year OS and DFS rates were generally similar when stratified by PD-L1 expression (1–49% vs. ≥50%). These findings underscore the generally poor outcomes experienced by patients with early-stage, resected, PD-L1+ NSCLC after treatment with available adjuvant therapies, and provide context to recent and emerging trials of new treatment options.

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. 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. 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). 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.

Background Although therapy for limited-stage small-cell lung cancer (LS-SCLC) is administered with curative intent, most patients relapse and eventually die of recurrent disease. Chemotherapy (CT) with concurrent radiotherapy (RT) remains the standard of care for LS-SCLC; however, this could evolve in the near future. Therefore, understanding the current prognostic factors associated with survival is essential. Objective This real-world analysis examines factors associated with long-term survival in patients with LS-SCLC treated with CT in Manitoba, Canada. Methods A retrospective cohort study was conducted using Manitoba Cancer Registry and CancerCare Manitoba records. Eligible patients were aged >18 years and had cytologically confirmed LS-SCLC diagnosed between January 1, 2004, and December 31, 2018, for which they received CT ± RT. Baseline patient, disease, and treatment characteristics and survival duration, characterized as short (<6 months), medium (6−24 months), and long term (>24 months), were extracted. Overall survival (OS) was estimated at one, two, and five years and assessed using Kaplan-Meier methods and Cox proportional hazards models. Results Over the 15-year study period, 304 patients met the eligibility criteria. Long-term survivors comprised 39.1% of the cohort; at diagnosis, this subgroup was younger, more likely to have Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Performance Status (ECOG PS) 0, and have normal lactate dehydrogenase, sodium, and hemoglobin levels. OS estimates for the entire cohort at one, two, and five years were 66%, 38%, and 18%, respectively. In the ECOG PS 0 subgroup, OS estimates at one, two, and five years were 85%, 52%, and 24%, respectively; OS estimates were 60%, 35%, and 17%, respectively, for ECOG PS 1−2 and were 47%, 23%, and 10%, respectively, for ECOG PS 3−4. OS was significantly higher among patients with normal serum sodium and hemoglobin levels than those with abnormal levels. Univariable hazard regression models found that ECOG PS, age at diagnosis, receipt of prophylactic cranial irradiation (PCI), and thoracic RT were associated with survival. On multivariable hazard regression, ECOG PS and receipt of PCI were associated with survival. Conclusion Survival for greater than two years in patients with LS-SCLC treated with CT ± RT was associated with ECOG PS and receipt of PCI.

Background Extensive-stage small-cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC) is an incurable cancer with poor prognosis in which characteristics predictive of long-term survival are debated. The utility of agents such as immune checkpoint inhibitors highlights the importance of identifying key characteristics and treatment strategies that contribute to long-term survival and could help guide therapeutic decisions. Objective This real-world analysis examines the characteristics, treatment patterns, and clinical outcomes of patients receiving chemotherapy without immunotherapy for ES-SCLC in Manitoba, Canada. Methods A retrospective cohort study assessed patient characteristics, treatment, and survival duration (short: <6 months; medium: 6–24 months; long: >24 months) using the Manitoba Cancer Registry and CancerCare Manitoba records. Eligible patients were aged >18 years with cytologically confirmed ES-SCLC diagnosed between January 1, 2004, and December 31, 2018, and received cytotoxic chemotherapy (CT). The one-, two-, and five-year probabilities of overall survival (OS) were assessed relative to patient, disease, and treatment characteristics using Kaplan-Meier methods and Cox proportional hazards models. Results This analysis included 537 patients. Cisplatin was used in 56.1% of patients, 45.6% received thoracic radiotherapy (RT), and few received prophylactic cranial irradiation (PCI). In the overall cohort, one-, two- and five-year OS rates were 26%, 8%, and 3%, respectively. For patients with Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Performance Status (ECOG PS) 0, OS rates at one, two, and five years were 43%, 17%, and 10%, respectively, vs. 27%, 8%, and 2% for those with ECOG PS 1–2, and 16%, 3%, and 3% for those with ECOG PS 3–4. In long-term survivors, ECOG PS scores were lower and abnormal laboratory test results were less frequent. Overall, 74.4% of long-term survivors received thoracic RT and 53.5% received PCI. Known poor prognostic factors – including brain/liver metastases, high lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), abnormal sodium, and low hemoglobin levels – were less common but still seen in long-term survivors. Conclusion Although rare, patients with ES-SCLC may experience long-term survival with CT ± thoracic RT ± PCI. Factors predicting long-term survival include traditional prognostic factors such as ECOG PS, LDH level, and receipt of thoracic RT or PCI. These findings support current treatment algorithms for ES-SCLC and provide baseline survival estimates to assess the real-world impact of adding immune checkpoint inhibitors in the future.

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.

e16112 Background: Gemcitabine and cisplatin (gemcis) has been the standard of care for biliary tract cancer (BTC) for over a decade. One US model predicted the total lifetime cost of gemcis per patient to be $54,077 in 2020 CAD, although not all costs were considered. Our study objectives included quantifying updated costs and health care resource utilization (HCRU) associated with advanced BTC using real-world, population-level data from Ontario databases. Methods: We conducted a retrospective population-level study of patients diagnosed with recurrent or unresectable/advanced BTC (gallbladder cancer [GBC], intrahepatic and extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma [IHC and EHC], Ampulla of Vater [AoV]) between January 1, 2010 and December 31, 2019. Follow-up data were available until December 31, 2020. HCRU and costs were calculated from the start date of first line (1L) of BTC-specific systemic therapies to death or the end of March 31, 2020 whichever occurred first. A macro-based costing methodology (GETCOST) was used and the mean cost per patient was reported in 2020 Canadian dollars (CAD). Mean cost per patient was calculated from diagnosis till the end of follow-up or death. The total number of HCRU-specific encounters for all years was divided by the number of BTC patients who used that HRCU in order to report the mean number of HCRU encounters (e.g., cancer clinic visits and inpatient hospitalizations). Results: Of 2,142 advanced BTC patients identified, 1,968 were diagnosed with non-AoV cancers (GBC, IHC, EHC or general BTC not otherwise specified) and 174 patients were diagnosed with AoV cancer. The mean cost per patient for all 1L-treated patients was$36,662 ($36,378 for non-AoV compared to$40,092 for AoV patients). By 1L-specific therapies, the highest mean cost per patient was for patients on gemcitabine and taxane combinations (gemtaxane) at $44,190, followed by gemcitabine and cisplatin (gemcis) at$34,507, then FOLFOX or FOLFIRI (fol) at $39,002 and carboplatin and gemcitabine (gemcarb) at$30,905. Untreated patients had a mean cost per patient of $42,136. The mean number of cancer clinic visits per patient per year during 1L ranged from 9.7 (untreated) to 13.7 (gemcis), while the inpatient hospitalizations per patient per year during 1L ranged from and 1.5 (gemcarb, fol and gemtaxane) to 2.4 (untreated). Conclusions: This study reports Canadian-specific, real-world costs and HCRU results of over 2,000 BTC patients. While cost results were stratified by type of BTC (AOV and non-AOV) and type of 1L therapies, the mean cost per patient ranged from$30,905 CAD to $44,190 CAD and HCRU results indicated substantial mean number of cancer clinic visits and inpatient hospitalizations. Thus, BTC patients incur a significant economic burden to the patients and Ontario public payer health system.

Objectives The ADAURA trial demonstrated the benefit of adjuvant osimertinib among patients with resected, early-stage, epidermal growth factor receptor-mutated (EGFRm) non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). To understand the potential population impact, it is critical to deduce the prevalence, management, and outcomes of this patient population in the real-world setting before use of adjuvant osimertinib. Materials and Methods Using PALEOS (Pan-cAnadian Lung cancEr Observational Study) data (2012–2019), a retrospective, multi-center, observational cohort study was conducted among patients with early-stage (IB–IIIA) resected NSCLC who had not received neoadjuvant therapy. Study outcomes included EGFRm prevalence, treatment patterns, recurrence outcomes, and overall and disease-free survival (OS/DFS). Results Among all patients undergoing reflexive EGFRm testing by a pathologist at time of diagnosis irrespective of disease stage (N = 535), 23% were EGFRm-positive, of whom 19.2% had uncommon mutations; one result was indeterminate. Within the EGFRm-positive cohort (N = 156), mean age at diagnosis was 68 years, 65% of patients were female, and 35% were of Asian descent. At diagnosis, 48%, 31%, and 21% had stage IB, II, or IIIA disease, respectively; 46% received adjuvant therapy after resection. Half of patients experienced disease recurrence, typically involving distant sites; central nervous system metastasis varied from 12%–15.0% across disease stages. EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors were the most commonly received therapy after first metastatic recurrence. Median OS (DFS) was not reached, 71.2 (22.8) months, and 50.1 (18.0) months among stage IB, II, and IIIA patients. Patients with uncommon EGFRm had a lower probability of survival than those with common EGFRm (2 years: 87% vs. 91%–94%; 4 years: 56% vs. 73%–82%). Conclusion Approximately one-quarter of patients with resected, early-stage NSCLC were EGFRm-positive in this study. These patients had high recurrence rates and suboptimal long-term survival after treatment with current therapies. New adjuvant treatments are warranted.