The real-world prevalence of esophagogastric varices, bleeding, emergency room visits, and hospitalization among patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma in the US.

Authors

null

Neehar Parikh

Multidisciplinary Liver Clinic | Rogel Cancer Center, Ann Arbor, MI;

Neehar Parikh , Shengsheng Yu , Noh Jin Park , Michael Locker , Ishveen Chopra , Jason Yeaw

Organizations

Multidisciplinary Liver Clinic | Rogel Cancer Center, Ann Arbor, MI; , Exelixis, Inc., Alameda, CA; , IQVIA, Health Economics & Outcomes Research, Real World Insights, Falls Church, VA;

Research Funding

Pharmaceutical/Biotech Company
Exelixis

Background: Upper gastrointestinal bleeding associated with esophagogastric varices (EGV) is a morbid and potentially deadly complication of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (aHCC). However, the presence of EGV among the aHCC population receiving esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) in the US is not well understood, nor are the predictors of EGV- or bleeding-related ER or hospitalization (the outcome) among those who are newly initiated on systemic treatment. Methods: A retrospective cohort analysis was conducted utilizing IQVIA’s PharMetrics Plus Health Plans Claims database (January 1, 2016, to July 31, 2021). Patients ≥18 years of age with ≥1 prescription for an aHCC systemic treatment were included; the date of the first prescription was the index date. At least 12 months of continuous enrollment pre-index and 6 months post-index (unless patients were deceased) were required. Patients with pre-index diagnosis codes for renal cell carcinoma, differentiated thyroid carcinoma, colorectal cancer, gastric cancer, non-small cell lung carcinoma, and liver transplant were excluded. Logistic regression was conducted to identify associations between baseline characteristics and the outcome. Results: A total of 904 patients with aHCC were included (mean age: 61.3 years; 75.3% male); 39.4% of patients died within 6 months following the index date. During the pre-index period, 688 (76.1%) patients had portal hypertension-related comorbidity, 327 (36.2%) had EGD, 122 (13.5%) had EGV, and 63 (7.0%) had bleeding. During the observational period, 458 (50.7%) patients received EGD, among whom 209 (45.6%) also had EGV. 141 (15.6%) patients had ≥1 outcome event during the post-index period. In the adjusted analysis, patients with pre-index bleeding and with EGV but no bleeding had 4.5- and 3.1-times higher odds of having post-index outcome, respectively, as compared with those lacking pre-index bleeding and EGV. Moreover, the pre-index presence of portal hypertension-related comorbidities was associated with 3.1 times greater odds of having a post-index outcome. Conclusions: EGV and bleeding events are common in patients with aHCC receiving systemic therapies. The EGV prevalence of 45.6% among those receiving EGD is consistent with prior similar studies outside of the US (Giannini EG, et al. Clin Gastroenterol and Hepatol. 2006; Iavarone M, et al. United European Gastroenterol J. 2016; Hsieh WY, et al. Sci Rep. 2017). The presence of bleeding, EGV, and portal hypertension-related comorbidities prior to treatment initiation were associated with the increased post-treatment risk of EGV- or bleeding-related ER or hospitalization in these patients. To our knowledge, this is the first study to assess and report the presence of EGV among those receiving EGD in a US aHCC population.

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Abstract Details

Meeting

2023 ASCO Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium

Session Type

Poster Session

Session Title

Poster Session B: Cancers of the Pancreas, Small Bowel, and Hepatobiliary Tract

Track

Pancreatic Cancer,Hepatobiliary Cancer,Neuroendocrine/Carcinoid,Small Bowel Cancer

Sub Track

Patient-Reported Outcomes and Real-World Evidence

Citation

J Clin Oncol 41, 2023 (suppl 4; abstr 519)

DOI

10.1200/JCO.2023.41.4_suppl.519

Abstract #

519

Poster Bd #

B9

Abstract Disclosures