MEASURING THE IMPACT OF CACHEXIA ON RESOURCE UTILIZATION AND COSTS IN PATIENTS WITH PANCREATIC, LUNG, AND COLORECTAL CANCERS IN THE UNITED STATES: A CLAIMS DATABASE ANALYSIS
Author(s)
Kathryn Perkins, PharmD1, Joshua A. Roth, MHA, PhD2, Josh Carlson, MPH, PhD3;
1CHOICE Institute, University of Washington, Student, Seattle, WA, USA, 2Pfizer, Seattle, WA, USA, 3University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
1CHOICE Institute, University of Washington, Student, Seattle, WA, USA, 2Pfizer, Seattle, WA, USA, 3University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
OBJECTIVES: Cancer cachexia is a wasting disease characterized by changes in metabolism, muscle and weight loss, inadequate food intake, and functional decline. Cachexia is estimated to affect 30-50% of solid tumor cancer patients. There is limited literature describing the impact of this condition on healthcare resource utilization and costs in the United States. The objective of this study was to compare the healthcare resource utilization (HRU) and direct health plan costs of colorectal, lung, and pancreatic cancer patients diagnosed with cachexia to matched cancer patients without a cachexia diagnosis.
METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study in the Merative™ MarketScan® claims database. Patients with cachexia were identified following a colorectal, lung, or pancreatic cancer diagnosis between October 1st, 2016 - December 31st, 2022. Control cancer patients, with no cachexia diagnosis during the study period, were matched 2:1 with cachexia cases. The mean annual HRU and direct health plan costs were calculated using Kaplan-Meier Sample Average to account for patients censored before the end of the 1-year observation period. Significant differences between groups were determined by non-overlapping bootstrap 95% confidence intervals.
RESULTS: After matching, the sample included 10,445 with cachexia and 20,890 controls. Cancer patients with cachexia had significantly greater HRU vs. controls, including higher annual hospital admissions (1.50 vs 0.99), emergency room visits (1.46 vs 0.96), outpatient visits (15.49 vs 14.20), and prescription fills (26.83 vs 24.46). Annual healthcare costs were significantly higher for cachexia patients ($123,092; 95% CI: $119,664-$126,557) vs. controls ($88,959; 95% CI: $86,964-$91,023).
CONCLUSIONS: Colorectal, lung, and pancreatic cancer patients in the US with cachexia were found to have higher healthcare resource utilization and cost of care vs. cancer patients without cachexia. Currently there is no existing treatment for cachexia. This analysis demonstrates the increased economic burden for health plans and patients with cachexia and the need for effective treatments.
METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study in the Merative™ MarketScan® claims database. Patients with cachexia were identified following a colorectal, lung, or pancreatic cancer diagnosis between October 1st, 2016 - December 31st, 2022. Control cancer patients, with no cachexia diagnosis during the study period, were matched 2:1 with cachexia cases. The mean annual HRU and direct health plan costs were calculated using Kaplan-Meier Sample Average to account for patients censored before the end of the 1-year observation period. Significant differences between groups were determined by non-overlapping bootstrap 95% confidence intervals.
RESULTS: After matching, the sample included 10,445 with cachexia and 20,890 controls. Cancer patients with cachexia had significantly greater HRU vs. controls, including higher annual hospital admissions (1.50 vs 0.99), emergency room visits (1.46 vs 0.96), outpatient visits (15.49 vs 14.20), and prescription fills (26.83 vs 24.46). Annual healthcare costs were significantly higher for cachexia patients ($123,092; 95% CI: $119,664-$126,557) vs. controls ($88,959; 95% CI: $86,964-$91,023).
CONCLUSIONS: Colorectal, lung, and pancreatic cancer patients in the US with cachexia were found to have higher healthcare resource utilization and cost of care vs. cancer patients without cachexia. Currently there is no existing treatment for cachexia. This analysis demonstrates the increased economic burden for health plans and patients with cachexia and the need for effective treatments.
Conference/Value in Health Info
2026-05, ISPOR 2026, Philadelphia, PA, USA
Value in Health, Volume 29, Issue S6
Code
EE259
Topic
Economic Evaluation
Topic Subcategory
Cost/Cost of Illness/Resource Use Studies
Disease
SDC: Musculoskeletal Disorders (Arthritis, Bone Disorders, Osteoporosis, Other Musculoskeletal), SDC: Oncology