OBJECTIVES:

Literature using electronic health record-linked data examining healthcare resource utilization (HCRU) and costs in patients with metastatic breast cancer (mBC) from the US-payer perspective is scarce. We aimed to describe demographic/clinical characteristics, HCRU, and costs for patients with mBC and a subset with the HR+/HER2+ subtype.

METHODS:

This retrospective study was conducted among adults with mBC using linked IQVIA PharMetrics^® Plus and Oncology Electronic Medical Record databases (Oct 2015–Dec 2021). Patients’ index date was defined as initial mBC diagnosis date. Patients had a 6-month pre-index period, and a post-index period divided into an initial (first 3 months) and continuation phase (months between initial phase and follow-up end). Per-patient-per-month (PPPM) all-cause and mBC-related HCRU and costs were estimated for both phases.

RESULTS:

Among individuals with HR/HER2 mBC status, (n=2,246), 359 (16%) adult females had continuous enrollment for 6 months pre- and 3 months post-index, of which 44 (12%) had HR+/HER2+ mBC. Mean (SD) age of the overall sample and HR+/HER2+ sub-cohort was 56.0 (12.0) and 53.3 (10.6) years, respectively. Generally, mBC-related PPPM HCRU was higher in the initial versus continuation period for the overall mBC cohort (prescriptions: 1.5 vs. 1.2; office visits: 1.9 vs. 1.2; laboratory services: 4.9 vs. 2.7; ancillary services: 5.9 vs. 3.2) and HR+/HER2+ sub-cohort (3.1 vs. 1.9; 2.4 vs. 1.5; 6.6 vs. 3.1; 8.5 vs. 4.0, respectively). Mean (SD) all-cause PPPM costs in the overall and HR+/HER2+ sub-cohorts were $9,601 ($8,933) and $15,848 ($11,382), respectively. Mean mBC-related PPPM costs were $6,991 and $12,712, respectively. Pharmacy costs (mean:$8,914, SD:$8,587) represented a substantial portion of HR+/HER2+ mBC-related costs.

CONCLUSIONS:

The HR+/HER2+ mBC subtype was associated with higher HCRU and costs initially following mBC diagnosis, suggesting this period represents an opportunity to communicate with patients about anticipated treatment time requirements and to consider interventions aimed at reducing costs.