Patient Preference and Adherence (Apr 2023)
Palbociclib Adherence and Persistence in Patients with Hormone Receptor Positive/Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2 Negative (HR+/HER2-) Metastatic Breast Cancer
Abstract
Nicole M Engel-Nitz,1 Mary G Johnson,1 Michael P Johnson,1 Ashley S Cha-Silva,2 Samantha K Kurosky,2 Xianchen Liu2 1Optum, Eden Prairie, MN, 55344, USA; 2Pfizer Inc, New York, NY, 10017, USACorrespondence: Nicole M Engel-Nitz, HEOR | Optum Life Sciences, MN950-1000, 11000 Optum Circle, Eden Prairie, MN, 55344, USA, Tel +1 952-205-7770, Email [email protected]: To assess adherence and persistence with palbociclib therapy in patients with HR+/HER2- metastatic breast cancer (mBC) in a US real-world setting.Methods: This retrospective study evaluated palbociclib dosing, adherence, and persistence using commercial and Medicare Advantage with Part D claims data from the Optum Research Database. Adult patients with mBC who had continuous enrollment 12 months prior to mBC diagnosis and initiated first-line palbociclib with aromatase inhibitor (AI) or fulvestrant between 02/03/2015 and 12/31/2019 were included. Demographic and clinical characteristics, palbociclib dosing and dose changes, adherence (medication possession ratio [MPR]), and persistence were measured. Adjusted logistic and Cox regression models were used to examine demographic and clinical factors associated with adherence and discontinuation.Results: Patients (n = 1066) with a mean age of 66 years were included; 76.1% received first-line palbociclib+AI and 23.9% palbociclib+fulvestrant. Most patients (85.7%) initiated palbociclib at 125 mg/day. Of the 34.0% of patients with a dose reduction, 82.6% reduced from 125 to 100 mg/day. Overall, 80.0% of patients were adherent (MPR), and 38.3% discontinued palbociclib during a mean (SD) follow-up of 16.0 (11.2) and 17.4 (13.4) months, for palbociclib+fulvestrant and palbociclib+AI, respectively. Annual income below $75,000 was significantly associated with poor adherence. Older age (age 65– 74 years (hazard ratio [HR] 1.57, 95% CI, 1.06, 2.33), age ≥ 75 years (HR 1.61, 95% CI: 1.08, 2.41)) and bone-only metastatic disease (HR 1.37, 95% CI, 1.06, 1.76) were significantly associated with palbociclib discontinuation.Conclusion: In this real-world study, > 85% of patients started palbociclib at 125 mg/day and 1 in 3 had dose reductions during the follow-up. Patients were generally adherent and persistent with palbociclib. Older age, bone-only disease, and low-income levels were associated with early discontinuation or non-adherence. Further studies are needed to understand the associations of clinical and economic outcomes with palbociclib adherence and persistence.Keywords: breast cancer, palbociclib, adherence, persistence, metastatic
