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Chemotherapy; Quality of life; Symptoms Quimioterapia; Calidad de vida; Síntomas Quimioteràpia; Qualitat de vida; Símptomes Background In a phase III, randomised, active-controlled study (EMPOWER-Cervical 1/GOG-3016/ENGOT-cx9; R2810-ONC-1676; NCT03257267) and cemiplimab significantly improved survival versus investigator's choice of chemotherapy among patients with recurrent cervical cancer who had progressed on platinum-based therapy. Here we report patient-reported outcomes in this pivotal study. Methods Patients were randomised 1:1 to open-label cemiplimab (350 mg intravenously every 3 weeks) or investigator's choice of chemotherapy in 6-week cycles. Patients completed the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire-Core 30 during cycles 1–16. Least-squares mean changes from baseline in global health status (GHS)/quality of life (QoL) and physical functioning (PF) were secondary end-points in the statistical hierarchy. Results Of 608 patients (304/arm), 77.8% patients had squamous cell carcinoma and 22.2% patients had adenocarcinoma. Questionnaire completion rates were ∼90% throughout. In the squamous cell carcinoma population, overall between-group differences statistically significantly favoured cemiplimab in GHS/QoL (8.49; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 3.77–13.21; P = 0.0003) and PF (8.35; 95% CI: 4.08–12.62; P < 0.0001). Treatment differences favoured cemiplimab in both histologic populations by cycle 2. Overall changes from baseline in most functioning and symptom scales favoured cemiplimab, with clinically meaningful treatment differences in role functioning, appetite loss and pain in both populations. The sensitivity analyses, responder analyses and time to definitive deterioration favoured cemiplimab in both populations. Conclusions Cemiplimab conferred favourable differences in GHS/QoL and PF compared with chemotherapy among patients with recurrent cervical cancer, with benefits in PF by cycle 2, and clinically meaningful differences favouring cemiplimab in role functioning, appetite loss, and pain. This work was supported by Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc., and Sanofi.

Objectives This study aimed to evaluate the cost-effectiveness, from a US commercial payer perspective, of cemiplimab versus other first-line treatments for advanced non-small cell lung cancer with programmed death-ligand 1 expression ≥50%. Methods A 30-year “partitioned survival” model was constructed. Overall survival and progression-free survival were estimated by applying time-varying hazard ratios from a network meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials. Overall survival and progression-free survival were estimated from EMPOWER-Lung 1 (cemiplimab monotherapy vs chemotherapy) and KEYNOTE-024 and KEYNOTE-042 (pembrolizumab monotherapy vs chemotherapy). Drug acquisition costs were based on published 2020 US list prices. A 3% discount rate was applied to life-years, quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs), and costs. A deterministic analysis was performed on the base case; 1-way sensitivity and probabilistic sensitivity analyses assessed model and parameter uncertainties. Results Cemiplimab was associated with increased time in the “preprogression” (13.08 vs 7.90 and 6.08 months) and “postprogression” (47.30 vs 29.49 and 14.78 months) health states versus pembrolizumab and chemotherapy, respectively. Compared with pembrolizumab and chemotherapy, cemiplimab generated 1.00 (95% CI −0.266 to 2.440) and 1.78 (95% CI 0.607-3.20) incremental QALYs, respectively, with incremental cost-effectiveness ratios of $68 254 and $89 219 per QALY for cemiplimab versus pembrolizumab and cemiplimab versus chemotherapy, respectively. The probability of cemiplimab being cost-effective at a willingness-to-pay threshold of $100 000 to $150 000 per QALY was 62% to 76% versus pembrolizumab and 56% to 84% versus chemotherapy. Conclusions Findings suggest that cemiplimab, versus pembrolizumab or versus chemotherapy, is a cost-effective first-line treatment option for advanced non-small cell lung cancer with programmed death-ligand 1 expression ≥50%.

BACKGROUND: Most cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas (CSCCs) can be treated with surgical excision or radiation; however, approximately 1% of patients develop advanced disease. In 2018, the FDA appr...

Background: Patients with recurrent cervical cancer have a poor prognosis. Cemiplimab, the fully human programmed cell death 1 (PD-1)-blocking antibody approved to treat lung and skin cancers, has been shown to have preliminary clinical activity in this population. Methods: In this phase 3 trial, we enrolled patients who had disease progression after first-line platinum-containing chemotherapy, regardless of their programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) status. Women were randomly assigned (1:1) to receive cemiplimab (350 mg every 3 weeks) or the investigator's choice of single-agent chemotherapy. The primary end point was overall survival. Progression-free survival and safety were also assessed. Results: A total of 608 women were enrolled (304 in each group). In the overall trial population, median overall survival was longer in the cemiplimab group than in the chemotherapy group (12.0 months vs. 8.5 months; hazard ratio for death, 0.69; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.56 to 0.84; two-sided P

Introduction: Regulatory agencies encourage the incorporation of the patient voices throughout clinical drug development. Patient-Reported Outcomes (PROs) offer one way of doing this and their use has markedly increased in many therapeutic areas, particularly oncology, in recent years. However, few oncology drug labels include PRO data and those which do, offer little consistency.Objective: To provide multidisciplinary perspectives (patient, pharmaceutical industry, PRO researcher, regulatory expert) on PRO data in oncology drug labels.Methods: PRO data in the labels of drugs approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and European Medicines Agency (EMA) for oncology indications between 2010 and 2020 were critically reviewed by authors who provided their insights on the advantages and disadvantages/gaps.Results: Forty-six oncology drugs included PRO data in their labels. Differences were observed between FDA and EMA PRO labeling (e.g., PRO concept, use of tables and graphs to display PROs or reference to clinical meaningfulness). In providing their perspectives on the number and nature of PROs in labels, authors noted limitations including: the low proportion of oncology drugs with PRO labeling, limited PRO information in labels, lack of patient-friendly language, and potential bias towards positive outcomes. Lack of consistency within- and between-agencies was noted.Conclusion: Despite regulatory agencies’ commitment to incorporate patient voices in regulatory decisions, availability of PRO information is limited in oncology drug labels. While several PRO guidance documents are available from regulatory and Health Technology Assessment agencies, harmonization of PRO guidance for labeling inclusion around the world is needed to better inform prescribers and consequently their patients in the process of shared medical decisions.

We aimed to examine cemiplimab, a programmed cell death 1 inhibitor, in the first-line treatment of advanced non-small-cell lung cancer with programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) of at least 50%.In EMPOWER-Lung 1, a multicentre, open-label, global, phase 3 study, eligible patients recruited in 138 clinics from 24 countries (aged ≥18 years with histologically or cytologically confirmed advanced non-small-cell lung cancer, an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 0-1; never-smokers were ineligible) were randomly assigned (1:1) to cemiplimab 350 mg every 3 weeks or platinum-doublet chemotherapy. Crossover from chemotherapy to cemiplimab was allowed following disease progression. Primary endpoints were overall survival and progression-free survival per masked independent review committee. Primary endpoints were assessed in the intention-to-treat population and in a prespecified PD-L1 of at least 50% population (per US Food and Drug Administration request to the sponsor), which consisted of patients with PD-L1 of at least 50% per 22C3 assay done according to instructions for use. Adverse events were assessed in all patients who received at least one dose of the assigned treatment. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03088540 and is ongoing.Between June 27, 2017 and Feb 27, 2020, 710 patients were randomly assigned (intention-to-treat population). In the PD-L1 of at least 50% population, which consisted of 563 patients, median overall survival was not reached (95% CI 17·9-not evaluable) with cemiplimab (n=283) versus 14·2 months (11·2-17·5) with chemotherapy (n=280; hazard ratio [HR] 0·57 [0·42-0·77]; p=0·0002). Median progression-free survival was 8·2 months (6·1-8·8) with cemiplimab versus 5·7 months (4·5-6·2) with chemotherapy (HR 0·54 [0·43-0·68]; p0·0001). Significant improvements in overall survival and progression-free survival were also observed with cemiplimab in the intention-to-treat population despite a high crossover rate (74%). Grade 3-4 treatment-emergent adverse events occurred in 98 (28%) of 355 patients treated with cemiplimab and 135 (39%) of 342 patients treated with chemotherapy.Cemiplimab monotherapy significantly improved overall survival and progression-free survival compared with chemotherapy in patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer with PD-L1 of at least 50%, providing a potential new treatment option for this patient population.Regeneron Pharmaceuticals and Sanofi.

Aims: To examine real-world treatment patterns for Hedgehog pathway inhibitors (HHIs) for the treatment of advanced basal cell carcinoma. Patients & methods: HHI initiators between January 2013 and June 2019 were identified from IBM MarketScan® claims data. Time to treatment discontinuation and reinitiation were estimated using Kaplan–Meier methods using a 60-day grace period. Results: Among 526 patients with basal cell carcinoma who initiated an HHI, median time to first discontinuation was 144 days, and risk of discontinuation by 12 months was 88.0%. Probability of reinitiation within 12 months was 19.7%, and median time to second discontinuation was 118 days. Conclusion: HHI discontinuation was common and reinitiation uncommon in clinical practice. Future research should evaluate persistence with recently approved therapies.

Background In the EMPOWER-Lung 1 trial (, NCT03088540), cemiplimab conferred longer survival than platinum-doublet chemotherapy for advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with programmed cell death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) >= 50%. Patient-reported outcomes were evaluated among trial participants. Methods Adults with NSCLC and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status 0 to 1 were randomly assigned cemiplimab 350 mg every 3 weeks or platinum-doublet chemotherapy. At baseline and day 1 of each treatment cycle, patients were administered the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life-Core 30 (QLQ-C30) and Lung Cancer Module (QLQ-LC13) questionnaires. Mixed-model repeated measures analysis estimated overall change from baseline for PD-L1 >= 50% and intention-to-treat populations. Kaplan-Meier analysis estimated time to definitive deterioration. Results In PD-L1 >= 50% patients (cemiplimab, n = 283; chemotherapy, n = 280), baseline QLQ-C30 and QLQ-LC13 scores showed moderate-to-high functioning and low symptom burden. Change from baseline favored cemiplimab on global health status/quality of life (GHS/QOL), functioning, and most symptom scales. Risk of definitive deterioration across functioning scales was reduced versus chemotherapy; hazard ratios were 0.48 (95% CI, 0.32-0.71) to 0.63 (95% CI, 0.41-0.96). Cemiplimab showed lower risk of definitive deterioration for disease-related (dyspnea, cough, pain in chest, pain in other body parts, fatigue) and treatment-related symptoms (peripheral neuropathy, alopecia, nausea/vomiting, appetite loss, constipation, diarrhea) (nominal p < .05). Results were similar in the intention-to-treat population. Conclusions Results support cemiplimab for first-line therapy of advanced NSCLC from the patient's perspective. Improved survival is accompanied by improvements versus platinum-doublet chemotherapy in GHS/QOL and functioning and reduction in symptom burden. WOS:000875663600001 Q1

In 2018, cemiplimab-rwlc became the first systemic treatment approved by the US FDA for patients with metastatic cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC) or locally advanced CSCC who are not candidates for curative surgery or curative radiation. In 2019, conditional approvals were granted by Health Canada and the European Commission for the same indications. Limited data exist pertaining to the clinical characteristics, disease progression and survivorship of patients with advanced CSCC in real-world clinical practice. CemiplimAb-rwlc Survivorship and Epidemiology (CASE) is a prospective Phase IV, noninterventional, survivorship and epidemiology study that will enroll patients with advanced CSCC who have recently initiated or who plan to receive cemiplimab in a real-world setting. Trial registration number: NCT03836105.

TPS277 Background: There is a need to develop novel immunotherapeutic approaches to enhance responses to immune checkpoint blockade. REGN7075 is a human costimulatory bispecific antibody designed to bridge epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-expressing tumor cells with CD28-positive T cells to support further T-cell activation by endogenous tumor antigens. Methods: This is an open-label, Phase 1/2, first-in-human study evaluating the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, and preliminary anti-tumor activity of REGN7075 (EGFRxCD28) alone and in combination with cemiplimab (anti-programmed cell death [PD]-1) in patients with advanced solid tumors (NCT04626635). This study includes a dose-escalation (Bayesian optimal interval design; Part 1) and a dose-expansion phase (Part 2). Patients must have a protocol-defined advanced solid tumor, have an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 0 or 1, and be naive to anti–PD-1/anti–PD-ligand(L)1 therapy in the dose-expansion phase. In Part 1, heavily pre-treated patients with advanced solid tumors receive a lead-in of REGN7075 monotherapy every week for 3 weeks followed by combination therapy with cemiplimab 350 mg every 3 weeks. Planned dose levels (DLs) of REGN7075 are 0.03, 0.1, 0.3, 1, 3, 10, 30, 100, 300, and 900mg. Once the recommended Phase 2 dose is determined in Part 1, five tumor-specific expansion cohorts will be opened in Part 2: colorectal cancer (microsatellite stable [MSS-CRC]), non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC, PD-L1 ≥50%), triple-negative breast cancer, cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma, and head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (PD-L1 combined positive score ≥1). Patients with MSS-CRC with RAS or BRAF wild type mutations must have received anti-EGFR therapy or anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF therapy). Primary endpoints are safety and tolerability of REGN7075 alone or in combination with cemiplimab for Part 1, and objective response rate per Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors version 1.1 for Part 2. For Part 2, a secondary objective is to assess the effect of REGN7075 on patient-reported outcomes as measured by several validated instruments including the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30), and EORTC QLQ-CR29 (CRC patients only). Approximately 400 patients will be enrolled in this phase 1/2 study, including ~80 patients in Part 1 and ~320 patients in Part 2 (including ~70 in the CRC cohort). As of September 13, 2022, 30 patients were treated in the dose-escalation phase, up to the 300 mg DL for REGN7075 in combination with cemiplimab. This study is ongoing and currently open to enrollment. Clinical trial information: NCT04626635 .

CD19-directed chimeric antigen receptor T cells (CAR T) are approved for treatment of adults with relapsed/refractory diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) following at least two lines of therapy.This study describes real-world treatment patterns after CAR T in adults with DLBCL. It includes adults diagnosed with DLBCL in IBM MarketScan Commercial and Medicare Supplemental healthcare claims databases administered CAR T between 2017 and 2019 (index event) and at least 6 months of continuous health plan enrollment pre-index. Kaplan-Meier methods were used to estimate risk and time to first subsequent treatment after CAR T, as a proxy for CAR T failure.Among 129 patients meeting study criteria, most (123; 95.4%) were hospitalized during CAR T therapy. Median length of stay was 17 (25th-75th percentile, 13-22) days. Estimated 6-month risk of subsequent treatment was 36.2% (95% confidence interval [CI] 27.1-45.8%). During median follow-up of 195 (25th-75th percentile, 102-362) days, median time to the first line of therapy after CAR T, accounting for censoring, was 378 days (95% CI 226, not reached). Among 48 patients who received another therapy after CAR T, 58.3% received immunotherapy, 50.0% radiation therapy, 25.0% chemotherapy, 25.0% targeted therapy, and 12.5% hematopoietic stem cell transplant.Among real-world patients with DLBCL treated with CAR T, the risk of not achieving a durable response is considerable; additional, effective options for DLBCL salvage treatment are needed.

Until recently, patients discontinuing first-line (1L) hedgehog inhibitors (HHIs) for basal cell carcinoma (BCC) had few subsequent treatment options. The objective of this study was to describe the treatment journey and prognosis of patients discontinuing 1L HHI for BCC.This was a retrospective cohort study of patients with BCC who discontinued 1L HHI treatment in The US Oncology Network between 1 January 2012 and 1 January 2019 (with follow-up until 1 May 2020). Two cohorts were identified: patients who initiated a second-line (2L) treatment (2L initiators), and patients with 1L progression or toxicity without pathology-confirmed complete response who did not initiate 2L treatment (2L non-initiators). Patient demographics, treatment characteristics, and outcomes are reported for each cohort.Among 115 patients with BCC who received 1L HHI treatment, 63.5% (n = 73/115) discontinued 1L HHIs. Of those, 50.7% (n = 37/73) discontinued because of documented toxicity or progression, without evidence of a complete response. We identified 4 patients who initiated 2L systemic treatment (median age 68.7 years, 100.0% female) and 15 patients who were eligible for the 2L non-initiator cohort (median age 80.2 years, 20.0% female). Median 1L HHI duration was 6.8 months (range 1.9-20.6 months) for the 2L non-initiator cohort and 8.6 months (range 6.8-42.2 months) for 2L initiators. At the end of follow-up, among 2L non-initiators (median follow-up duration 9.7 months), 40.0% were lost to follow-up, 33.3% had died, 20.0% continued observation, and 6.7% transitioned to an academic medical center or hospital; among 2L initiators (median follow-up duration 6.3 months), 50.0% were lost to follow-up, 25.0% had died, and 25.0% continued observation.Following 1L HHI discontinuation, lack of standardized care and suboptimal outcomes were observed, including limited receipt of 2L treatment. Further studies are necessary to evaluate the impact of newer BCC treatment options.

Objective.We evaluated the effect of sarilumab on patient-perceived impact of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) using the 7-domain RA Impact of Disease (RAID) scale.Methods.Two phase III, randomized, controlled trials of sarilumab in patients with active, longstanding RA were analyzed: (1) sarilumab 150 mg and 200 mg every 2 weeks plus conventional synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (+csDMARD) versus placebo + csDMARD [TARGET (NCT01709578)]; and (2) sarilumab 200 mg versus adalimumab (ADA) 40 mg monotherapy [MONARCH (NCT02332590)]. Least-squares mean (LSM) differences in RAID total score (range 0–10) and 7 key RA symptoms, including pain and fatigue (baseline to Weeks 12 and 24), were compared. “Responders” by RAID total score were defined by improvements from baseline ≥ minimal clinically important difference (MCID), and ≥ patient-acceptable symptom-state (PASS) at endpoint.Results.Sarilumab 150 mg and 200 mg + csDMARD were nominally superior (p < 0.05) versus placebo + csDMARD and 200 mg sarilumab versus ADA 40 mg in LSM differences for RAID total score at weeks 12 (−0.93 and −1.13; −0.49, respectively) and 24 (−0.75 and −1.01; −0.78), and all effects of RA (except functional impairment in MONARCH Week 12). Effects were greater in physical domains (e.g., pain) than mental domains (e.g., emotional well-being). More patients receiving sarilumab versus placebo or ADA reported improvements ≥ MCID and PASS in total RAID scores at both assessments.Conclusion.Based on the RAID, sarilumab + csDMARD or as monotherapy reduced the effect of RA on patients’ lives to a greater extent than placebo + csDMARD or ADA monotherapy. (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01709578 and NCT02332590)

BackgroundTo provide pooled longer term data from three groups of a phase 2 study of cemiplimab in patients with advanced cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC), and to determine duration of response (DOR) and impact on quality of life (QoL).MethodsPatients received cemiplimab 3 mg/kg every 2 weeks (group 1, metastatic CSCC [mCSCC], n=59; group 2, locally advanced CSCC, n=78) or cemiplimab 350 mg every 3 weeks (group 3, mCSCC, n=56). Primary endpoint was objective response rate (ORR) per independent central review (ICR). QoL was repeatedly measured at day 1 of each treatment cycle (groups 1 and 2: 8 weeks; group 3: 9 weeks).ResultsMedian duration of follow-up was 15.7 months. Overall, ORR per ICR was 46.1% (95% CI: 38.9% to 53.4%). Complete response (CR) rates were 20.3%, 12.8%, and 16.1% for groups 1, 2, and 3, respectively. Median time to CR was 11.2 months. Among patients with partial response or CR, the estimated proportion of patients with ongoing response at 12 months from the first objective response was 87.8% (95% CI: 78.5% to 93.3%), with median DOR not reached. Kaplan-Meier estimated probability of overall survival (OS) was 73.3% (95% CI: 66.1% to 79.2%) at 24 months, with median OS not reached. Global Health Status (GHS)/QoL improvements were observed as early as cycle 2 and were significantly improved and durable until last assessment. Kaplan-Meier estimate of median time to first clinically meaningful improvement for pain was 2.1 (95% CI: 2.0 to 3.7) months and was significantly improved in responders versus non-responders (pConclusionsThis is the largest (n=193) clinical dataset for a programmed cell death-1 inhibitor against advanced CSCC, confirming the sustained substantial clinical activity of cemiplimab in these patients, including new findings of improved CR rates over time, increasing DOR, and durable pain control and GHS/QoL improvement.Trial registration numberClinicalTrials.gov Registry (NCT02760498), https://clinicaltrialsgov/ct2/show/NCT02760498.

Aim: To estimate the comparative efficacy of cemiplimab, a programmed cell death protein 1 inhibitor, versus EGFR inhibitors, pembrolizumab and platinum-based chemotherapy in terms of overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival. Patients & methods: We performed an indirect treatment comparison of cemiplimab and other available systemic therapies for patients with advanced cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma. Results: Cemiplimab was associated with benefits in OS (hazard ratios range: 0.07–0.52) and progression-free survival (hazard ratios range: 0.30–0.67) versus EGFR inhibitors and pembrolizumab (data from KEYNOTE-629). Cemiplimab was more efficacious versus platinum-based chemotherapy in terms of OS. Conclusion: Cemiplimab may offer improvements in survival for advanced cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma patients compared with existing systemic therapies.

Cheryl P Ferrufino,1 Julie Munakata,1 Wenhui Wei,2 Clare Proudfoot,3 Andreas Kuznik,4 Susan H Boklage,4 Chieh-I Chen4 1IQVIA, Fairfax, VA, USA; 2Sanofi, Bridgewater, NJ, USA; 3Sanofi, Guildford, UK; 4Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Tarrytown, NY,USA Objective: To estimate the 5-year budget impact (BI) on a US health plan of introducing sarilumab – a human immunoglobulin G1 anti-IL-6 receptor α monoclonal antibody – as combination treatment with conventional synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (csDMARDs) or monotherapy in patients with moderate-to-severe rheumatoid arthritis (RA).Methods: BI analysis was conducted from a commercial payer perspective. Treatment-eligible populations included adult patients with moderate-to-severe RA and inadequate response (IR) to csDMARDs or tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α inhibitors-IR. All licensed biologic treatments recommended by the American College of Rheumatology guidelines were included.Results: For a hypothetical plan of one million members, 409 csDMARD-IR and 345 TNF-IR patients were annually eligible for combination therapy and 226 csDMARD and TNF-IR patients for monotherapy with sarilumab. Based on 2018 US direct treatment costs, the introduction of sarilumab was estimated to save $526,424, $322,637 and $264,306 over 5 years for csDMARD-IR combination therapy patients, TNF-IR combination therapy patients, and csDMARD-IR/TNF-IR monotherapy patients, respectively. As sarilumab absorbed a greater market share over the horizon, annual savings increased from years 1 to 5, $28,610 (–0.14%) to $194,646 (–0.83%) in csDMARD-IR, $16,986 (–0.11%) to $120,893 (–0.67%) in TNF-IR, and $14,256 (–0.13%) to $98,040 (–0.79%) in monotherapy. One-way sensitivity analyses revealed that the model was most sensitive to variations in sarilumab adherence.Conclusion: Total cost savings of introducing sarilumab to a health-care plan accrued from years 1 to 5, attributable to the lower treatment cost, stable dosing paradigm, and price parity for the two available doses (150 and 200 mg every 2 weeks) compared with alternative biologic DMARDs that have substantial variability in dose titration/schedules. Keywords: treatment costs, disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug, IL-6 inhibitorCorrigendumfor this paper has been published

Background: For patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and high (⩾50%) programmed cell death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression, effective first-line immune-oncology monotherapies with significant survival benefits are approved, cemiplimab being the most recent. In a phase III trial, cemiplimab demonstrated significantly improved overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) versus chemotherapy in patients with advanced NSCLC and PD-L1 ⩾50%. A systematic literature review and network meta-analysis (NMA) was conducted to identify/compare the efficacy/safety of cemiplimab versus pembrolizumab or other immune-oncology monotherapies from randomized-controlled trials (RCTs) published from January 2010 to November 2020. Methods: Relevant RCTs were identified by searching databases and conference proceedings as per ISPOR, NICE, and Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. NMA with time-varying hazard ratios (HRs) was performed for OS and PFS. Analyses were conducted for objective response rate (ORR) and safety/tolerability. Fixed-effect models were used due to limited evidence. Various sensitivity analyses were conducted to validate the base case analyses. Results: The feasibility assessment determined that EMPOWER-Lung 1, KEYNOTE-024, and KEYNOTE-042 trials were eligible. IMpower110 was excluded because an incompatible PD-L1 assay (SP142) was used for patient selection. For first-line advanced NSCLC with PD-L1 ⩾50%, cemiplimab was associated with statistically significant improvements in PFS [HR (95% credible interval [CrI]): 0.65 (0.50–0.86), 1–12 months] and ORR [odds ratio (OR) (95% CrI): 1.64 (1.04–2.62)], and comparable OS [HR (95% CrI): 0.77 (0.54–1.10), 1–12 months] versus pembrolizumab. There was no evidence of differences between cemiplimab and pembrolizumab for Grade 3–5 adverse events (AEs) [OR (95% CrI): 1.47 (0.83–2.60)], immune-mediated AEs [1.75 (0.33–7.49)], and all-cause discontinuation due to AEs [1.21 (0.58–2.61)]. Conclusions: Considering the limitations of indirect treatment comparisons, in patients with advanced NSCLC and PD-L1 ⩾50%, cemiplimab monotherapy demonstrated significant improvements in PFS and ORR, comparable OS, and no evidence of differences in safety/tolerability versus pembrolizumab.

Introduction After a patient with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) fails tumor necrosis factor inhibitor (TNFi) treatment, clinical guidelines support either cycling to another TNFi or switching to a different mechanism of action (MOA), but payers often require TNFi cycling before they reimburse switching MOA. This study examined treatment persistence, cost, and cost per persistent patient among MOA switchers versus TNFi cyclers. Methods This study of Commercial and Medicare Advantage claims data from the Optum Research Database included patients with RA and at least one claim for a TNFi (adalimumab, certolizumab pegol, etanercept, golimumab, or infliximab) between January 2012 and September 2015 who changed to another TNFi or a different MOA therapy (abatacept, tocilizumab, or tofacitinib) within 1 year. The index date was the date of the change in therapy. Treatment persistence was defined as no subsequent switch or 60-day gap in therapy for 1 year post-index. RA-related costs included plan-paid and patient-paid amounts for inpatient, outpatient, and pharmacy claims. Medication costs included index and post-index costs of TNFi and different MOA therapies. Results There were 581 (38.3%) MOA switchers and 935 (61.7%) TNFi cyclers. The treatment persistence rate was significantly higher for MOA switchers versus TNFi cyclers (47.7% versus 40.2%, P = 0.004). Mean 1-year healthcare costs were significantly lower among MOA switchers versus TNFi cyclers for total RA-related costs ($37,804 versus $42,116; P

The high performance of the perovskite solar cells (PSCs) cannot be achieved without a layer of efficient hole-transporting materials (HTMs) to retard the charge recombination and transport the photogenerated hole to the counterelectrode. Herein, we report the use of boryl oxasmaragdyrins (SM01, SM09, and SM13), a family of aromatic core-modified expanded porphyrins, as efficient hole-transporting materials (HTMs) for perovskite solar cells (PSCs). These oxasmaragdyrins demonstrated complementary absorption spectra in the low-energy region, good redox reversibility, good thermal stability, suitable energy levels with CH3NH3PbI3 perovskite, and high hole mobility. A remarkable power conversion efficiency of 16.5% (Voc = 1.09 V, Jsc = 20.9 mA cm–2, fill factor (FF) = 72%) is achieved using SM09 on the optimized PSCs device employing a planar structure, which is close to that of the state-of-the-art hole-transporting materials (HTMs), spiro-OMeTAD of 18.2% (Voc = 1.07 V, Jsc = 22.9 mA cm–2, FF = 74%). In con...

Despite a substantial number of treatment options in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) following tumor necrosis factor inhibitor (TNFi) inadequate response or intolerance (TNF-IR), a lack of clarity on the optimal approach remains. Sarilumab, a human monoclonal anti-interleukin-6 receptor alpha antibody, can be used as monotherapy or in combination with methotrexate or other conventional synthetic disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) in TNF-IR patients.To conduct a cost-utility analysis from a U.S. health care system perspective for sarilumab subcutaneous 200 mg + methotrexate versus abatacept + methotrexate or a bundle of TNFi + methotrexate for treatment of adult patients with moderately to severely active RA and TNF-IR.Analysis was conducted via individual patient simulation based on patient profiles from the TARGET trial (NCT01709578); a 6-month decision tree was followed by lifetime semi-Markov model with 6-month cycles. Treatment response at 6 months, informed by network meta-analysis, was based on American College of Rheumatology (ACR) 20/50/70 criteria; patients achieving ≥ ACR20 continued with current therapy, and other patients moved to the next line of biologic DMARD therapy or conventional synthetic DMARD palliative treatment. Direct costs included wholesale acquisition drug costs and administration and routine care costs. Routine care costs and quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) were estimated by predicting the Health Assessment Questionnaire Disability Index score based on treatment response and were imputed from published equations.Sarilumab + methotrexate dominated the TNFi bundle + methotrexate, achieving lower costs ($319,324 vs. $356,096) and greater effectiveness (4.27 vs. 4.15 QALYs), and was on the cost-efficiency frontier with abatacept + methotrexate ($360,211 and 4.29 QALYs). Abatacept + methotrexate was not cost-effective versus sarilumab + methotrexate. Scenario analyses indicated the results were robust; sarilumab + methotrexate became dominant against abatacept + methotrexate after reduced model horizon, minimum response based on ACR50 or ACR70, or time to discontinuation per treatment class. Sarilumab + methotrexate was also dominant versus the TNFi bundle; when class-specific time to treatment discontinuation was specified, sarilumab remained cost-effective with an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of $36,894.Sarilumab + methotrexate can be considered an economically dominant (more effective, less costly) option versus a second TNFi + methotrexate; compared with abatacept + methotrexate, it is a less costly but less effective option for patients with moderately to severely active RA who have previously failed TNFi.This study was funded by Sanofi and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals. Kiss and Gal are employees of Evidera, which received consulting fees from Sanofi/Regeneron for conducting this study. Muszbek was employed by Evidera at the time of this study. Kuznik and Chen are current employees of and stockholders in Regeneron Pharmaceuticals. Fournier is an employee of and stockholder in Sanofi. Proudfoot is a former employee of and current stockholder in Sanofi and current employee and stockholder in ViiV Healthcare/GlaxoSmithKline. Michaud has received grant funding from Pfizer and the Rheumatology Research Foundation. The sponsors were involved in the study design, collection, analysis, and interpretation of data as well as data checking of information provided in the manuscript. The authors had unrestricted access to study data, were responsible for all content and editorial decisions, and received no honoraria related to the development of this publication.

Background Heterogeneity in assessments of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) disease remission, based on physician judgment and patient self-reports versus standardized measures, have previously been reported. This study explored the prevalence and types of discordance between physician perception versus objective data of RA disease activity in real-world clinical practice in the US. Methods Data were from the Adelphi RA Disease Specific Programme (DSP; January to March 2014), a cross-sectional survey of US rheumatologists and their patients. RA remission based on physician judgment versus Disease Activity Score in 28 joints (3)-erythrocyte sedimentation rate (DAS28(3)-ESR) and Clinical Disease Activity Index (CDAI) scores were compared using descriptive analyses; patient and physician factors associated with discordance were identified using bivariate and multivariate analyses. Results Of 101 rheumatologists participating (completing patient-record forms for 843 patients), 56.4% based assessment of remission on clinical judgment alone. Of 531 patients eligible for the discordance analysis, 49.7% were in remission based on rheumatologists’ evaluation, and 30.7% were eligible based on DAS28(3)-ESR. Compared with DAS28(3)-ESR criteria, 25.8% of patients’ disease remission was negatively discordant (overestimated remission) based on clinical perception. These patients were mostly administered biologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs and were without a treat-to-target strategy followed by their rheumatologist (P

e18742 Background: HHIs are the only approved 1L systemic Tx for aBCC. Many pts develop resistance or are intolerant to HHIs and may require second-line (2L) Tx. Little is known about patient outcomes following HHI discontinuation. In this study, we describe characteristics and outcomes among pts with aBCC who discontinued 1L HHIs due to progression or toxicity. Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, we identified adult pts diagnosed with aBCC who discontinued 1L HHI monotherapy between January 2012 and November 2019 in The US Oncology Network (Network), a community-based network of > 450 oncology clinics. Pts with ≥2 Network visits and no Tx for other primary malignancy 3 years prior to index date were included. Structured and unstructured data in the electronic health records were used to extract information on pt characteristics and outcomes. Pts were grouped based on initiation of 2L systemic Tx post-HHI discontinuation into 2L initiators and 2L non-initiators. 2L non-initiators were followed for ≥90 days post-HHIs discontinuation, and those undergoing surgery or radiation during this period (i.e. potential neoadjuvant HHI use) were excluded. Index date was date of 2L Tx initiation for 2L initiators and 90 days post 1L HHI discontinuation for 2L non-initiators. Pts were followed from index date until death, Tx initiation for another primary cancer, loss to follow-up, or end of study (February 1, 2020), whichever occurred first. Pt disposition and outcomes were described separately for each group. Results: We identified 73 aBCC pts who discontinued 1L HHI monotherapy during the specified period. Of those, 19 (26%) pts (4 [21%] 2L initiators and 15 [79%] 2L non-initiators) were included in the study: 12 (63%) were male and 3 (21%) were metastatic at diagnosis, with a mean age of 73 years. Median (range) follow-up time from index date was 10 (3‒42) months for 2L non-initiators and 6 (1‒61) months for 2L initiators. Fourteen (74%) pts discontinued HHI due to toxicity (all 2L non-initiators) and 5 (26%) due to progression (4 2L initiators and 1 2L non-initiator). Median time to discontinuation of 1L HHI was 7 (2‒9) months in 2L non-initiators and 9 (7‒42) months in 2L initiators. 2L initiators received subsequent Tx 2‒130 days following discontinuation of 1L HHI. Time to discontinuation of 2L Tx ranged 4–11 months. Six deaths (32%) were observed during study period (5 2L non-initiators and 1 2L initiator). Conclusions: The short duration of 1L HHI Tx in our small cohort of aBCC pts who did not respond to and/or tolerate HHI is consistent with previous findings. During the study period, limited therapeutic options existed post-HHI, highlighting the unmet need for more effective Tx strategies in a 2L aBCC setting.

e18740 Background: HHIs are the only approved 1L systemic Tx for aBCC and Tx options following HHI Tx failure are limited. The objective of this study was to assess frequency, characteristics, and subsequent Tx patterns of pts with aBCC discontinuing 1L HHIs due to toxicity or disease progression. Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study using electronic health records of pts treated in The US Oncology Network (Network), a community-based network of > 450 oncology clinics. We identified adults (18+ years) with aBCC, not treated for another primary malignancy in the past 3 years, with ≥2 Network visits who discontinued 1L HHI monotherapy between January 2012 and November 2019 due to documented toxicity or progression without evidence of complete response (CR) who subsequently initiated second-line (2L) systemic Tx (2L initiators) or not (2L non-initiators). To exclude pts potentially using neoadjuvant HHIs, we required 2L non-initiators to be followed for ≥90 days after HHI discontinuation and excluded pts who underwent surgery or radiation during this period. Index date was Tx initiation for 2L initiators and 90 days after HHI discontinuation for 2L non-initiators. We describe cohort attrition and characteristics of 2L initiators and 2L non-initiators as well as Txs initiated among 2L initiators. Results: We identified 138 aBCC pts treated with HHIs regardless of line of therapy with fully accessible charts: 115/138 (83.3%) received HHIs as 1L systemic therapy for aBCC; 73/115 (63.5%) discontinued 1L HHIs; 37/73 (50.7%) discontinued due to documented toxicity or progression without evidence of CR. 4/37 pts (10.8%) initiated 2L systemic Tx (1 carboplatin & paclitaxel; 1 cemiplimab; 1 nivolumab; 1 pembrolizumab) within a median of 75 days (range: 2‒130) from HHI discontinuation. 2L initiators were 68.7 years of median age (range: 48.4‒71.1); 100% female; 75% White; 75% immunocompetent; 100% treated with 1L vismodegib for a median of 8.6 months (range: 6.8‒42.2); 100% discontinued 1L HHIs due to documented disease progression. We identified 15 2L non-initiators; median age 80.2 years (range: 49.6‒90+); 20% female; 100% White; 86.7% immunocompetent; 100% treated with 1L vismodegib for a median of 6.8 months (range: 1.9‒20.6); 93.3% discontinued 1L HHIs due to documented toxicity and 6.7% due to progression. Conclusions: In this small cohort of aBCC pts discontinuing 1L HHIs, ̃50% discontinued due to toxicity or disease progression. There was no clear standard of care among pts who experienced HHI Tx failure, with only a minority initiating subsequent 2L Tx. Effective Tx strategies for pts who do not respond to or cannot tolerate HHIs are needed.

9566 Background: Cemiplimab-rwlc is the first immunotherapy to receive approval in the US, fully for pts with laBCC and accelerated for metastatic BCC, post hedgehog inhibitors or for whom hedgehog inhibitors are not appropriate. Cemiplimab resulted in clinically meaningful anti-tumor activity in pts with laBCC who progressed on or were intolerant to hedgehog inhibitor therapy (NCT03132636). This analysis evaluated HRQoL in these pts. Methods: Adults with laBCC and ECOG performance status ≤1 (n=84) received IV cemiplimab 350 mg Q3W for up to 9 treatment cycles. At baseline (BL) and day 1 of each cycle (C), pts completed EORTC QLQ-C30 and SKINDEX-16 questionnaires that assess Global Health Status (GHS)/QoL, functioning, and BCC-related symptoms. Mixed-effects repeated measures (MMRM) models were used to estimate least squares (LS) mean (standard error [SE]) change from BL during treatment (i.e., across C2 to C9); changes ≥|10| points were considered clinically meaningful. Responder analyses were conducted in pts with non-missing data from BL to determine the proportions with clinically meaningful improvement or deterioration, or stability on QLQ-C30 and SKINDEX-16 at C2 and C9; a 10-point threshold was considered meaningful for both instruments. Results: BL scores showed moderate to high levels of functioning and low symptom burden. In MMRM models, overall changes from BL on QLQ-C30 indicated stability for GHS/QoL and all scales except for clinically meaningful worsening of fatigue (LS mean [SE] change 12.5 [3.9]; P

9078 Background: Cemiplimab, a PD-1 inhibitor, improved survival and progression-free survival vs platinum doublet chemotherapy (chemo) in patients (pts) with advanced NSCLC and PD-ligand(L)1 expression ≥50% in the EMPOWER-Lung 1 Phase 3 study (NCT03088540). Since pts with advanced NSCLC have a high symptom burden that adversely impacts QoL and functioning, these outcomes were evaluated as secondary endpoints in the clinical trial. Methods: Pts with advanced NSCLC with PD-L1 expression ≥50% and ECOG performance status ≤1 were randomized to IV cemiplimab 350 mg Q3W (n=356) or platinum doublet chemo (n=354). At baseline (BL) and day 1 of each treatment cycle (C) to C15, pts were administered the EORTC core questionnaire (QLQ-C30) and its lung cancer specific module (QLQ-LC13) to assess symptoms, functioning, and Global Health Status (GHS)/QoL. In the intent-to-treat population, mixed-effects repeated measures models were used to estimate least squares (LS) mean change from BL on all scales. Kaplan–Meier analysis estimated time to definitive deterioration, defined as worsening ≥10 points from BL observed at all subsequent time points or patient withdrawal after worsening; hazard ratios (HR) with 95% CIs estimated the likelihood of definitive deterioration. Results: BL scores showed moderate to high levels of functioning and low symptom burden. Cemiplimab-treated pts had lower likelihood of definitive deterioration vs chemo on key symptoms of dyspnea, cough, pain in chest, pain in other body parts, fatigue, nausea/vomiting, appetite loss, constipation, and diarrhea vs chemo (all P

To examine treatment patterns, treatment effectiveness, and treatment costs for 1 year after patients with rheumatoid arthritis switched from a tumor necrosis factor inhibitor (TNFi) (adalimumab, certolizumab pegol, etanercept, golimumab, or infliximab), either cycling to another TNFi ("TNFi cyclers") or switching to a new mechanism of action (abatacept, tocilizumab, or tofacitinib) ("new MOA switchers").This retrospective cohort study used administrative claims data for a national insurer. Treatment persistence (without switching again, restarting, or discontinuing), treatment effectiveness (defined below), and costs were assessed for the 12-month post-switch period. Patients were "effectively treated" if they satisfied all six criteria for a treatment effectiveness algorithm (high adherence, no dose increase, no new conventional synthetic disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug, no subsequent switch in therapy, no new/increased oral glucocorticoids, and2 glucocorticoid injections). Multivariable logistic models were used to adjust for baseline factors.The database included 581 new MOA switchers and 935 TNFi cyclers. New MOA switchers were 39% more likely than TNFi cyclers to persist after the switch (odds ratio [OR] = 1.39; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.12-1.74; p = .003) and 36% less likely to switch therapy again (OR = 0.64; 95% CI = 0.51-0.81; p .001). New MOA switchers were 43% more likely than TNFi cyclers to be effectively treated (OR = 1.43; 95% CI = 1.11-1.85; p = .006). New MOA switchers had 16% lower drug costs than TNFi cyclers (cost ratio = 0.84; 95% CI = 0.79-0.88; p .001) and 11% lower total costs of rheumatoid arthritis-related medical care (cost ratio = 0.89; 95% CI = 0.84-0.94; p .001).Claims payments may not reflect rebates or other cost offsets. Medical and pharmacy claims do not include clinical end-points or reasons that lead to new MOA switching vs TNFi cycling.These results support switching to a new MOA after a patient fails treatment with a TNFi, which is consistent with recent guidelines for the pharmacologic management of established rheumatoid arthritis.

Objectives After treatment failure with a tumor necrosis factor inhibitor (TNFi), patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) can switch to another TNFi (TNFi cyclers) or to a targeted disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD) with a non-TNFi mechanism of action (non-TNFi switchers). This study compared treatment patterns and treatment effectiveness between TNFi cyclers and non-TNFi switchers in patients with RA. Methods The analysis included a cohort of patients from the Truven Health Analytics MarketScan Commercial database with RA who switched from a TNFi (adalimumab, certolizumab pegol, etanercept, golimumab, or infliximab) either to another TNFi or to a non-TNFi targeted DMARD (abatacept, tocilizumab, or tofacitinib) between January 1, 2010 and September 30, 2014. A claims-based algorithm was used to estimate treatment effectiveness based on six criteria (adherence, no dose increase, no new conventional therapy, no switch to another targeted DMARD, no new/increased oral glucocorticoid, and intra-articular injections on

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e19397 Background: Cemiplimab is a high-affinity, human, hinge-stabilized, monoclonal antibody that potently blocks the interactions of programmed cell death-1 (PD-1) with programmed cell death ligand-1 (PD-L1) and PD-L2. In September 2018, cemiplimab-rwlc became the first systemic therapy approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of patients with advanced CSCC ineligible for curative surgery or radiotherapy. In a single-arm Phase II study (NCT02760498), cemiplimab demonstrated substantial antitumor activity, durable responses, and acceptable safety profile in patients with advanced CSCC. The aim of this analysis was to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of cemiplimab in patients with advanced CSCC from a US payer perspective. Methods: A partitioned survival model was developed to assess the cost-effectiveness of cemiplimab versus historical standard of care (SOC). All inputs were identified based on a systematic literature review (SLR), which was supplemented by expert opinion where necessary. The clinical inputs for cemiplimab were based on the individual patient data from the cemiplimab Phase II trial, whereas for SOC, the analysis was based on a pooled analysis of single-arm clinical trials and retrospective studies evaluating chemotherapy and epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitors (cetuximab, erlotinib, and gefitinib) identified via the SLR (6 of the 27 included studies). Overall survival and progression-free survival were extrapolated over a lifetime horizon using parametric functions consistent with guidance from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence Decision Support Unit. Costs were included for drug acquisition, drug administration, management of adverse events, subsequent therapy, disease management, and terminal care. Unit costs were based on published 2019 US list prices. Results: In the base case, cemiplimab versus SOC resulted in an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of $99,024 per quality adjusted-life year (QALY), where incremental costs and QALYs were $372,425 and 3.76, respectively. At a willingness-to-pay threshold of USD $150,000 per QALY, the probabilistic sensitivity analysis suggests a 91% probability that cemiplimab is cost-effective when compared to SOC. Scenario analyses resulted in ICERs ranging from $90,326 to $147,944. Conclusions: Compared with historical SOC, cemiplimab is a cost-effective use of US payer resources for the treatment of advanced CSCC and is expected to provide value for money.

e19351 Background: CAR T, approved in the US as of October 2017, impacted the treatment landscape for patients with relapsed or refractory (R/R) DLBCL after ≥2 lines of therapy, but there is little known about real-world (RW) treatment patterns in patients who fail or do not respond to CAR T. No treatments of proven benefits are available after CAR T treatment failure. The objective of this study was to describe RW treatment patterns after CAR T. Methods: From MarketScan Commercial/Medicare claims databases (2017‒2018) we identified adult DLBCL patients who received approved CD19-directed CAR T (treatment date = index date). Eligible patients had ≥6 months continuous health plan enrollment prior to index date (i.e. baseline period) and were followed until plan disenrollment or December 31, 2018. Patients with a diagnosis of acute lymphoblastic leukemia over the baseline period were excluded. We identified the first and second treatments after CAR T with systemic chemotherapy, targeted therapy, immunotherapy, hematopoietic stem cell transplant (SCT), radiation therapy (RT), or a second round of CAR T therapy. Kaplan–Meier estimators were used to estimate risk of subsequent treatment and time to next treatment. Results: We identified 56 patients with DLBCL treated with CAR T (mean age [SD]: 57.3 years [9.9]; 23.2% female; 80.4% commercially insured). All patients received CAR T in the inpatient setting, median (Q1‒Q3) length of stay was 15 days (12‒19). Out of 56 patients, 19 initiated a treatment following CAR T; risk of subsequent treatment at 6 months post index was 45.6% (95% CI: 25.4‒60.4%) and median days from CAR T to next treatment was 233 days (95% CI: 139‒NA). Out of 19 patients, 3 initiated a second treatment following CAR T, within 8‒69 days of the first treatment. Over a median (Q1‒Q3) follow-up of 139.5 days (90.5‒194) following CAR T, of the 19 patients treated after CAR T, 57.9% were treated with immunotherapy, 36.8% with RT, 26.3% with targeted therapy, 21.1% with SCT, 15.8% with chemotherapy, and 0% with a second round of CAR T. Conclusions: There are few multicenter studies reporting RW treatment patterns in patients who received CAR T. In this study, risk of subsequent treatment at 6 months following CAR T in a RW setting was almost 50%. Although limited by duration of follow-up, our results suggest that additional, effective salvage treatment strategies are needed for patients who do not respond to CAR T or do not achieve a durable response to CAR T. Updated results using 2019 data will be presented.

10033 Background: Cemiplimab-rwlc (cemiplimab), a PD-1 Inhibitor, showed a robust clinical response in patients (pts) with metastatic (mCSCC) or locally advanced (laCSCC) CSCC not eligible for curative surgery/radiation. This post hoc exploratory analysis examined data from the EORTC cancer specific 30-item HRQL questionnaire (QLQ-C30) for pts participating in a cemiplimab phase 2 clinical trial (clinicaltrials.gov NCT02760498). Methods: Adults (N = 193) with invasive CSCC, ≥1 lesion and ECOG performance status ≤1 received IV cemiplimab 3mg/kg q2w (mCSCC n = 59; laCSCC n = 78) or 350mg q3w (mCSCC n = 56). At baseline (BL) and day 1 of each treatment cycle, pts were administered the QLQ-C30. Mixed effects repeated measures (MMRM) models were used to estimate mean change from BL to cycle 5 (C5) for domains/items of the QLQ-C30. For pts with data from BL to C5, the proportion who reported clinically meaningful improvement or worsening (≥10 points) or maintenance (those who did not have ≥10 point change) on each domain was determined for combined and individual treatment groups. Results: BL scores indicated moderate to high levels of functioning and low symptom burden. From BL to C5, a clinically meaningful improvement in pain score was observed (least squares [LS] mean [standard error] change -12.1 [2.1]; P< .0001); other domains/items remained stable or showed a trend towards improvement (LS mean changes < 10 points). By C5, the majority of pts experienced clinically meaningful improvement or remained stable across key domains (Table). Similar findings were observed on individual symptoms (85%-94% for dyspnea, nausea/vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, appetite loss) and in each treatment group. Conclusions: Cemiplimab-treated patients achieved a clinically meaningful reduction in pain and most pts either improved or maintained their HRQL, function with low symptom burden. Clinical trial information: NCT02760498. [Table: see text]

Table S1. Patient demographics and clinical characteristics by inclusion in analysis. (DOCX 16 kb)

We have developed a digital and multiplexed platform for the rapid detection and telemonitoring of infections caused by Ebola and Marburg filoviruses. The system includes a flow cell assay cartridge that captures specific antibodies with microarrayed recombinant antigens from all six species of filovirus, and a smartphone fluorescent reader for high-performance interpretation of test results. Multiplexed viral proteins, which are expandable to include greater numbers of probes, were incorporated to obtain highest confidence results by cross-correlation, and a custom smartphone application was developed for data analysis, interpretation, and communication. The smartphone reader utilizes an opto-electro-mechanical hardware attachment that snaps at the back of a Motorola smartphone and provides a user interface to manage the operation, acquire test results, and communicate with cloud service. The application controls the hardware attachment to turn on LEDs and digitally record the optically enhanced images. Assay processing time is approximately 20 min for microliter amounts of blood, and test results are digitally processed and displayed within 15 s. Furthermore, a secure cloud service was developed for the telemonitoring of test results generated by the smartphone readers in the field. Assay system results were tested with sera from nonhuman primates that received a live attenuated EBOV vaccine. This integrated system will provide a rapid, reliable, and digital solution to prevent the rapid overwhelming of medical systems and resources during EVD or MVD outbreaks. Further, this disease-monitoring system will be useful in resource-limited countries where there is a need for dispersed laboratory analysis of recent or active infections.

Table S1. LSM changes in RAID individual domain scores from baseline to week 24 with sarilumab 200Â mg or adalimumab 40Â mg q2w. Table S2. LSM change from baseline to week 12 with sarilumab 200Â mg or adalimumab 40Â mg q2w. (DOCX 42 kb)

Background Patients with RA experience a variety of signs and symptoms and report significant physical and psychological impairment. The RA Impact of Disease (RAID) scale is a disease-specific measure of the impact of RA on patients9 lives. RAID was assessed in two Phase 3 randomized trials of sarilumab, a human monoclonal antibody directed against the IL-6 receptor-α (TARGET [NCT01709578]; MONARCH [NCT02332590]). Objectives To evaluate patient-perceived impact of sarilumab on RA using the RAID scale vs either placebo + conventional synthetic disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (csDMARDs) or adalimumab. Methods TARGET assessed sarilumab 150mg and 200mg added to csDMARDs vs placebo in patients with RA intolerant of or not responding to anti-TNF therapy. MONARCH assessed sarilumab 200mg monotherapy vs adalimumab 40mg monotherapy in patients with RA either intolerant of, inadequate responders to, or considered inappropriate candidates for continued treatment with methotrexate. Treatments were administered subcutaneously every 2 weeks. RAID has 7 single-item domains, each rated by patients on an 11-point numeric rating scale from 0 (absence) to 10 (extreme). A total score from 0 to 10 (with lower scores indicative of less impact of disease) is calculated by weighting responses for each item based on patient assessment of the relative importance of the item. RAID was assessed at baseline (BL), Weeks 12 and 24. Least square mean (LSM) changes from BL in total score (Weeks 12 and 24) and domains (Week 24 only) were analysed with a mixed model for repeated measures, including treatment, region, visit, and treatment-by-visit interaction (and prior csDMARD therapy in TARGET) as fixed effects and BL as a covariate. RAID was tested outside of trial hierarchy and statistical significance is not claimed; nominal p-values are provided. Post-hoc categorical change analyses were conducted to identify “responders” in the total score (improvements ≥ minimum clinically important difference from BL to Week 24 [absolute change of 3 or relative change of 50% in total score]). Patients discontinuing therapy/requiring rescue medication prior to endpoint were classified as non-responders. Results Sarilumab was superior (nominal p Conclusions Assessed using RAID, sarilumab either with csDMARDs or as monotherapy reduced the impact of RA on patients9 lives to a greater extent than placebo+csDMARDs or adalimumab monotherapy, with benefits shown on total RAID and all 7 individual domain scores. Acknowledgements This study was sponsored by Sanofi and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Disclosure of Interest L. Gossec Consultant for: Abbvie, Celgene, Janssen, Lilly, Novartis, MSD, Roche, and UCB, V. Strand Consultant for: AbbVie, Amgen, AstraZeneca, Biogen, BMS, Celltrion, CORRONA, Crescendo, Genentech/Roche, GSK, Janssen, Eli Lilly, Novartis, Pfizer, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Sandoz, Sanofi, and UCB, C. Proudfoot Shareholder of: Sanofi, Employee of: Sanofi, C. Chen Shareholder of: Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc, Employee of: Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc, S. Guillonneau Shareholder of: Sanofi, Employee of: Sanofi, T. Kimura Shareholder of: Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc, Employee of: Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc, H. van Hoogstraten Shareholder of: Sanofi, Employee of: Sanofi, E. Mangan Shareholder of: Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc, Employee of: Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc, M. Reaney Shareholder of: Sanofi, Employee of: Sanofi

Background The phase 3 MONARCH superiority study (NCT02332590) compared efficacy and safety of sarilumab (a human anti-IL-6Rα monoclonal antibody [mAb]) 200 mg administered subcutaneously every 2 weeks (q2w), with adalimumab (an anti-TNF-α mAb) 40 mg administered q2w, in patients with active rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who were either intolerant of, or inadequate responders to methotrexate treatment. Sarilumab monotherapy demonstrated superiority to adalimumab monotherapy in reduction of disease activity and improvements in physical function and signs and symptoms of RA, with safety and tolerability consistent with IL-6R or TNF blockade. Objectives To compare patient-reported outcomes (PROs) with sarilumab vs adalimumab from MONARCH. Methods PROs assessed at baseline, weeks 12 and 24 included ACR components (Patient Global Assessment of Disease Activity [PtGA], Pain visual analog scale [VAS], Health Assessment Questionnaire Disability Index [HAQ-DI]), Medical Outcomes Study Short Form-36 (SF-36), Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Fatigue (FACIT-F), Morning Stiffness VAS, RA Impact of Disease (RAID) and RA-specific Work Productivity Survey (WPS-RA). Least-squares mean (LSM) between-group differences were determined by mixed-model for repeated measures with treatment, visit, treatment-by-visit interaction and region as fixed effects, and the corresponding baseline PRO scores as continuous covariates. A P-value Results Baseline demographics, disease characteristics and PROs were generally balanced between treatment groups (n=184 sarilumab; n=185 adalimumab). Improvements from baseline to week 24 were greater with sarilumab vs adalimumab across PtGA, Pain VAS, HAQ-DI, SF-36 PCS, Morning Stiffness VAS, RAID and WPS-RA global scores (all P Conclusions Sarilumab monotherapy compared with adalimumab monotherapy resulted in greater and clinically meaningful improvements in many PROs, including patient-reported disease activity, pain, physical function, morning stiffness, productivity, health related quality of life and health status. Acknowledgements This study was sponsored by Sanofi and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Disclosure of Interest V. Strand Consultant for: AbbVie, Amgen, AstraZeneca, Biogen, BMS, Celltrion, CORRONA, Crescendo, Genentech/Roche, GSK, Janssen, Eli Lilly, Novartis, Pfizer, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Sandoz, Sanofi, and UCB, L. Gossec Grant/research support from: Member of institution that received research funding for the current study, C. Proudfoot Shareholder of: Sanofi, Employee of: Sanofi, C. Chen Shareholder of: Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Employee of: Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc., M. Reaney Shareholder of: Sanofi, Employee of: Sanofi, S. Guillonneau Shareholder of: Sanofi, Employee of: Sanofi, T. Kimura Shareholder of: Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Employee of: Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc., J. van Adelsberg Shareholder of: Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Employee of: Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Y. Lin Shareholder of: Sanofi, Employee of: Sanofi, E. Mangan Shareholder of: Pfizer Inc. and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Employee of: Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc., H. van Hoogstraten Shareholder of: Sanofi, Employee of: Sanofi, G. R. Burmester Grant/research support from: Member of institution that received research funding for the current study

Overactive bladder (OAB) and related conditions, such as urge urinary incontinence (UI), can interfere with work, leisure activities, and healthy sleep patterns.To report (a) employee urinary antispasmodic (UA) medication persistence and adherence; (b) the impact of salary and copay on adherence; and (c) the impact of UA adherence on medical, pharmacy, sick leave (SL), short- and long-term disability (STD, LTD), workers' compensation costs, work absence days, and turnover.This retrospective study used a 2001-2011 database of claims, payroll, and demographic data from 27 large U.S. employers. Employees aged 18-64 years taking UA medications with health plan enrollment from 6 months before the index UA medication prescription to 12 months after were included. Persistence (days until first ≥ 30-day gap in UA medication supply) and adherence (percentage of the annual post-index period with available medication) were assessed using survival analysis and generalized linear regression models that controlled for demographics, job-related factors, copay, and pre-index employee benefit utilization. 2,960 employees met study criteria. Median days of persistence by OAB subtype were 76, 82, 43, 66, and 60 for urge UI, mixed UI, nocturnal UI, other OAB, and no diagnosis, respectively (P less than 0.05 for urge and mixed vs. no diagnosis). Increased copay and copay as a percentage of salary were associated with lower adherence. Employees with ≥ 80% adherence had lower medical, SL, and STD and higher overall drug costs than employees with less than 80% adherence. This study suggests potential economic benefits to employers from increased UA adherence. Additionally, economic factors such as ability to pay influence adherence to UA medications.

Objective: To estimate the cost-effectiveness of intravenous linezolid as a first-line agent against intravenous vancomycin in treating methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus–confirmed nosocomial pneumonia in four Chinese cities. Methods: A decision-analytic model of 4-week time horizon was used to conduct costeffectiveness analyses from the payer’s perspective. Clinical outcomes and resource use data were derived from a head-to-head trial, supplemented with local cost estimates based on hospital data via an expert panel. A series of scenario analyses were conducted to evaluate the impact of uncertainty around model inputs. All results were reported in 2012 Chinese Renminbi. Results: The predicted probability of overall treatment success was 0.629 and 0.602 for linezolid and vancomycin, respectively. Total inpatient costs varied across the four cities, ranging from ¥58,835 to ¥86,894 for linezolid and ¥58,390 to ¥87,033 for vancomycin, respectively. Linezolid was demonstrated to be a dominant treatment strategy in Guangzhou. In Beijing, Nanjing, and Xi’an, incremental cost-effectiveness ratios in terms of additional successfully treated patient were ¥1,861, ¥163, and ¥16,509, respectively. Dominance by linezolid was observed in some scenario analyses with parameters such as treatment duration, inclusion of cost of managing adverse events, and drug acquisition costs being the main drivers of cost-effectiveness results. Conclusions: Despite linezolid’s higher drug acquisition cost, its superior clinical efficacy renders it a likely cost-effective alternative for the treatment of methicillinresistant Staphylococcus aureus–confirmed nosocomial pneumonia as compared with branded vancomycin from the payer perspectives of Beijing, Guangzhou, Nanjing, and Xi’an.

Objective The goal of this study was to analyze the economic benefits of introducing the 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV7) into the City Immunity Program in Shanghai. Methods A decision-analytic model designed for pneumococcal disease and outcomes of pneumococcal infection was populated with local, age-specific incidence and cost data to estimate the expected economic benefits from vaccinating a birth cohort of 172,183 infants in Shanghai over a 1-year period using a cross-sectional approach. The analysis was assumed to occur in a year at which time the direct and indirect effects of vaccination have reached a steady state. Costs were calculated from a payer perspective and included vaccination program costs and direct medical expenditures from pneumococcal-related disease. Results The model predicts that 112,629 cases of pneumococcal-related disease could be prevented during a given year following the introduction of the PCV7 vaccine into the City Immunity Program in Shanghai, leading to a reduction of ¥187,923,359 (US $29,067,790) in direct medical costs. Overall, the inclusion of the PCV7 vaccine is estimated to have a cost-per-life-year saved of ¥37,468 (US $5,796) and a cost-per-quality-adjusted-life-year gained of ¥41,603 (US $6,435) when both the direct and indirect effects of the vaccine resulting from herd protection are taken into account. Conclusions Results suggest that including PCV7 into the City Immunity Program in Shanghai could be considered cost-effective under generally accepted willingness-to-pay thresholds when both the direct and indirect effects of the vaccine are considered in the analysis.

Adherence with oral medication for overactive bladder syndrome is suboptimal. To improve adherence, the YourWay plan was developed to assist patients and health care providers in defining treatment expectations and facilitating communication.To evaluate medication adherence among patients with overactive bladder syndrome enrolled in the YourWay patient support plan, patient adoption of behavioral interventions, patient satisfaction with the plan, and physician experience with the plan.In this 13-week, single-arm, open-label, multicenter, noninterventional study, fesoterodine-naïve patients received a prescription for fesoterodine 4 or 8 mg and a packet including a 14-day fesoterodine sample, educational materials, and progress tracker. Patients registered for the YourWay plan, which included an educational resource kit, interactive voice-response calls, and optional online and mail support. The primary end point was the proportion of patients who filled a prescription for a ≥ 90-day supply of fesoterodine within 90 days of enrollment. Secondary end points were the proportion of patients who filled ≥ 1 prescription and ≥ 2 prescriptions (post hoc), patient evaluation of their experience and satisfaction with the YourWay plan, and differences between prescription fillers and nonfillers in plan adoption and assessment (post hoc). We surveyed an independent sample of physicians to assess their experience with YourWay.Of 500 study completers, 10.4% filled a prescription for a ≥ 90-day supply of fesoterodine. Of those filling a prescription, 26.2% filled ≥ 1 prescription and among those, 61.0% refilled their prescription at least once. Many behavioral recommendations were adopted by 82% to 94% of patients. Fillers were more likely to take fesoterodine as directed, whereas adoption of behavioral recommendations or plan satisfaction did not differ between fillers and nonfillers. Most patients reported that the plan was informative and feasible to implement, and that they were satisfied with various aspects of the plan. Physicians also reported positive experiences.Most patients adopted YourWay components and viewed the plan positively, although adherence remained a challenge.

OBJECTIVE Quantify incremental employee medical, pharmacy, sick leave, short- and long-term disability, and workers' compensation costs, absence days, and turnover associated with urge urinary incontinence (UUI) in employees. METHODS This retrospective 2001-2011 database comparison of employees with UUI versus those without UUI (controls) included employees aged 18.5 to 64.0 years at index, with 6-month preindex and 12-month postindex health plan enrollment. Logistic and generalized linear models measured postindex costs, absences, and turnover. RESULTS The study included 1448 employees with UUI and 337,796 controls. Employees with UUI had statistically significantly higher medical (131% higher), pharmacy (52%), sick leave (30%), and short-term disability (74%) costs and more sick leave (22%) and short-term disability (99%) days than controls (all P < 0.02). CONCLUSIONS Employees with UUI had 117% greater medical and pharmacy costs, 47% greater total absence costs, and 63% more absence days than employees without UUI.

e21034 Background: CSCC is the second most common skin cancer. Most CSCC cases can be cured with surgical excision alone (5-year cure rate > 95%). We sought to evaluate patterns of major surgeries among patients with CSCC, overall and among those requiring systemic therapy. Methods: From Truven MarketScan claims data, we identified patient’s first CSCC diagnosis between 2013 and 2018 and required that they be continuously enrolled in their healthcare plan and have no CSCC diagnosis in the previous 12 months. Major surgeries included facial excisions over 3.1 cm, parotidectomy, removal of ear/eye/nose, amputations, craniectomy, excision of extracranial nerves, sentinel lymph node biopsy, lymphadenectomy, complex repairs of over 7.5 cm, integra, free flaps, and large grafts over 20 sq cm. Risk of a major surgery was assessed using Kaplan-Meier estimators for patients with CSCC overall and for those who received prior or concurrent systemic therapy, stratified by immune status. Results: A total of 240,122 patients with CSCC (mean age [SD]: 67.7 [12.9] years; male: 56.5%; immunocompromised: 12.4%) were identified with a mean (SD) follow-up of 1.34 (1.15) years. Risk of major surgery (95% confidence interval [CI]) at 1 and 2 years was 15.1% (14.9–15.2) and 18.6% (18.4–18.8), respectively. 782 patients received prior or concurrent systemic therapy, of which 22.4% (n = 175) were immunocompromised. Among those who received systemic therapy, 1- and 2-year risks (95% CI) were 8.4% (5.8–11.0) and 14.2% (10.0–18.2) for immunocompetent and 14.1% (7.7–20.0) and 19.3% (10.7–27.0) for immunocompromised patients, respectively. Conclusions: Over 2 years, approximately one in five patients with CSCC will undergo at least one major surgery. Prior or concurrent treatment with systemic therapy did not appreciably diminish the risk of requiring major surgery. For patients who received systemic therapy, the 1-year and 2-year risk of major surgery was higher for immunocompromised patients compared to immunocompetent patients.

ObjectiveTo compare efficacy and safety of subcutaneous sarilumab 200 mg and 150 mg every 2 weeks plus conventional synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (+csDMARDs) versus other targeted DMARDs+csDMARDs and placebo+csDMARDs, in inadequate responders to csDMARDs (csDMARD-IR) or tumour necrosis factor α inhibitors (TNFi-IR).MethodsSystematic literature review and network meta-analyses (NMA) conducted on 24 week efficacy and safety outcomes: Health Assessment Questionnaire Disability Index, modified total sharp score (mTSS, including 52 weeks), American College of Rheumatology (ACR) 20/50/70, European League Against Rheumatism Disease Activity Score 28-joint count erythrocyte sedimentation rate (DAS28)Results53 trials were selected for NMA. csDMARD-IR: Sarilumab 200 mg+csDMARDs and 150 mg+csDMARDs were superior versus placebo+csDMARDs on all outcomes. Against most targeted DMARDs, sarilumab 200 mg showed no statistically significant differences, except superiority to baricitinib 2 mg, tofacitinib and certolizumab on 24 week mTSS. Sarilumab 150 mg was similar to all targeted DMARDs. TNFi-IR: Sarilumab 200 mg was similar to abatacept, golimumab, tocilizumab 4 mg and 8 mg/kg intravenously and rituximab on ACR20/50/70, superior to baricitinib 2 mg on ACR50 and DAS28ConclusionsResults suggest that in csDMARD-IR and TNFi-IR (a smaller network), sarilumab+csDMARD had superior efficacy and similar safety versus placebo+csDMARDs and at least similar efficacy and safety versus other targeted DMARDs+csDMARDs.

Objective To evaluate effects of the anti-interleukin-6 receptor monoclonal antibody sarilumab administered with conventional synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (csDMARDs) on patient-reported outcomes (PROs) in the TARGET trial in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) with inadequate response or intolerance to tumour necrosis factor inhibitors (TNF-IR). Methods 546 patients (81.9% female, mean age 52.9 years) were randomised to placebo, sarilumab 150 or 200 mg subcutaneously every 2 weeks + csDMARDs. PROs included patient global assessment (PtGA); pain and morning stiffness visual analogue scales; Health Assessment Questionnaire Disability Index (HAQ-DI); Short Form-36 Health Survey (SF-36); FACIT-Fatigue (FACIT-F); Work Productivity Survey-Rheumatoid Arthritis (WPS-RA) and Rheumatoid Arthritis Impact of Disease (RAID). Changes from baseline at weeks 12 and 24 were analysed using a mixed model for repeated measures; post hoc analyses included percentages of patients reporting improvements ≥ minimum clinically important differences (MCID) and scores ≥ normative values. Results Sarilumab + csDMARDs doses resulted in improvements from baseline at week 12 vs placebo + csDMARDs in PtGA, pain, HAQ-DI, SF-36 and FACIT-F that were maintained at week 24. Sarilumab improved morning stiffness and reduced the impact of RA on work, family, social/leisure activities participation (WPS-RA) and on patients9 lives (RAID). Percentages of patients reporting improvements ≥MCID and ≥ normative scores were greater with sarilumab than placebo. Conclusions In patients with TNF-IR RA, 150 and 200 mg sarilumab + csDMARDs resulted in clinically meaningful patient-reported benefits on pain, fatigue, function, participation and health status at 12 and 24 weeks that exceeded placebo + csDMARDs, and were consistent with the clinical profile previously reported. Trial registration number NCT01709578; Results.

Aims To estimate the prevalence of LUTS and OAB in a large, ethnically diverse US study. Methods This cross-sectional, population-representative survey was conducted via the Internet in the US among 10,000 men and women aged 18–70 (2,000 African-Americans [AA], 2,000 Hispanics, 6,000 whites). The LUTS tool assessed how often participants experienced LUTS during the past 4 weeks on a five-point Likert scale. OAB was defined by the presence of urinary urgency ≥ “sometimes” or ≥ “often,” and/or the presence of urgency urinary incontinence (UUI). Descriptive statistics were used to evaluate group differences. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to examine the impact of racial/ethnic group on OAB. Results Response rate, 56.7%. Prevalent LUTS included terminal dribble and nocturia across gender, post-micturition leaking (men), and stress incontinence (women). Prevalence of OAB ≥ “sometimes” and ≥ “often” were 17% and 8% in men and 30% and 20% in women—with significantly higher rates among AA men and women. A similar trend was found for UUI among men (AA, 10%; Hispanic and whites, 6%), while AA and white women had higher prevalence of UUI (19%) as compared to Hispanic women (16%). In logistic regression analyses, AA and Hispanic men and women were significantly more likely than whites to have OAB despite having lower prevalence of self-reported comorbid conditions and risk factors. Conclusions LUTS and OAB are highly prevalent in both men and women and increase with advancing age. Further, racial/ethnic group is a robust predictor of OAB in men and women. Neurourol. Urodynam. 32: 230–237, 2013. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Tobacco use remains the leading cause of preventable death. The outpatient medical clinic represents an important venue for delivering evidence-based interventions to large numbers of tobacco users. Extensive evidence supports the effectiveness of brief interventions. In a retrospective database analysis of 11,827 adult patients captured in the 2005 National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (of which 2,420 were tobacco users), we examined the degree to which a variety of patient demographic, clinical and physician-related variables predict the delivery of tobacco counseling during a routine outpatient visit in primary care settings. In 2005, 21.7% of identified tobacco users received a tobacco intervention during their visit. The probability of receiving an intervention differed by gender, geographic region and source of payment. Individuals presenting with tobacco-related health conditions were more likely to receive an intervention. Most physicians classified as specialists were less likely to intervene. The provision of tobacco intervention services appears to be increasing at a modest rate, but remains well below desirable levels. It is a priority that brief interventions be routinely implemented to reduce the societal burden of tobacco use.

e18703Background: Unlike other cancers, information on CSCC is not captured in national cancer registries, and little is known about the management and costs of CSCC. In contrast, more is known abo...