1006P - Associations of online search trends and prescription trends for hepatocellular carcinoma drugs

Background

Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) is a major contributor to cancer-related deaths globally. Advancements in immune and molecular therapies have led to more targeted and safer systemic treatments for advanced and unresectable HCC, replacing the use of non-specific chemotherapies. This study aims to provide an overview of online search and prescription activity of drugs used for HCC.

Methods

Data from IQVIA National Prescription Audit, a comprehensive audit of nearly all monthly US prescription information, was collected from 2017 to 2022 for FDA-approved HCC drugs. Online searches for these drugs were analyzed for visual and quantitative (Spearman's) correlation.

Results

Online searches for HCC drugs in the US increased 1.17-fold between the first quarter(Q1) 2017 and Q4 2022, while prescriptions increased 5.93-fold during this period. Across first line therapies, lenvatinib was most used with a 27.62-fold increase(Q1 2019-Q4 2022), paralleled by a 1.52-fold increase in online searches. Sorafenib use, however, steeply declined by 17.56-fold(Q1 2019-Q4 2022). For second-line and later treatments, cabozantinib was most frequently applied with 3.04-fold increase and 1.62-fold rise in online searches(Q1 2017-Q4 2022). Immunotherapy prescriptions and online searches for pembrolizumab have surged from Q1 2017-Q4 2022, with an increase of 8.03-fold and 1.37-fold, respectively. Lenvatinib (r=0.90), cabozantinib (r=0.67), and pembrolizumab (r=0.54) had the highest correlations between online searches and prescriptions, and all three showed increasing trends. Oncologists(72.40%) were the largest users of the across specialties in 2022, followed by physician assistants/nurse practitioners(16.53%).

Conclusions

Over a 5-year period, the utilization of HCC drugs in the US increased and prescription patterns changed due to positive trial results and guideline changes. There was a positive correlation between online searches and prescription trends for HCC drugs.

Clinical trial identification

Editorial acknowledgement

Legal entity responsible for the study

The authors.

Funding

Has not received any funding.

Disclosure

All authors have declared no conflicts of interest.