1822P - Incidence of cachexia and health resource use (HRU) in patients with breast, colorectal, lung, pancreatic, and prostate cancers

Background

The incidence and economic burden of cancer cachexia are not well described. Study objective: estimate cachexia incidence and compare HRU in patients with solid tumors with and without cachexia.

Methods

This retrospective study was conducted using the Optum Market Clarity database. Patients had breast, colorectal, lung, pancreatic, or prostate cancer between 10/1/2016-9/30/2022 and ≥2 weight measurements 150-210 days apart with ≥1 measurement after cancer index date. Cachexia cases had ≥5% weight loss between measurements (Fearon criteria); date of second measurement was designated the cachexia index date. Controls had <5% weight loss; index dates imputed as the second of 2 weight measurements 150-210 days apart. Inverse probability of treatment weights were used to balance both groups at cachexia index date. Primary outcome: number of healthcare visits/patient/month (PPPM) during the 12 months after cachexia index date, categorized as hospital inpatient (IP) admissions, hospital outpatient (OP), office, home/telehealth, and other visits. T-tests were used to compare HRU in cachexia cases vs controls by tumor type.

Results

27679 patients with breast (N=9660), colorectal (N=3080), lung (N=3116), pancreatic (N=449), or prostate (N=8650) cancer were included. 12 months after cancer diagnosis, 34%, 51%, 55%, 73%, and 29% of patients, respectively, had cachexia. Across tumor types, significantly more hospital OP visits PPPM occurred in cachexia vs controls (Table). Differences in hospital IP, office, home/telehealth, and other visits were observed, with statistical significance varying by tumor type. Table: 1822P

PPPM claims by tumor type in cachexia cases vs controls