Abstract 1433P
Background
Despite poor prognosis, many patients with unresectable locally advanced or metastatic (adv/met) gastric cancer (GC), gastroesophageal junction cancer (GEJC) and esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) continue to work during treatment. Our study explores impacts of adv/met GC, GEJC and EAC on work productivity of patients and their caregivers.
Methods
A cross-sectional study conducted in France, Germany, the UK, the US, Japan and China (Apr-Oct 2019) had patients with adv/met GC/GEJC/EAC and their caregivers complete a survey, including the Work Productivity and Activity Impairment (WPAI) tool, and their physicians complete a patient record form.
Results
Of 995 included patients, 61% had ECOG 0-1 and 87% were receiving first line systemic treatment, of whom 44% had partial/complete response. At data capture, median patient age was 66 years with 42% working-age (<65 years), of whom 39% had stage III and 61% stage IV disease. Although 62% of working-aged patients had been employed at diagnosis, at data capture only 14% were employed, of whom 60% had reduced work hours due to cancer (mean 59.7 hours reduced/month). Of patients who were on long-term sick leave (45%), retired (23%), or unemployed (10%) at data capture, most (70%) attributed their employment status to cancer. Most (69%) working-age patients required a caregiver. 100% of caregivers in the survey were non-professional, of which 90% were of working-age; 63% employed at the patient’s diagnosis and 57% remained employed at data capture. In working-age patients, overall WPAI was 45.3 (standard deviation [SD] 26.23). Of all patients, activity impairment was present in 53% (SD 23.42); in published comparable studies of patients with advanced cancer, activity impairment was present in 42.3% (SD 24.75). In working age caregivers, overall WPAI was 35.5 (SD 26.58) and in all caregivers’ activity impairment was 37.6% (SD 23.96). Variations in activity impairment can be seen across countries in all patients and caregivers.
Conclusions
Patients with adv/met GC/GEJC/EAC and their caregivers experience reduced work productivity and a high degree of activity impairment.
Clinical trial identification
Editorial acknowledgement
Legal entity responsible for the study
Adelphi Real World.
Funding
BMS.
Disclosure
H. Xiao: Shareholder/Stockholder/Stock options, Full/Part-time employment: BMS. J.P. Hall: Full/Part-time employment, JH is an employee of Adelphi Real World, who received funding from BMS for this analysis.: Adelphi Real World. K. Khela: Full/Part-time employment, KK is an employee of Adelphi Real World, who received funding from BMS for this analysis.: Adelphi Real World. R. Moon: Full/Part-time employment, RM is an employee of Adelphi Real World, who received funding from BMS for this analysis: Adelphi Real World. D. Bertwistle: Shareholder/Stockholder/Stock options, Full/Part-time employment: BMS.