Patients’ epidemiology in stage III, unresectable non-small-cell lung carcinoma: A real-world analysis in Brazil.

Abstract

e20589 Background: Although breakthrough therapy options for NSCLC have emerged in the last few years, lung cancer is still the principal cause of cancer-related deaths in both men and women worldwide. In Brazil, lung cancer is the major cause of cancer mortality – the second most common cause of cancer-related death in females and the first cause among males. The main factors contributing to the high burden of the disease remain the late-stage diagnosis and unequal healthcare access, which are most prevalent in low- and middle-income countries. This study aimed to describe lung cancer epidemiology – patients in stage III, unresectable NSCLC that could benefit from consolidation therapy after chemoradiation (CRT) treatment - in the Brazilian public health system for evaluating the future impact of new therapies. Methods: We gathered information on lung cancer procedures performed between January 2018 and October 2022 using the Brazilian public health system database (DATASUS). Since this is a claim medical database without clinical data, assumptions were specified based on procedures performed to determine the potential number of patients in Brazil who would benefit from these new treatment strategies in stage III NSCLC. The assumptions were the following: 1. Having received systemic therapy for a malignant tumor of the bronchi and lung (ICD-10 - C34); 2. Having received a pre-defined list of chemotherapy regimens (to define which patients were NSCLC); 3. Having started systemic therapy with a Stage III tumor; 4. Having not undergone surgery between three months before and two months following the start of systemic treatment 5. Treated with chemotherapy and radiotherapy (concomitantly or sequentially - until two months later); 6. Patients who died or progressed during treatment were classified as incomplete treatment. Results: Between 2018 and 2022, we identified an average of 9,340 patients each year who started therapies for lung cancer; 75% (7,023) of them performed specific procedures for NSCLC and were classified as such. 21% (1,472) of patients started treatment for stage III NSCLC, and 98% (1,438) of these cases were unresectable. Of these, 26% (377) received chemotherapy and radiation, 92% of whom finished the course of treatment. In Brazil, 346 patients per year with stage III unresectable NSCLC could be treated with consolidation therapy after CRT in the public health system. Conclusions: The number of NSCLC patients who can benefit from consolidation therapy after CRT (346) represents 3.7% of all lung cancer patients starting systemic treatment annually. It allows a better management of the possible economic impact of the addition of this new therapy in the Brazilian health public system. Increased screening for early diagnosis and improving access to CRT would expand the patient population eligible for this therapeutic approach.