Use of Real-World Claim Databases to Assess Prevalence of Comorbid Conditions Relevant to the Treatment of Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia Based on National Comprehensive Network Treatment Guidelines

Background The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guidelines state that based on toxicity profiles, 1 second-generation tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) indicated for first-line therapy (ie, dasatinib, nilotinib) may be preferred over the other for treatment of chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) patients with certain comorbidities. This study assessed the prevalence of comorbid conditions relevant to TKI treatment choice among CML patients in the US real-world setting. Patients and Methods Patients who had CML and initiated TKI treatment were identified from the MarketScan Commercial and Medicare databases (January 1, 2006, to June 30, 2013). Demographics and prevalence of comorbid conditions relevant to TKI treatment choice per NCCN guidelines (heart disease, arrhythmia, diabetes, pancreatitis, pleural effusion, lung disease) were assessed among the overall study population and among subgroups. Results The median age of the CML study population newly initiated on TKI treatment (ie, imatinib, dasatinib, or nilotinib; n = 2296) was 56 years. Approximately 41% of the CML study population had at least 1 comorbid condition that may influence the choice of TKI treatment as recommended by NCCN guidelines. The most prevalent comorbid condition was heart disease (23%), followed by diabetes (18%) and lung disease (13%). The prevalence of comorbid conditions relevant to TKI treatment choice varied among patients of different age groups, gender, and US regions. Conclusion The results of this analysis provide real-world evidence that the prevalence of relevant comorbid conditions is substantial among CML patients in the US managed care setting and therefore needs to be considered throughout various health care decision-making processes related to CML.