Observational study on the evolution of systemic treatments for advanced renal cell carcinoma in Southwest Finland

Olivia Hölsä1, Kaisa Teittinen2, Anna Anttalainen1

  • 1Medaffcon Oy, Espoo, Finland.

PubMed
Abstract

Insights

Novel treatments for advanced renal cell carcinoma (aRCC) were adopted in Finland. Treatment outcomes and survival varied significantly by International Metastatic RCC Database Consortium (IMDC) risk classification.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Clinical Pharmacology
  • Health Services Research

Background:

  • Recent advancements in oncology have introduced novel receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors and immune checkpoint inhibitors for advanced renal cell carcinoma (aRCC).
  • The clinical adoption and impact of these new treatments in Finland remained largely undocumented.
  • Understanding treatment patterns is crucial for optimizing care for aRCC patients.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess the utilization of systemic treatments for advanced renal cell carcinoma (aRCC) in Southwest Finland between 2010 and 2021.
  • To evaluate the treatment outcomes, including overall survival (OS) and healthcare resource utilization, in relation to patient risk stratification.
  • To analyze the adoption trends of novel therapies in routine clinical practice.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective analysis of electronic medical records for 1112 renal cell carcinoma (RCC) patients, with a focus on 336 diagnosed with aRCC.
  • Patients were categorized based on the International Metastatic RCC Database Consortium (IMDC) risk classification.
  • Data collected included clinical characteristics, systemic treatments received, healthcare resource utilization, and overall survival (OS).

Main Results:

  • Of 336 aRCC patients, 57% received systemic treatment. First-line treatment shifted from sunitinib pre-2018 to a mix including cabozantinib and ipilimumab/nivolumab post-2018.
  • Median OS varied significantly by IMDC risk: 61.9 months (favorable), 28.6 months (intermediate), and 8.1 months (poor).
  • Second-line treatment uptake was lower in poor-risk patients (35%) compared to favorable (73%) and intermediate (74%) risk groups, with higher hospitalization rates in poor-risk patients.

Conclusions:

  • Novel systemic treatments for aRCC were rapidly integrated into Finnish clinical practice following reimbursement.
  • Overall survival and hospitalization needs are strongly correlated with the IMDC risk classification.
  • Consideration of upfront combination therapies for poor-risk aRCC patients is recommended due to limited second-line treatment uptake.

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