Poster Presentation Clinical Oncology Society of Australia Annual Scientific Meeting 2024

Health Care Service Utilisation in the Context of Advances in the Management of Early Breast Cancer (#475)

Victoria Ie Ching Tan 1 , Simon Chang-Hao Tsao 2 3 , Yuling Wang 4 , Jenny Gilchrist 5 6 , Dhanusha Sabanathan 5 6
  1. School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
  2. Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
  3. Austin Hospital, Heidelberg, Australia
  4. Faculty of Science and Engineering, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
  5. Clinical Trials Unit, Macquarie University Hospital, Sydney, NSW, Australia
  6. Medical School, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia

Abstract

Breast cancer is the second most diagnosed cancer in Australia. The management of early breast cancer (EBC) has significantly evolved over the past decade - from adjuvant chemotherapy, hormonal therapy and trastuzumab, to the inclusion of neoadjuvant chemotherapy, escalated endocrine therapies, novel targeted therapies and immunotherapy. Just in the past 3 years, we have seen the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme listings of Olaparib (July 2024), Abemaciclib (May 2024), Zoledronic acid (December 2023), and Pembrolizumab (December 2023), which has seen the improvement in survival outcomes for patients with high risk EBC. However, there is a lack of assessment of the effect on resource requirements in our cancer care services from these advances.

 

Aim

This study aims to compare the healthcare requirements in the medical oncological management of EBC in Australia over the past decade.

 

Methods

The quantification of the health system utilisation is through the approximation of clinical care events (CCE) based on current standard of care for the management of patients with high risk EBC. CCE include provision of systemic treatments at an infusion centre and clinical reviews. Data from medical records of EBC patients diagnosed in 2013 compared to 2023 in a teaching hospital in Sydney, Australia.

 

Results

For hormone receptor-positive EBC, there were 29 CCE in 2013 and 67 in 2023 (131% increase). For triple negative EBC, there were 24 CCE in 2013 and 70 in 2023, (192% increase). Interestingly, for HER2 positive EBC, there were 46 CCE in 2013 and 33 in 2023 (28.2% decrease).

 

Conclusions

Advances in the management of EBC has led to improved survival outcomes for patients with high-risk disease. However, this has led to increased health care service utilisation. Healthcare implementation strategies are required to meet the ongoing demand of cancer care services to maintain quality patient care.