Treatment patterns and direct medical costs of metastatic colorectal cancer patients: a retrospective study of electronic medical records from urban China

Figures & data

Table 1. Baseline characteristics of mCRC patients.

	Patients (N = 404)
Age at mCRC diagnosis, year
Mean (SD)	55 (12)
Median (IQR)	56 (47–64)
Min–max	19–82
Age group, n (%)
18–49	119 (29.46%)
50–59	114 (28.22%)
60+	171 (42.33%)
Gender, n (%)
Female	152 (37.62%)
Male	252 (62.38%)
Department of practice, n (%)
Internal medicine	343 (84.90%)
Surgery	61 (15.10%)
Geographic region, n (%)
North	50 (12.38%)
South	163 (40.35%)
East	105 (25.99%)
Midwest	86 (21.29%)
Primary tumor size, cm
Missing, n	232
Mean (SD)	4.3 (2.31)
Median (IQR)	4 (3–5)
Primary tumor site, n (%)
Left-sided	257 (63.61%)
Right-sided	104 (25.74%)
Colorectal NOS	43 (10.64%)
Mutation status, n (%)
KRAS MUT	67 (16.58%)
KRAS WT	110 (27.23%)
Unknown	227 (56.19%)
ECOG PS at mCRC diagnosis, n (%)
Missing, n	139
0	54 (17.82%)
1	242 (79.87%)
2	5 (1.65%)
3	2 (0.66%)

Abbreviations. mCRC, metastatic colorectal cancer; SD, standard deviation; IQR, interquartile range; min, minimum; max, maximum; MUT, mutation; WT, wild-type; NOS, not otherwise specified; ECOG PS, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Performance Status.

Figure 1. Treatment patterns of palliative chemotherapy for mCRC patients. (A) First-line treatment (n = 404). (B) Second-line treatment (n=404). (C) Third-line treatment (n=404).

Table 2. Treatment pattern of palliative chemotherapy for mCRC patients.

	N (%)	Cycle, mean (SD)	Cycle, median (Q1–Q3)
1st line	404 (100%)	6.05 (4.06)	6 (3–8)
Chemotherapy alone	331 (81.93%)	5.72 (3.74)	6 (2–8)
FOLFOX and other oxaliplatin-based	179 (44.31%)	5.68 (3.68)	6 (3–8)
FOLFIRI and other irinotecan-based	100 (24.75%)	6.98 (3.67)	7 (4–9.5)
Capecitabine/S1	23 (5.69%)	2.64 (1.95)	2 (1–4)
Other chemotherapy regimens	29 (7.18%)	3.68 (3.22)	3 (1–5)
Chemotherapy + targeted biologics	73 (18.07%)	7.55 (5.01)	6 (5–11)
Chemotherapy + bevacizumab	50 (12.38%)	6.26 (3.34)	6 (4–8)
Chemotherapy + cetuximab	19 (4.70%)	10.53 (7.24)	10 (6–13)
Chemotherapy + others	4 (0.99%)	9.50 (4.36)	11.5 (7–12)
2nd line	404 (100%)	5.00 (5.25)	4 (2–7)
Chemotherapy alone	354 (87.62%)	4.37 (3.30)	3 (2–6)
FOLFOX and other oxaliplatin-based	112 (27.72%)	4.60 (3.41)	4 (2–6.5)
FOLFIRI and other irinotecan-based	151 (37.38%)	4.99 (3.42)	4 (3–7)
Capecitabine/S1	43 (10.64%)	3.16 (2.77)	2 (1–4)
Other chemotherapy regimens	48 (11.88%)	3.02 (2.47)	2 (1–4)
Chemotherapy + targeted biologics	50 (12.38%)	9.48 (11.16)	7 (5–11)
Chemotherapy + bevacizumab	35 (8.66%)	7.25 (4.08)	6 (5–9)
Chemotherapy + cetuximab	7 (1.73%)	20.57 (26.17)	11 (5–28)
Chemotherapy + others	8 (1.98%)	9.50 (7.50)	9 (3–14.5)
3rd line	404 (100%)	3.36 (4.19)	2 (1–4)
Chemotherapy alone	267 (66.09%)	2.71 (2.41)	2 (1–3)
FOLFOX and other oxaliplatin-based	74 (18.32%)	2.81 (2.05)	2 (1–4)
FOLFIRI and other irinotecan-based	72 (17.82%)	3.47 (3.07)	2.5 (2–4.5)
Capecitabine/S1	37 (9.16%)	2.16 (2.03)	1 (1–3)
Other chemotherapy regimens	84 (20.79%)	2.21 (2.04)	2 (1–3)
Chemotherapy + targeted biologics	137 (33.91%)	4.62 (6.18)	3 (2–6)
Chemotherapy + bevacizumab	79 (19.55%)	3.77 (2.42)	3 (2–6)
Chemotherapy + cetuximab	34 (8.42%)	7.35 (11.33)	3.5 (2–6)
Chemotherapy + others	24 (5.94%)	3.54 (2.59)	3 (1.5–4.5)

Abbreviations. IQR, interquartile range.

Figure 2. Treatment sequences of palliative chemotherapy for mCRC patients.

Table 3. Reasons for line switching.

Reasons	1st to 2nd lines	2nd to 3rd line	3rd line discontinuation (N = 183)
Disease progression, n (%)	211 (52%)	204 (51%)	87 (48%)
Toxicity, n (%)	19 (4.7%)	16 (4.0%)	20 (11%)
Unknown, n (%)	174 (43%)	184 (46%)	76 (42%)

Table 4. Direct medical cost by types of regimens.

Variable	1st line		2nd line		3rd line
	Chemotherapy alone (n = 331)	Chemotherapy + targeted biologics (n = 73)	Chemotherapy alone (n = 354)	Chemotherapy + targeted biologics (n = 50)	Chemotherapy alone (n = 267)	Chemotherapy + targeted biologics (n = 137)
Direct medical cost (total), USD per cycle
Missing, n	127	17	95	8	74	27
Mean (SD)	2,313.61 (2602.54)	3,244.69 (2,473.58)	2,672.76 (5,728.47)	2,717.01 (2,347.48)	4,316.29 (5,109.49)	6,533.94 (10,897.66)
Median (Q1–Q3)	1,755.66 (1,151.58–2,712.11)	2,348.09 (1,612.49–5,018.94)	1,748.98 (958.11–2,636.73)	2,482.8 (807.12–3,963.86)	2,544.32 (1,287.77–5,167.49)	3,143.29 (1,257.02–7,585.77)
Min–max	131.23–29,564.21	214.99–11,479.66	9.14–83,962.29	80.98–11,505.86	12.8–37,572.93	3.05–64,498.82
SE	182.21	330.55	355.95	362.22	367.79	1,039.05