Real-World Study of the Treatment Patterns of Patients Diagnosed with Therapy-Related AML or AML-MRC in England between 2013 and 2020 Using the Cancer Analysis System Database
Authors: Legg Alex , Muzwidzwa Ruvimbo , Adamson Elizabeth , Wilkes Emily , Medalla Greg 
Published: November 2021

Introduction: Patients with therapy-related AML (t-AML) or AML with myelodysplasia-related changes (AML-MRC) are a known high-risk AML subgroup with historically poor outcomes. In December 2018, CPX-351 (Vyxeos ® Liposomal) received a positive reimbursement decision in England for the treatment of adults with newly diagnosed t-AML or AML-MRC. The objective of this retrospective study was to utilize the Cancer Analysis System (CAS) database available through the National Cancer Registration and Analysis Service (NCRAS) to describe the demographics, clinical characteristics, and treatment pathways for patients with t-AML or AML-MRC in England from 2013 to 2020, including the use of CPX-351.

Methods: The NCRAS systematically collects and curates population-level data about cancer diagnoses, treatments, and outcomes across England. Adults (aged ≥18 years) diagnosed with t-AML or AML-MRC between January 2013 and March 2020 were identified either directly using International Classification of Diseases for Oncology, Third Edition(ICD-O-3) codes or indirectly using non-specific ICD-O-2, ICD-O-3, or ICD-10 AML codes in combination with a record of prior systemic anticancer therapy or radiotherapy (t-AML) or a prior diagnosis of MDS or CMML (AML-MRC; other AML-MRC subtypes could not be distinguished from de novo AML). First-line and second-line treatments identified included clinical trials, intensive chemotherapy (IC) treatments (CPX-351; daunorubicin plus cytarabine [DA]; fludarabine, cytarabine, idarubicin and granulocyte-colony stimulating factor [FLAG-Ida]; or "other IC" consisting of mitoxantrone-based therapy or high-dose cytarabine alone), or less-intensive therapies (azacitidine, low-dose cytarabine [LDAC], or hydroxycarbamide alone). Patients who did not receive active systemic therapy (ie, those who received best supportive care alone) were not included.

Results: A total of 2,891 patients with t-AML or AML-MRC were identified. Most patients were male (62%), white (91%), and aged ≥60 years (80%). Overall, 590 (20%) patients received first-line treatment in a clinical trial, 1,474 (51%) received less-intensive therapy, and 827 (29%) received an IC regimen. Patients aged ≥60 years at diagnosis were less likely than those aged &lt;60 years to either enter a clinical trial (18% vs 32%, respectively) or receive IC (22% vs 54%). In patients treated with IC, those who received CPX-351 were slightly older (mean [standard deviation] age: 63.9 years [8.3]) than those who received DA (60.5 years [11.4]) or FLAG-Ida (55.6 years [12.6]); 28% of patients treated with CPX-351 were aged &lt;60 years compared to 37% for DA and 55% for FLAG-Ida.

When treatment patterns were analyzed per annum, utilization of less-intensive therapies remained stable over time (Figure 1A). Azacitidine was the most common less-intensive therapy both overall (64%) and across all yearly time points, followed overall by LDAC (22%) then hydroxycarbamide alone (14%). In contrast, the IC treatment patterns were more dynamic over time (Figure 1B). DA chemotherapy was the most common IC overall (48%), followed by FLAG-Ida (23%) and other ICs (18%). However, CPX-351 uptake started in 2018 (5% of all IC) and by the end of 2019 had displaced DA chemotherapy as standard-of-care IC (40% vs 22%, respectively). Excluding patients who were alive but had not received subsequent therapy (ie, censored), most patients who received front-line azacitidine or LDAC died without receiving salvage therapy (89% and 92%, respectively). In comparison, non-censored patients who received front-line DA chemotherapy or FLAG-Ida were more likely to receive salvage treatment (52% and 34%, respectively). Key salvage treatments following DA included azacitidine alone and FLAG-based therapy. Key salvage treatments following front-line CPX-351 included FLAG-Ida or DA ± hematopoietic cell transplant and azacitidine.

Conclusions: This large population-level, retrospective analysis of CAS data provides a detailed overview of the management of patients with t-AML and AML-MRC. Historically, a high proportion of these high-risk patients have received less-intensive treatment. Since 2018, CPX-351 has been rapidly adopted into the IC treatment pathway, displacing DA chemotherapy. These analyses will be repeated after the CAS database has been updated to determine the impact of COVID-19.

Figure 1 Figure 1.

Disclosures

Legg: Jazz Pharmaceuticals: Current Employment, Current equity holder in publicly-traded company. Muzwidzwa: IQVIA Inc., which was contracted by Jazz Pharmaceuticals for the conduct of this analysis: Current Employment. Adamson: IQVIA Inc., which was contracted by Jazz Pharmaceuticals for the conduct of this analysis: Current Employment. Wilkes: IQVIA Inc., which was contracted by Jazz Pharmaceuticals for the conduct of this analysis: Current Employment. Medalla: Jazz Pharmaceuticals: Current Employment, Current equity holder in publicly-traded company.