Alectinib for non-small cell lung cancer, October 2020
Page last updated: 15 March 2021
Drug utilisation sub-committee (DUSC)
October 2020
Abstract
Purpose
To compare predicted and actual utilisation of alectinib in stage IIIB (locally advanced) or stage IV (metastatic) non-small cell lung cancer.
Date of listing on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS)
Alectinib was PBS listed on 1 January 2018.
Data Source / methodology
Data extracted from the PBS data maintained by Department of Health, processed by Services Australia was used for all analyses.
Key Findings
- There were 254 and 322 patients treated with alectinib during the first and second year of listing respectively, which was higher than estimated.
- There were 1,715 and 2,546 alectinib prescriptions dispensed during the first and second year of listing respectively, which was higher than estimated.
- The most common age group in patients beginning alectinib treatment were those aged between 60- 64 years old with 53.1% of initiating patients being female.
- The mean duration of alectinib treatment accounting for breaks in treatment was 13.78 months (95% confidence interval 11.75-15.80 months). The treatment time for alectinib was longer than predicted.
- Most patients have generally initiated on alectinib as first-line anaplastic lymphoma kinase positive non-small cell lung cancer treatment.
Full Report
