1. Uptake and Patterns of Use of Gemcitabine for Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer: A Population-Based Study.
- Author
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Oberstein, Paul E., Hershman, Dawn L., Khanna, Lauren G., Chabot, John A., Insel, Beverly J., and Neugut, Alfred I.
- Subjects
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DEOXYCYTIDINE , *PANCREATIC cancer treatment , *POPULATION biology , *DRUG approval , *CANCER chemotherapy , *ADENOCARCINOMA , *HEALTH outcome assessment , *DIAGNOSIS - Abstract
Gemcitabine was approved for advanced pancreatic cancer in 1996. We investigated uptake and predictors of its use. We identified 3,231 individuals > 65 years in the SEER-Medicare database with stage IV pancreatic adenocarcinoma, diagnosed between 1998-2005, who survived >30 days. Of these, 54% received chemotherapy, 93% with gemcitabine. Gemcitabine nonreceipt was associated with advanced age and unmarried (OR: 0.65, 95% CI: 0.55-0.76). Diagnosis in 2004-2005 versus 1998-2000 was more likely to receive gemcitabine (OR: 1.51, 95% CI: 1.23-1.84) as were higher SES patients (highest versus lowest quintile, OR: 2.14, 95% CI: 1.60-2.85). Gemcitabine was rapidly adopted among elderly advanced pancreatic cancer patients; several factors are associated with use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2013
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