This nationwide retrospective study reports data on the real-world use of the selective
cyclin-dependent kinase 4 and 6 (CDK4/6) inhibitor palbociclib in a large population
of advanced breast cancer (ABC) patients during a 2-year period in Hungary.All patients
with ABC who received palbociclib between May 1, 2017 and June 30, 2019 were included
in the analysis. Patient demographic and clinical characteristics, disease-related
factors and treatment patterns were examined during the early access program and in
the regular reimbursement period.Altogether, 962 patients were included (mean age:
60.6 years). A total of 399 patients (41%) were treated with palbociclib plus aromatase
inhibitors (P+AI), and 563 patients (59%) received palbociclib and fulvestrant (P+F).
The most commonly prescribed AI was letrozole (n=359; 90%). Of those with metastatic
disease (n=733; 76%), 241 patients (33%) had visceral metastases and 449 (61%) had
bone-only disease. The majority of patients (79%) received palbociclib as first- or
second-line therapy for ABC. The starting dose of palbociclib was 125 mg in 98% of
patients; dose reductions were required in 32% of patients receiving P+AI and 31%
of those treated with P+F. At the time of data collection, palbociclib therapy was
ongoing in 270 patients (68%) in the P+AI group and 245 patients (44%) in the P+F
group.This nationwide analysis is the first to provide insights into the real-world
use of palbociclib in a large patient population from a Central-Eastern European country.
The findings confirm the good tolerability of palbociclib with similar dose reduction
rates to those reported from registration trials.
