Publications by authors named "Ashley Cha-Silva"

Article Synopsis
  • This study analyzes breast cancer-specific survival (BCSS) in hormone receptor-positive/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative (HR+/HER2-) metastatic breast cancer (mBC) patients, focusing on changes after the introduction of cyclin-dependent kinase 4/6 inhibitors (CDK4/6i) in 2015.
  • Researchers used SEER registry data from 11,467 HR+/HER2- mBC patients, finding a 10% reduction in risk of BC-specific death for those diagnosed post-2015 compared to those diagnosed pre-2015, indicating improved survival due to CDK4/6i.
  • In contrast, no significant improvements in BC
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Article Synopsis
  • * Oncologists prioritized efficacy, safety, and tolerability when deciding on first-line treatments; CDK4/6 inhibitors were common in Medicare and postmenopausal patients, while chemotherapy was linked to younger patients and those with more severe symptoms.
  • * The anticipated compliance of patients influenced the use of aromatase inhibitor monotherapy, indicating that how likely patients are to stick to treatment plays a role in oncologists' decisions.
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Background: Nirmatrelvir/ritonavir (NMV/r) is an oral antiviral drug used to treat mild-to-moderate coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in patients aged 12 years or older at high risk of progression to severe disease (eg, hospitalization and death). Despite being the preferred option for outpatient treatment in the majority of countries worldwide, NMV/r is currently underutilized in real-world clinical practice.

Areas Of Uncertainty: As numerous real-world studies have described patient outcomes following treatment with NMV/r, this systematic literature review provides a comprehensive summary of evidence on NMV/r effectiveness against hospitalization and mortality further organized by clinically meaningful categories, such as acute versus longer-term follow-up, age, underlying health conditions, and vaccination status, to help inform health care decision making.

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Objective: Describe the economic burden of COVID-19 on employers and employees in the United States (US).

Methods: A targeted literature review was conducted to evaluate the impact of COVID-19 on US-based employers and employees in terms of healthcare resource utilization (HCRU), medical costs, and costs associated with work-loss. Searches were conducted in MEDLINE, Embase, and EconLit using a combination of disease terms, populations, and outcomes to identify articles published from January 2021 to November 4, 2022.

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Objectives: Nirmatrelvir/ritonavir (NMV/r) is an orally administered antiviral indicated for the outpatient treatment of patients with mild-to-moderate COVID-19 at high risk for disease progression to severe illness. We estimated the cost-effectiveness of NMV/r versus best supportive care for patients with mild-to-moderate COVID-19 at high risk for progression to severe illness from a US health sector perspective.

Methods: A cost-effectiveness model was developed using a short-term decision-tree (1 year) followed by a lifetime 2-state Markov model (alive and dead).

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Article Synopsis
  • - The study aimed to analyze how COVID-19 interventions, like vaccines and outpatient treatments, affected healthcare resource use (HCRU) and costs in the U.S. during the Omicron variant surge.
  • - After reviewing 58 studies, it was found that vaccinated individuals experienced a significantly lower risk of hospitalization, while specific treatments also reduced hospital admissions and ICU stays.
  • - Limitations included potential overlap in patient populations and variations in study methodologies, highlighting gaps in understanding long COVID impacts and associated costs.
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COVID-19 infection adversely impacts patients' wellbeing and daily lives. This survey-based study examined differences in patient-reported COVID-19 symptoms, Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) and Work Productivity and Activity Impairment (WPAI) among groups of patients defined based on age and symptom-based long COVID status. Symptomatic, COVID-19-positive US outpatients were recruited from 31 January-30 April 2022.

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Purpose: To assess adherence and persistence with palbociclib therapy in patients with HR+/HER2- metastatic breast cancer (mBC) in a US real-world setting.

Methods: This retrospective study evaluated palbociclib dosing, adherence, and persistence using commercial and Medicare Advantage with Part D claims data from the Optum Research Database. Adult patients with mBC who had continuous enrollment 12 months prior to mBC diagnosis and initiated first-line palbociclib with aromatase inhibitor (AI) or fulvestrant between 02/03/2015 and 12/31/2019 were included.

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Cyclin-dependent kinase 4 and 6 inhibitors (CDK4/6i) are the preferred regimen for patients with hormone receptor-positive and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative (HR+/HER2-) advanced or metastatic breast cancer. However, the optimal treatment sequencing for CDK4/6i with other available therapeutic options is unclear. We conducted a targeted literature review to identify the current evidence on CDK4/6i treatment patterns in patients with breast cancer.

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