Comparative Effectiveness of First-Line Selpercatinib versus Standard Therapies in Patients with RET-Activated Cancers: An Exploratory Interpatient Analysis of LIBRETTO-001.

Selpercatinib is indicated for locally advanced/metastatic -activated solid tumors after progression or following prior systemic therapies. Until the recently published data from LIBRETTO-431 and LIBRETTO-531, there were limited effectiveness data comparing selpercatinib with other first-line treatments in -activated non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), medullary thyroid cancer (MTC), and thyroid cancer (TC). This study analyzed patient data from LIBRETTO-001 and compared the outcomes (time to treatment discontinuation {TTD}, time to next treatment or death {TTNT-D}, time to progression {TTP}, and the objective response rate {ORR}) of first-line selpercatinib (selpercatinib arm) use with the outcomes of first-line standard therapies in patients who then received selpercatinib in later lines of treatment (comparator arm).

Real-world clinical profile, RET mutation testing, treatments, and PROs for MTC in Europe.

Objective: This study aimed to describe real-world patient and physician characteristics, rearranged during transfection (RET) mutation testing and results, treatment patterns, and patient-reported outcomes (PROs) in advanced or metastatic medullary thyroid cancer (aMTC) across five populous European countries.

Methods: Cross-sectional physician and patient surveys were used to collect quantitative and qualitative data in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the UK from July to December 2020, prior to the introduction of selective RET inhibitors in Europe. Physicians completed patient record forms and a survey about their specialty and practice site.

Real-world clinical profile, treatment patterns and patient-reported outcomes for thyroid cancer in Japan.

To provide a real-world snapshot of the clinical profile, management, and patient-reported outcomes (PRO) for advanced medullary and papillary thyroid cancer prior to the availability of rearranged during transfection (RET) inhibitors in Japan. Physicians completed patient-record forms for eligible patients seen during routine clinical practice. Physicians were also surveyed about their routine practice and patients were asked to provide PRO data.

Physician- and patient-reported symptom concordance and association with quality of life in hepatocellular carcinoma.

To investigate the association of discordance in patient- and physician-reported symptoms on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Data were drawn from a point-in-time survey of physicians and patients conducted in Germany, Italy and Spain (October 2018 - January 2019). Physicians and their consulting patients independently reported baseline characteristics, symptoms, treatment history and satisfaction, and HRQoL derived using the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Hepatobiliary (FACT-Hep) questionnaire.

Relative efficacy of interventions in the treatment of second-line non-small cell lung cancer: a systematic review and network meta-analysis.

Background: Locally advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) that has progressed after first-line treatment has a poor prognosis. Recent randomized clinical trials (RCTs) have demonstrated survival benefits of alternative treatments to docetaxel. However, information is lacking on which patients benefit the most and what drug or regimen is optimal.

Income-related inequality in perceived oral health among adult Finns before and after a major dental subsidization reform.

Objectives In Finland, a dental subsidization reform, implemented in 2001-2002, abolished age restrictions on subsidized dental care. The aim of this study was to investigate income-related inequality in the perceived oral health and its determinants among adult Finns before and after the reform. Materials and methods Three identical cross-sectional nationally representative postal surveys, concerning perceived oral health and the use of dental services among people born before 1971, were conducted in 2001 (n = 2157), in 2004 (n = 1814) and in 2007 (n = 1671).

Health state utility values associated with advanced gastric, oesophageal, or gastro-oesophageal junction adenocarcinoma: a systematic review.

Objectives: To systematically identify utility values associated with advanced gastric cancer (GC), oesophageal cancer (OC), or gastro-oesophageal junction (GEJ) cancer. Utility values relating to health states are an essential component for cost-utility analysis (CUA).

Methods: MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Library, and EconLit databases were reviewed for relevant studies using a pre-defined search strategy.

Inequality in oral health-related quality of life before and after a major subsidization reform.

In Finland, a dental subsidization reform, implemented in 2001-2002, abolished age restrictions on subsidized dental care. We investigated income-related inequality in oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) and its determinants among adult Finns before and after the reform. Three cross-sectional postal surveys, focusing on perceived oral health and the use of dental services among people born before 1971, were conducted in 2001 (n = 2,046), 2004 (n = 1,728), and 2007 (n = 1,560).

Income-related inequality and inequity in the use of dental services in Finland after a major subsidization reform.

Objectives: In Finland, a major oral healthcare reform (OHCR), implemented during 2001-2002, opened the public dental services (PDS) and extended subsidies for private dental services to entire adult population. Before the reform, adults born earlier than 1956 were not entitled to use PDS nor did they receive any reimbursements for their private dental costs. We aimed to examine changes in the income-related inequality and inequity in the use of dental services among the adult Finns after the reform.

Dental attendance among adult Finns after a major oral health care reform.

Objectives: Between 2001 and 2002, all age limits restricting the availability of subsidized private dental care and Public Dental Services (PDS) were abolished in Finland. In addition, the reform aimed to address income- and residence-related disparities in access to subsidized oral health care services. The aim of this study was to analyse how dental attendance and factors associated with it changed after the reform.

Resource use and costs of exenatide bid or insulin in clinical practice: the European CHOICE study.

Purpose: CHOICE (CHanges to treatment and Outcomes in patients with type 2 diabetes initiating InjeCtablE therapy) assessed patterns of exenatide bid and initial insulin therapy usage in clinical practice in six European countries and evaluated outcomes during the study.

Methods: CHOICE was a 24-month, prospective, noninterventional observational study. Clinical and resource use data were collected at initiation of first injectable therapy (exenatide bid or insulin) and at regular intervals for 24 months.

Excess healthcare costs of a large waterborne outbreak in Finland.

Background: The economic effects of waterborne outbreaks have rarely been reported. A large waterborne outbreak occurred in the town of Nokia in Finland in 2007 with half of the population in the contaminated area suffering from gastroenteritis. We studied the healthcare costs of this outbreak.

The relationship between physical work and the height premium: finnish evidence.

This paper examines the role of physical strength in the determination of the height wage premium by using the "Health 2000 in Finland" data that contain both self-reported information on the physical strenuousness of work, and information on muscle mass from medical examinations. The results suggest that there are generally no distinct differences in the height premium between four different work strain categories. We also find that muscle mass is positively associated with wages per se.

Think twice before you book? Modelling the choice of public vs private dentist in a choice experiment.

This study concerns the choice of primary dental service provider by consumers. If the health service delivery system allows individuals to choose between public-care providers or if complementary private services are available, it is typically assumed that utilisation is a three-stage decision process. The patient first makes a decision to seek care, and then chooses the service provider.

Obesity and labour market success in Finland: the difference between having a high BMI and being fat.

This paper examines the relationship between obesity and labour market success in Finland, using various indicators of individual body composition along with body mass index (BMI). Weight, height, fat mass and waist circumference are measured by health professionals. We find that only waist circumference has a negative association with wages for women, whereas no obesity measure is significant in the linear wage models for men.

Did the Tobacco Control Act Amendment in 1995 affect daily smoking in Finland? Effects of a restrictive workplace smoking policy.

Background: This study examined changes in adult daily smoking in 1981-2005 in Finland, in order to evaluate the impact of the 1995 Tobacco Control Act Amendment (TCAA) and accompanying measures on the proportion of daily smokers. The main focus of the TCAA was to prohibit smoking at workplaces (designated rooms excluded) in order to protect workers from environmental tobacco smoke.

Methods: The study was based on data from annual postal surveys among 15- to 64-year-olds in 1981-2005 (average response rate 73%).

The association of alcohol dependency with employment probability: evidence from the population survey 'Health 2000 in Finland'.

In this paper, we investigate to what extent alcohol-dependent individuals fare worse in the Finnish labour market, using data from a large Finnish health survey. We used the DSM-IV criteria for alcohol dependence assessed by a composite international diagnostic interview (CIDI). We find that there are substantial disadvantages for alcohol-dependent men and women in the labour market, in the sense that they have lower employment probabilities.

Abstaining from alcohol and labour market underperformance--have we forgotten the 'dry' alcoholics?

Aims: To investigate whether abstainers fare worse than non-abstainers on the labour market because a subset of the abstainers are ex-drinkers with alcohol problems.

Methods: In the cross-sectional population survey 'health 2000 in Finland' (n = 10 000) carried out in 2000, alcohol dependency was measured using the DSM-IV diagnostic criteria for alcohol dependence. The CIDI (composite international diagnostic interview) was applied to ascertain lifetime DSM-IV diagnoses for substance abuse diagnoses, including alcohol dependence.

Smoking-related costs among 25 to 59 year-old males in a 19-year individual follow-up.

Objective: To estimate the health care expenditure and productivity losses due to smoking.

Design: A retrospective cohort study of a random population sample of 5,247 men aged 25-59 years from the provinces of Kuopio and North Karelia in eastern Finland. Subjects initially surveyed in 1972 were linked to a set of national registers through their social security identification numbers and followed for 19 years.