Table 1.
Characteristics of Eligible Patients Who Received Second-Line Treatment Stratified by First-Line Therapy
| Characteristic | All Treatments (n = 1974) | Chemo-immuno-therapy (n = 693) | Chemotherapy Alone (n = 824) | Immunotherapy Alone (n = 457) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age at second-line treatment in years | ||||
| 66–74 | 653 (33) | 277 (40) | 268 (33) | 108 (24) |
| 75–79 | 577 (29) | 202 (29) | 261 (32) | 114 (25) |
| 80+ | 744 (38) | 214 (31) | 295 (36) | 235 (51) |
| Sex | ||||
| Female | 874 (44) | 266 (38) | 388 (47) | 220 (48) |
| Male | 1100 (56) | 427 (62) | 436 (53) | 237 (52) |
| Number of treatment cycles included in first-line treatment course | ||||
| 1–2 | 650 (33) | 109 (16) | 231 (28) | 310 (68) |
| 3+ | 1324 (67) | 584 (84) | 593 (72) | 147 (32) |
| Interval between first- and second-line antineoplastic treatments | ||||
| 6 mo to <2 y | 1325 (67) | 434 (63) | 531 (64) | 360 (79) |
| 2 y to <3 y | 355 (18) | 155 (22) | 142 (17) | 58 (13) |
| 3+ y | 294 (15) | 104 (15) | 151 (18) | 39 (9) |
| Type of second-line antineoplastic treatment | ||||
| Chemo-immunotherapy | 576 (29) | 298 (43) | 183 (22) | 95 (21) |
| Chemotherapy alone | 486 (25) | 80 (12) | 375 (46) | 31 (7) |
| Immunotherapy alone | 609 (31) | 207 (30) | 122 (15) | 280 (61) |
| Unknown (nonspecific billing codes) | 303 (15) | 108 (16) | 144 (17) | 51 (11) |
| Indicators of CLL/SLL progression | ||||
| Anemia | 916 (46) | 331 (48) | 345 (42) | 240 (53) |
| Thrombocytopenia | 358 (18) | 145 (21) | 135 (16) | 78 (17) |
| Immune deficiency | 282 (14) | 147 (21) | 93 (11) | 42 (9) |
| Count of major comorbiditiesa | ||||
| None | 964 (49) | 330 (48) | 420 (51) | 214 (47) |
| 1 | 566 (29) | 197 (28) | 236 (29) | 133 (29) |
| 2 or more | 444 (22) | 166 (24) | 168 (20) | 110 (24) |
| Hospitalized in prior year | 777 (39) | 269 (39) | 335 (41) | 173 (38) |
Values are n (%).
Abbreviation: CLL/SLL = chronic lymphocytic leukemia or small lymphocytic lymphoma.
a
The major comorbidities covariate, adapted from the National Cancer Institute and Charlson comorbidity indices, is a count of the following 12 comorbidities: cerebrovascular disease, chronic pulmonary disease, congestive heart failure, dementia, diabetes, hemiplegia/paraplegia, liver disease, myocardial infarction, peptic ulcer disease, renal disease, rheumatic disease, and human immunodeficiency virus infection.