Real-world use of denosumab and bisphosphonates in patients with solid tumours and bone metastases in Germany

PURPOSE: Bisphosphonates and denosumab prevent bone complications in patients with bone metastases from solid tumours. This retrospective, longitudinal, cohort study provides data on their real-world use in this setting in Germany. METHODS: Adults with bone metastases from breast, prostate or lung cancer who were newly initiated on a bisphosphonate or denosumab between 1 July 2011 and 31 December 2015 were identified from a German healthcare insurance claims database. Primary outcomes included persistence, compliance, discontinuation and switch rates at 12 months. RESULTS: This study included 1130 patients with bone metastases: 555 (49%) had breast cancer, 361 (32%) prostate cancer and 242 (21%) lung cancer. Mean age was 65 years for patients with breast or lung cancer and 74 years for those with prostate cancer. Across all tumour types, compared with any bisphosphonate, 12-month persistence was higher with denosumab (breast cancer 78% vs 54–58%, prostate cancer 58% vs 50%, lung cancer 68% vs 34–60%), median time to discontinuation was longer with denosumab and switch rates were lower for denosumab (breast cancer 5% vs 14–19%, prostate cancer 2% vs 11%, lung cancer 3% vs 7–12%). Compliance at 12 months was longer for denosumab than for any bisphosphonate in breast cancer (75% vs 42–48%) and in prostate cancer (47% vs 36%). CONCLUSIONS: Patients initiated on denosumab following a diagnosis of bone metastases from breast, prostate or lung cancer had greater medication persistence, longer time to discontinuation, improved compliance and lower switch rates than those initiated on a bisphosphonate. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (10.1007/s00520-020-05357-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.