Real-World Utilization Patterns of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors Based on the National Health Insurance Service Data in Korea.

Purpose: This study was conducted to comprehensively understand the utilization patterns of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in Korea, including their use in combination with traditional anticancer therapies.

Methods: We investigated the utilization of ICIs using claims data from Korea between 2017 and 2022. Patients with cancer were included in the study if they received at least one dose of ICIs, defined by drug codes in the claims data. We used descriptive statistics to identify patterns of ICIs use in combination with other anticancer therapies and ICIs use by year and cancer type.

Findings: During the study period, 41,208 patients received at least one dose of ICIs. Lung cancer (66.6%), urinary tract cancer (11.3%), and liver/biliary tract cancer (10.6%) were the most frequent cancer types. The prescription of ICIs particularly surged between 2020 and 2022 for liver/biliary tract cancer. Between 2017 and 2022, the use of ICIs increased from 1,155 to 15,034, with an increase every year. Since 2020, the use of ICIs in combination with other anticancer therapies and concurrent use of ICIs has increased sharply.

Implications: The number of patients utilizing ICIs in Korea has been steadily increasing. As regulatory approval of indications for ICIs has expanded, so has the range of indications for ICIs. In addition, the combination of ICIs with other anticancer therapies and the concurrent use of ICIs has increased in recent years, reflecting expanded treatment options for advanced cancers.