title: Prevalence of bone metastases and bone-targeting agent use among solid tumor patients in the United States.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Patients with bone metastases are at an increased risk of experiencing morbidity due to bone complications, and bone-targeting agents (BTA) are indicated for the prevention of these complications. Population-based estimates of the prevalence of bone metastases associated with solid tumors, and current treatment patterns for these patients, are limited. This study was undertaken to estimate the prevalence of bone metastases from solid tumors and to describe recent trends in the use of BTA in the US.
  
  
  METHODS
  We estimated the prevalence of bone metastases in the US in 2012 using data from Medicare fee-for-service and PharMetrics Plus, a large commercial claims database. We evaluated the proportion of patients with bone metastases who were treated with BTA in 2012, timing of initiation of BTA relative to bone metastasis diagnosis, and persistence on BTA, overall and by primary tumor type and treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were ~330,000 (168,063 Medicare fee-for-service; 162,239 other) patients aged ≥18 years living with solid tumors and bone metastases in 2012. BTA were used by 43% (Commercial) to 47% (Medicare) of patients in 2012, with the greatest use among breast cancer patients. Over half (Medicare: 57%; Commercial: 53%) of BTA-treated patients initiated BTA after experiencing a bone complication.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Of the estimated 330,000 solid tumor patients living with bone metastases in the US in 2012, many may have received less than optimal care to prevent bone complications during the calendar year.
authors.affiliation: Amgen Inc., Thousand Oaks, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Rohini K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Hernandez
authors.affiliation: Trinity Partners, Waltham, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Avanti
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Adhia
authors.affiliation: Wade Outcomes Research and Consulting, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.
authors.forename: Sally W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Wade
authors.affiliation: Amgen Inc., Thousand Oaks, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Emily
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: O'Connor
authors.affiliation: Amgen Inc., Thousand Oaks, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Jorge
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Arellano
authors.affiliation: Trinity Partners, Waltham, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Kevin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Francis
authors.affiliation: Trinity Partners, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Hasmik
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Alvrtsyan
authors.affiliation: Trinity Partners, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Ryan P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Million
authors.affiliation: Amgen Inc., South San Francisco, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Liede
keywords: bone metastasis; prevalence; solid tumor