Real-world Analysis of Commercially Insured and Medicare Advantage Patients with Advanced Cancer and Rates of Molecular Testing

6633 Background: Guideline-recommended molecular testing has become essential for biomarker-guided clinical decision making, particularly for patients with advanced (adv) disease. Several biomarkers have indications that are tumor type-agnostic (starting with MSI in 2017, NTRK in 2018, TMB in 2020, and RET and BRAF in 2022). Biomarker testing is covered by insurers, both Medicare (covers comprehensive genomic profiling [CGP] and non-CGP panels) and commercial (at least non-CGP). This study aimed to understand utilization of biomarker testing across tumor types. Methods: This retrospective analysis used de-identified administrative claims from Optum Labs Data Warehouse. Adult Commercial (COM) and Medicare Advantage (MA) enrollees diagnosed with any 1 of 6 adv cancer types from 1/2018 to 8/2021 were identified; the date of the first claim indicating adv cancer was the index date. Continuous enrollment for 12 months prior to (baseline), and ≥6 months post-index date, unless they died (follow-up) was required. Biomarker testing was captured using Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes indicating CGP (> 50 gene panels), non-CGP (at most 5-50 gene panels), or CPT code 81479 (unlisted molecular pathology procedure) during the study period. The primary analysis evaluates testing in the follow-up only, with secondary analyses evaluating testing including the baseline (to account for testing prior to the index date). Results: We identified 16,931 breast (BC), 16,838 non-small cell lung (NSCLC), 8,755 colorectal (CRC), 4,244 pancreatic (PC), 2,610 ovarian (OC), and 1,231 gastric (GC) adv cancer patients meeting study criteria. Overall biomarker testing rates in the follow-up period were: 37% NSCLC, 19% BC, 41% CRC, 35% PC, 51% OC, 35% GC. The Table shows testing rates by cancer, insurance type, and panel size during follow-up. Testing rates were lower among MA patients compared to COM patients. Even considering baseline and follow-up periods, overall biomarker testing rates were low, and lower among MA compared to COM : 48% NSCLC (53% COM, 47% MA), 27% BC (34% COM, 22% BC), 56% OC (61% COM, 53% MA),42% PC (53% COM, 38% MA), 47% CRC (56% COM, 42% MA), 41% GC (54% COM, 35% MA). Conclusions: Considering guideline recommendations, rates of biomarker testing across tumor types are far from optimal despite insurance coverage for testing. Identification of barriers to biomarker testing and interventions to overcome these are needed to improve adherence to biomarker testing guidelines. [Table: see text]