Study Data from Chung-Ang University Update Knowledge of Cancer (Real-World Utilization Patterns of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors Based on the National Health Insurance Service Data in Korea): Cancer

2025 SEP 03 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Insurance Daily News -- Current study results on Cancer have been published. According to news reporting originating from Seoul, South Korea, by NewsRx correspondents, research stated, “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. We investigated the utilization of ICIs using claims data from Korea between 2017 and 2022.”

Our news editors obtained a quote from the research from Chung-Ang University, “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. 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. 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.”

According to the news editors, the research concluded: “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.”

This research has been peer-reviewed.

For more information on this research see: Real-World Utilization Patterns of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors Based on the National Health Insurance Service Data in Korea. Clinical Therapeutics, 2025. Clinical Therapeutics can be contacted at: Elsevier, 685 Route 202-206, Bridgewater, NJ 08807, USA. (Elsevier - www.elsevier.com; Clinical Therapeutics - http://www.journals.elsevier.com/clinical-therapeutics/)

The news editors report that additional information may be obtained by contacting Yu-Seon Jung, College of Pharmacy, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, South Korea. Additional authors for this research include Eunji Kim, Jongmin Lee, Dal Ri Nam, Seung-Hun You, Ju Won Lee, Sook Ryun Park, Ji Seon Oh, Ye-Jee Kim, Eun-Jung Jo, Nakyung Jeon, Won-Jung Jung and Sun-Young Jung.

Publisher contact information for the journal Clinical Therapeutics is: Elsevier, 685 Route 202-206, Bridgewater, NJ 08807, USA.

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