Characterization and survival of patients with metastatic basal cell carcinoma in the Department of Veterans Affairs: a retrospective electronic health record review

Abstract

Available descriptive statistics for patients with metastatic basal cell carcinoma (mBCC) are limited. To describe disease characteristics, treatment patterns, survival outcomes, and prognostic factors of patients with mBCC, we conducted a retrospective review of electronic health records in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The primary outcome was survival. Data were also collected on demographics, comorbidities, medications, and procedures. Median (IQR) age of patients with mBCC (n = 475) was 72.0 (17.0) years; 97.9% of patients were male. Almost two-thirds of patients received no initial therapy for mBCC. Median overall survival was 40.5 months [95% CI (confidence interval) 4.8–140.0], and was shorter in patients with distant metastases (17.1 months; 95% CI 2.8–58.0) than in those with regional metastases (59.4 months; 95% CI 17.6–140.0). Because the VA mBCC population is largely male and elderly, the generalizability of these results in other populations is limited and must be interpreted cautiously. Data from this large cohort add valuable information on a rare and poorly researched disease and refine previously wide estimates of overall survival for mBCC.