Epidemiology and economic burden of Von Hippel-Lindau Disease-associated central nervous system hemangioblastomas and pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors in the United States

Background To date, real-world evidence around the clinical and economic burden related to von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) disease is limited. Therefore, this study characterized the prevalence, healthcare resource utilization (HRU), and economic burden of von Hippel-Lindau–associated central nervous system hemangioblastoma (VHL-CNS-Hb) and pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (VHL-pNET) in the United States (US). Methods Patients with VHL-CNS-Hb or VHL-pNET were identified from Optum’s de-identified Clinformatics® Data Mart Database (2007–2020) and matched 1:5 to control patients without VHL disease or CNS-Hb/pNET. Prevalence rates of VHL-CNS-Hb and VHL-pNET (standardized by age and sex) in 2019 were estimated. HRU and healthcare costs (2020 US dollars) were compared between the VHL-CNS-Hb/VHL-pNET and control cohorts. Results In 2019, US prevalence rates of VHL-CNS-Hb and VHL-pNET were estimated to be 1.12 cases per 100,000 (3,678 patients) and 0.12 cases per 100,000 (389 patients), respectively. Patients with VHL-CNS-Hb ( N = 220) had more inpatient, outpatient, and emergency department visits and $49,645 higher annual healthcare costs than controls ( N = 1,100). Patients with VHL-pNET ( N = 20) had more inpatient and outpatient visits and $56,580 higher annual healthcare costs than controls ( N = 100). Costs associated with surgical removal of CNS-Hb and pNET were particularly high. Conclusions In this retrospective, claims-based study, both VHL-CNS-Hb and VHL-pNET were associated with substantial HRU and healthcare costs, particularly tumor reduction surgery–related costs. These findings provide important insight for healthcare payers regarding the expected real-world costs that enrollees with VHL-CNS-Hb and VHL-pNET may incur over the course of their disease.