Insurance impacts survival for children, adolescents, and young adults with bone and soft tissue sarcomas

Bone Sarcoma Survival in the US Military Health System: Comparison With the SEER Program

BACKGROUND

Access to care is associated with cancer survival. The US Military Health System (MHS) provides universal health care to all beneficiaries. However, it is unknown whether survival among patients with bone sarcoma in a health system providing universal care is better than that in the general population. The aim of the study was to compare survival of patients with bone sarcoma in the US MHS with that of the US general population.

METHODS

The MHS data were obtained from the Department of Defense Automated Central Tumor Registry (ACTUR). The US general population data were obtained from the National Cancer Institute's Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) registry. Adult patients were defined as those aged 25 years or older with a histologically confirmed musculoskeletal bone sarcoma diagnosed from January 1, 1987, to December 31, 2013. Kaplan-Meier survival curves and multivariable Cox proportional hazards models were used to compare the overall survival of the two populations.

RESULTS

The final analysis included 2,273 bone sarcoma cases from ACTUR and 9,092 bone sarcoma cases from SEER. ACTUR patients had significant lower 5-year all-cause death (hazard ratio = 0.72; 95% CI, 0.66 to 0.78) after adjustment for the potential confounders. ACTUR patients with bone sarcoma also exhibited significantly lower risk of all-cause death during the entire follow-up period than the SEER patients (hazard ratio = 0.75; 95% CI, 0.6 to 0.81).

CONCLUSIONS

MHS beneficiaries with bone sarcoma may have longer survival than SEER patients. Our findings support the role of universal access to high-quality care in improving bone sarcoma outcomes.

Racial disparities in the management and outcomes of primary osseous neoplasms of the spine: a SEER analysis

PURPOSE

Primary osseous neoplasms of the spine, including Ewing's sarcoma, osteosarcoma, chondrosarcoma, and chordoma, are rare tumors with significant morbidity and mortality. The present study aims to identify the prevalence and impact of racial disparities on management and outcomes of patients with these malignancies.

METHODS

The 2000 to 2020 Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Registry, a cancer registry, was retrospectively reviewed to identify patients with Ewing's sarcoma, osteosarcoma, chondrosarcoma, or chordoma of the vertebral column or sacrum/pelvis. Study patients were divided into race-based cohorts: White, Black, Hispanic, and Other. Demographics, tumor characteristics, treatment variables, and mortality were assessed.

RESULTS

2,415 patients were identified, of which 69.8% were White, 5.8% Black, 16.1% Hispanic, and 8.4% classified as "Other". Tumor type varied significantly between cohorts, with osteosarcoma affecting a greater proportion of Black patients compared to the others (p < 0.001). A lower proportion of Black and Other race patients received surgery compared to White and Hispanic patients (p < 0.001). Utilization of chemotherapy was highest in the Hispanic cohort (p < 0.001), though use of radiotherapy was similar across cohorts (p = 0.123). Five-year survival (p < 0.001) and median survival were greatest in White patients (p < 0.001). Compared to non-Hispanic Whites, Hispanic (p < 0.001) and "Other" patients (p < 0.001) were associated with reduced survival.

CONCLUSION

Race may be associated with tumor characteristics at diagnosis (including subtype, size, and site), treatment utilization, and mortality, with non-White patients having lower survival compared to White patients. Further studies are necessary to identify underlying causes of these disparities and solutions for eliminating them.

Medicare Advantage in Soft Tissue Sarcoma May Be Associated with Worse Patient Outcomes

Medicare Advantage healthcare plans may present undue impediments that result in disparities in patient outcomes. This study aims to compare the outcomes of patients who underwent STS resection based on enrollment in either traditional Medicare (TM) or Medicare Advantage (MA) plans. The Premier Healthcare Database was utilized to identify all patients ≥65 years old who underwent surgery for resection of a lower-extremity STS from 2015 to 2021. These patients were then subdivided based on their Medicare enrollment status (i.e., TM or MA). Patient characteristics, hospital factors, and comorbidities were recorded for each cohort. Bivariable analysis was performed to assess the 90-day risk of postoperative complications. Multivariable analysis controlling for patient sex, as well as demographic and hospital factors found to be significantly different between the cohorts, was also performed. From 2015 to 2021, 1858 patients underwent resection of STS. Of these, 595 (32.0%) had MA coverage and 1048 (56.4%) had TM coverage. The only comorbidities with a significant difference between the cohorts were peripheral vascular disease (p = 0.027) and hypothyroidism (p = 0.022), both with greater frequency in MA patients. After controlling for confounders, MA trended towards having significantly higher odds of pulmonary embolism (adjusted odds ratio (aOR): 1.98, 95% confidence interval (95%-CI): 0.58-6.79), stroke (aOR: 1.14, 95%-CI: 0.20-6.31), surgical site infection (aOR: 1.59, 95%-CI: 0.75-3.37), and 90-day in-hospital death (aOR 1.38, 95%-CI: 0.60-3.19). Overall, statistically significant differences in postoperative outcomes were not achieved in this study. The authors of this study hypothesize that this may be due to study underpowering or the inability to control for other oncologic factors not available in the Premier database. Further research with higher power, such as through multi-institutional collaboration, is warranted to better assess if there truly are no differences in outcomes by Medicare subtype for this patient population.

The Effect of Health Insurance on Pediatric Cancer Survival: An Analysis of Children Evaluated for Radiation Therapy in Diverse Multicenter Health Systems

BACKGROUND

Understanding the role of health insurance in cancer survival in a diverse population of pediatric radiation oncology patients could help to identify patients at risk of adverse outcomes.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Data were collected from cancer patients evaluated for radiation therapy, age < 19, diagnosed from January 1990 to August 2019. Predictors of recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) were analyzed by univariable and multivariable Cox regression. Variables included health insurance, diagnosis type, sex, race/ethnicity, and socioeconomic status deprivation index.

RESULTS

The study included 459 patients with a median diagnosis age of 9 years. Demographic breakdown was 49.5% Hispanic, 27.2% non-Hispanic White, and 20.7% non-Hispanic Black. There were 203 recurrences and 86 deaths observed over a median follow-up of 2.4 years. Five-year RFS was 59.8% (95% CI, 51.6, 67.0) versus 36.5% (95% CI, 26.6, 46.6), and 5-year OS was 87.5% (95% CI, 80.9, 91.9) versus 71.0% (95% CI, 60.3, 79.3) in private pay insurance versus Medicaid/Medicare, respectively. Multivariable showed Medicaid/Medicare patients experienced a 54% higher risk of recurrence (hazard ratio: 1.54, 95% CI, 1.08, 2.20) and 79% higher risk of death (hazard ratio: 1.79, 95% CI, 1.02, 3.14) than privately insured patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Significant disadvantages in RFS and OS were identified in radiation oncology patients with Medicaid/Medicare insurance, even after adjusting for clinical and demographic variables.

Access to Chimeric Antigen Receptor T Cell Clinical Trials in Underrepresented Populations: A Multicenter Cohort Study of Pediatric and Young Adult Acute Lymphobastic Leukemia Patients

Chimeric antigen receptor T cell (CAR-T) therapy is a promising approach to improve survival for children and adults with relapsed/refractory (r/r) B cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL), but these clinical trials might not be equally accessible to patients of low socioeconomic status (SES) or to patients from racial or ethnic minority groups. We sought to describe the sociodemographic characteristics of pediatric and adolescent and young adult (AYA) patients enrolled in CAR-T clinical trials and to compare these characteristics to those of other patients with r/r B-ALL. We conducted a multicenter retrospective cohort study at 5 pediatric consortium sites to compare the sociodemographic characteristics of patients treated and enrolled in CAR-T trials at their home institution, other patients with r/r B-ALL treated at these sites, and patients referred from an external hospital for CAR-T trials. The patients were age 0 to 27 years with r/r B-ALL treated at 1 of the consortium sites between 2012 and 2018. Clinical and demographic data were collected from the electronic health record. We calculated distance from home to treating institution and assigned SES scores based on census tract. Among the 337 patients treated for r/r B-ALL, 112 were referred from an external hospital to a consortium site and enrolled in a CAR-T trial and 225 were treated primarily at a consortium site, with 34% enrolled in a CAR-T trial. Patients treated primarily at a consortium site had similar characteristics regardless of trial enrollment. Lower proportions of Hispanic patients (37% versus 56%; P = .03), patients whose preferred language was Spanish (8% versus 22%; P = .006), and publicly insured patients (38% versus 65%; P = .001) were referred from an external hospital than were treated primarily at a consortium site and enrolled in a CAR-T trial. Patients who are Hispanic, Spanish-speaking, or publicly insured are underrepresented in referrals from external hospitals to CAR-T centers. External provider implicit bias also may influence referral of these patients. Establishing partnerships between CAR-T centers and external hospital sites may improve provider familiarity, patient referral, and patient access to CAR-T clinical trials.

Pilot Study in Investigating Material Financial Toxicity Markers by Age in Cancer Patients

Purpose: Studies have shown that financial toxicity can reduce survival, decrease quality of life, and reduce compliance with treatments. The aim of this retrospective study was to investigate material markers of financial toxicity, including insurance coverage, financial assistance, and balances due among adolescent and young adult (AYA) (18-39), adult (40-64), and senior adult (>65) patients with a sarcoma diagnosis after the Affordable Care Act became effective. Methods: This study performed a retrospective analysis of possible indicators within the material domain of financial toxicity in sarcoma patients, a common diagnosis in young adult patients. Indicators of financial toxicity included: insurance status and number of insurances, charity care, accessing financing options, or having an unpaid balance referred to a collection's agency. Results: The cumulative charges per patient were similar between AYA, adult, and senior adult populations at an average of $194,329 (standard deviation [SD] = $321,425), $236,724 (SD = $368,345), and $188,030 (SD = $271,191), respectively. AYA patients were more likely than adult and senior adult patients to have Medicaid coverage (income-based government insurance) (22.1% vs. 8.4% vs. 1.2%), receive charity care (5.3% vs. 2.6% vs. 1.2%), or have a balance referred to a collection's agency (9.2% vs. 5.8% vs. 1.2%). Conclusions: This study suggests that younger cancer patients are more likely to suffer material financial strain and additional financial resources may need to be made available to ensure they can receive care without an increase of financial toxicity markers and undue financial stress.

Population-Based Impact of Rurality and Neighborhood-Level Socioeconomic Disadvantage on Pediatric Cancer Mortality in Washington State

BACKGROUND

Childhood cancer-related mortality differs by socioeconomic factors, but the impact of residential location, including rurality and neighborhood-level socioeconomic disadvantage, is not well-characterized.

METHODS

This retrospective cohort study linked Washington State cancer registry data (1992-2013) to state birth (1974-2013) and death records (1992-2013) to identify residents <20 years diagnosed with cancer (n = 4,306). Census-based rural-urban commuting area codes and Area Deprivation Index (ADI) defined rural residence and neighborhood socioeconomic disadvantage at time of cancer diagnosis, respectively. Neighborhoods in the highest state ADI quintile were classified as the most disadvantaged. Kaplan-Meier estimates and Cox hazards models, adjusted for key characteristics, were used to compare mortality by rural and ADI classification.

RESULTS

Five-year overall survival for children from non-rural low ADI neighborhoods (referent) was 80.9%±0.8%, versus 66.4%±2.9% from non-rural high ADI neighborhoods, 69.4%±3.8% from rural low ADI neighborhoods, and 66.9%±3.8% from rural high ADI neighborhoods (P < 0.01 for each comparison versus referent). Compared with the referent group, children from comparator neighborhoods had a greater mortality risk: Rural low ADI [hazard ratio (HR), 1.50; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.12-2.02], rural high ADI (HR, 1.53; 95% CI, 1.16-2.01), and non-rural high ADI (HR, 1.64; 95% CI, 1.32-2.04). Associations of ADI and rurality with mortality varied in sub-analyses by cancer type.

CONCLUSIONS

Children with cancer living in rural and/or socioeconomically disadvantaged neighborhoods at diagnosis experienced greater mortality relative to those without either factor.

IMPACT

Future investigation is needed to examine how rurality and poverty potentially impact healthcare utilization and health-related outcomes in pediatric oncology.

Survival of Patients With Primary Osseous Malignancies of the Mobile Spine Is Associated With Access to "Standard Treatment" Protocols

INTRODUCTION

Malignancies of the mobile spine carry high morbidity and mortality. This study sought to examine factors associated with receipt of "standard" treatment and survival for patients with primary mobile spine tumors in the California Cancer Registry (CCR).

METHODS

The CCR (1988 to 2016) data were obtained for patients with primary tumors of the mobile spine and at least 1-year follow-up. Sacrum/pelvis tumors were excluded. Age at diagnosis, sex, race, neighborhood socioeconomic status, insurance, Charlson Comorbidity Index, histologic diagnosis, stage at diagnosis, and treatment at a National Cancer Institute-designated Cancer Center (NCICC) were collected. Multivariate analyses were done to identify factors associated with all-cause mortality and receipt of "standard" treatment.

RESULTS

Four hundred eighty-four patients (64% White, 56% low neighborhood socioeconomic status, and 36% privately insured) were included. Chordoma (37%) was the most common diagnosis. Only 16% had metastatic disease at presentation. Only 29% received treatment at an NCICC. Lower age, Charlson Comorbidity Index, less extensive stage of disease, and private insurance were associated with lower all-cause mortality (all P < 0.05). Medicaid/public insurance (hazard ratio [HR], 1.65; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.13 to 2.41) and Medicare (HR, 1.80; 95% CI, 1.25 to 2.59) were associated with higher mortality compared with private insurance. Patients who received no known treatment (HR, 2.41; CI, 1.51 to 3.84) or treatment other than the "standard" (HR, 1.45; CI, 1.11 to 1.91) had higher mortality compared with those who received the standard protocols. A critical predictor of receiving the standard treatment protocol was being treated at an NCICC. If patients did not receive care at such institutions, they received optimal treatment only 40% of the time (HR, 0.5; P = 0.004).

CONCLUSIONS

Receipt of defined "standard treatment" protocols was associated with care received at an NCICC and lower all-cause mortality in patients with primary osseous malignancies of the mobile spine. Patients with public insurance are vulnerable to worse outcomes, regardless of age, disease burden, or receipt of standard treatment.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

III.

Soft-tissue Sarcoma Survival in the US Military Health System: Comparison With the SEER Program

INTRODUCTION

The US Military Health System (MHS) provides universal health care to beneficiaries. Few studies have evaluated the potential influence of access to universal care on survival outcomes for sarcoma. This study compared the survival of adult patients with soft-tissue sarcoma in the MHS with the US general population.

METHODS

MHS data were obtained from the Department of Defense Automated Central Tumor Registry (ACTUR). US population data were obtained from the National Cancer Institute's Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results registry. Patients who were 25 years or older with a histologically confirmed musculoskeletal soft-tissue sarcoma were matched based on age, sex, and race. Kaplan-Meier survival curves and Cox proportional hazards models were used to compare 5-year survival in the two groups.

RESULTS

Adult patients in ACTUR had markedly lower 5-year mortality for soft-tissue sarcomas (hazard ratio=0.82; 95% confidence interval, 0.73 to 0.92) after adjustment for potential confounders. Lower 5-year mortality was found in most demographic subgroups for ACTUR patients compared with Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results patients.

CONCLUSION

Five-year survival in the MHS compared with the US general population may suggest an important role of universal health care in improving the survival of patients with soft-tissue sarcoma.

Social determinants of health and pediatric cancer survival: A systematic review

Despite treatment advancements and improved survival, approximately 1800 children in the United States will die of cancer annually. Survival may depend on nonclinical factors, such as economic stability, neighborhood and built environment, health and health care, social and community context, and education, otherwise known as social determinants of health (SDoH). Extant literature reviews have linked socioeconomic status (SES) and race to disparate outcomes; however, these are not inclusive of all SDoH. Thus, we conducted a systematic review on associations between SDoH and survival in pediatric cancer patients. Of the 854 identified studies, 25 were included in this review. In addition to SES, poverty and insurance coverage were associated with survival. More studies that include other SDoH, such as social and community factors, utilize prospective designs, and conduct analyses with more precise SDoH measures are needed.

Non-Private Health Insurance Predicts Advanced Stage at Presentation and Amputation in Lower Extremity High Grade Bone Sarcoma: A National Cancer Database Study : Amputation Predicts Survival: An Effect Most Pronounced in Pediatric and AYA Age Group

INTRODUCTION

Advances in diagnostic and treatment modalities for high grade bone sarcomas (HGBS) of lower extremity (LE) have enabled limb salvage resections as a feasible first-line surgical option. However, amputations are still performed. Impact of amputation on survival and predictive factors for amputation and the stage at presentation for HGBS of LE remain unknown.

METHODS

National Cancer Database was used to extract 5781 cases of high-grade bone sarcoma of the LE from 2004 to 2017. Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression were used to determine the impact of amputation on survival. Chi square test and logistic regression were used to assess the correlation of predictive factors with amputation and stage at presentation.

RESULTS

Amputation [hazard ratio (HR) 1.516; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.259-1.826; p < 0.001] and advanced stage (HR 0.248; 95% CI 0.176-0.351; p < 0.001) were independent predictors of poor overall survival. The impact of amputation on survival was most pronounced for pediatric and adolescents and young adults (AYA) age groups (18% decrease in 10-year survival). Amputation was more likely to be performed among those with nonprivate insurance (HR 1.736; 95% CI 1.191-2.531; p = 0.004), a finding that was mirrored for advanced stage at presentation (HR 0.611; 95% CI 0.414-0.902; p = 0.013).

DISCUSSION

Amputation is an independent predictor of poor outcomes among patients with HGBS of LE. The impact of amputation on survival is the highest for the pediatric and AYA age group. Nonprivate insurance is associated with increased likelihood of amputation and an advanced stage at presentation among patients with high-grade bone sarcoma of the LE. This is the largest study highlighting insurance-related disparities in this cohort.

Comparison of preoperative chemoradiation with radiation or chemotherapy alone in patients with non-metastatic, resectable retroperitoneal sarcoma

Aim:

Optimal preoperative therapy regimen in the treatment of resectable retroperitoneal sarcoma (RPS) remains unclear. This study compares the impact of preoperative radiation, chemoradiation and chemotherapy on overall survival (OS) in RPS patients.

Materials and Methods:

The National Cancer Database (NCDB) was queried for patients with non-metastatic, resectable RPS (2006–15). The primary endpoint was OS, evaluated by Kaplan–Meier method, log-rank test, Cox multivariable analysis and propensity score matching.

Results:

A total of 1,253 patients met the inclusion criteria, with 210 patients (17%) receiving chemoradiation, 850 patients (68%) receiving radiation and 193 patients (15%) receiving chemotherapy. On Cox multivariable analysis, when compared to preoperative chemoradiation, preoperative radiation was not associated with improved OS (hazards ratio [HR] 0·98, 95% CI 0·76–1·25, p = 0·84), while preoperative chemotherapy was associated with worse OS (HR 1·64, 95% CI 1·24–2·18, p < 0·001). Similar findings were observed in 199 and 128 matched pairs for preoperative radiation and chemotherapy, respectively, when compared to preoperative chemoradiation.

Findings:

Our study suggested an OS benefit in using preoperative chemoradiation compared to chemotherapy alone, but OS outcomes were comparable between preoperative chemoradiation and radiation alone.

Socioeconomic disparities in survival after high-risk neuroblastoma treatment with modern therapy

BACKGROUND

Modern therapeutic advances in high-risk neuroblastoma have improved overall survival (OS), but it is unclear whether these survival gains have been equitable. This study examined the relationship between socioeconomic status (SES) and overall survival (OS) in children with high-risk neuroblastoma and whether SES-associated disparities have changed over time.

PROCEDURE

In this population-based cohort study, children <18 years diagnosed with high-risk neuroblastoma (diagnosis at age ≥12 months with metastatic disease) from 1991 to 2015 were identified through the National Cancer Institute's Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database. Associations of county-level SES variables and OS were tested with univariate Cox proportional hazards regression. For a subcohort diagnosed after 2007, insurance status was examined as an individual-level SES variable. Multivariable regression analyses with treatment era and interaction terms were performed when SES variables reached near-significance (p ≤ .1) in univariate and bivariate modeling with treatment era.

RESULTS

Among 1217 children, 2-year OS improved from 53.0 ± 3.4% in 1991-1998 to 76.9 ± 2.9% in 2011-2015 (p < .001). In univariate analyses, children in high-poverty counties (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.74, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.17-2.60, p = .007), and those with Medicaid (HR = 1.40, 95% CI = 1.05-1.86, p = .02) experienced an increased hazard of death. No interactions between treatment era and SES variables were statistically significant in multivariable analyses, indicating that differences in the OS between SES groups did not change over time.

CONCLUSIONS

Survival disparities among children with high-risk neuroblastoma have not widened over time, suggesting equitable access to and benefit from therapeutic advances. However, children of low SES experience persistently inferior survival. Interventions to narrow this disparity are paramount.

Survival in Pediatric, Adolescent, and Young Adult Patients With Sarcoma in the Military Health System: Comparison With the SEER Population

BACKGROUND

We sought to compare survival outcomes of sarcomas in the pediatric and adolescent/young adult populations with universal care access in the Military Health System (MHS) to those from the United States general population.

METHODS

We compared data from the Department of Defense's (DoD) Automated Central Tumor Registry (ACTUR) and the National Cancer Institute's (NCI) Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) program on the overall survival of patients 24 years or younger with histologically or microscopically confirmed sarcoma between diagnosed between January 1, 1987, and December 31, 2013. The Kaplan-Meier survival curves were used to compare survival between the 2 patient populations. Cox proportional hazard models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) comparing ACTUR relative to SEER.

RESULTS

The final analysis included 309 and 1236 bone sarcoma cases and 465 and 1860 soft tissue sarcoma cases from ACTUR and SEER, respectively. Cox proportional hazards analysis showed soft tissue sarcoma patients in ACTUR had significantly better overall (HR=0.73, 95% CI=0.55-0.98) and 5-year overall (HR=0.63, 95% CI=0.46-0.86) survival compared with SEER patients, but no significant difference in overall or 5-year overall survival between ACTUR and SEER patients with bone sarcoma.

CONCLUSION

Survival data from the ACTUR database demonstrated significantly improved overall survival for soft tissue sarcomas and equivalent survival in bone sarcomas compared with that reported by SEER.

Clinical characteristics and outcomes of infants compared with children diagnosed with rhabdomyosarcoma: Analysis of surveillance, epidemiology and end results data from 2000 to 2016

BACKGROUND

Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) is the most common soft-tissue sarcoma of childhood, but occurs infrequently in infants (<1 year). Historically, infants with RMS have worse overall survival compared to other pediatric age groups.

AIM

This study aims to assess the clinical features and treatment factors associated with survival comparing infants to children aged 1-9 years diagnosed with RMS.

METHODS

Children aged <10 years diagnosed with RMS between 2000 and 2016 were identified using the SEER database. Descriptive statistics were used to assess demographic, clinical, and treatment characteristics of infants and children with RMS. Kaplan-Meier estimates and Cox proportional hazards regression were performed to assess for factors associated with survival.

RESULTS

Age <1 year was independently associated with an increased risk of mortality. Compared to children aged 1-9 years, fewer infants received standard of care therapy, that is, chemotherapy combined with local control (surgery and/or radiation; 86.8 vs. 75.7%; p = .009). In comparing the frequency of specific treatment modalities (used alone or in combination with other modalities), infants were less likely to receive radiation therapy (34.0 vs. 66.4%; p < .001) and more likely to receive surgery (68.9 vs. 57.5%; p = .02) than children aged 1-9 years. Across age groups, chemotherapy combined with local control was significantly associated with reduced mortality. Alveolar histology, metastatic disease, and Hispanic ethnicity were negatively associated with survival.

CONCLUSIONS

Age of <1 year was an independent risk factor for increased mortality from RMS compared to ages 1-9 years. Fewer infants were treated with chemotherapy combined with local control, the therapy associated with best survival in all age groups. Other factors contributing to differences in survival should be further explored.

Poor-Prognosis Metastatic Cancers in Adolescents and Young Adults: Incidence Patterns, Trends, and Disparities

Background

For adolescents and young adults (AYAs, aged 15-39 years) with cancer, metastatic disease at diagnosis is the strongest predictor of mortality, but its associations with age and sociodemographic factors are largely unexplored.

Methods

Using Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program data from 2000 to 2016, we collected incident cases of poor-prognosis metastatic cancer (5-year survival < 50%) and compared the proportion, incidence, time trends, and incidence rate ratios for race and ethnicity, sex, and socioeconomic status among AYAs, middle-aged adults (aged 40-64 years) and older adults (aged 65-79 years).

Results

From 2000 to 2016, a total of 17 210 incident cases of poor-prognosis metastatic cancer were diagnosed in AYAs, 121 274 in middle-aged adults, and 364 228 in older adults. Compared with older patients, the proportion of AYAs having metastatic disease was equivalent or substantially lower in nearly every site except stomach and breast cancers, which were statistically significantly higher for AYAs compared with middle-aged and older adults (stomach: 57.3% vs 46.4% and 39.5%; breast: 6.6% vs 4.4% and 5.6%, respectively; 2-sided P < .001 for all comparisons). Incidence rates rose significantly faster among AYAs for breast, stomach, and kidney cancers and among AYAs and middle-aged adults for colorectal cancer. Markedly higher incidence rate ratios were noted for AYA racial and ethnic minorities with breast, stomach, and especially kidney cancer, where only non-Hispanic Black AYAs were at considerably higher risk. For most sites, incidence rate ratios were higher among male patients and individuals of low socioeconomic status across age groups.

Conclusions

For most cancers, AYAs are not more likely to present with metastases than middle-aged and older adults. Further investigation is warranted for the disproportionate rise in incidence of metastatic breast, stomach, and kidney cancer among AYAs and their excess burden among AYA racial and ethnic minorities. The rising incidence of colorectal cancer among AYAs and middle-aged adults remains an additional concern.

Socioeconomic and health care coverage disparities in children, adolescents, and young adults with sarcoma

BACKGROUND

Socioeconomic and health care coverage disparities are established as poor prognostic markers in adults with sarcoma, but few studies examine these differences among pediatric, adolescents and young adults (AYA). This study examines the association between socioeconomic status (SES), insurance status, and disease presentation among children and AYA patients with sarcoma.

METHODS

This is a retrospective cohort study of patients aged 0-25 years with bone or soft tissue sarcoma from the National Cancer Database. SES assignments were based on estimated median income and education level. Patient demographics and clinical factors were compared by SES and insurance status. Multivariate logistic regression models were fitted to determine adjusted odds ratios of SES and insurance status on metastatic disease or tumor size ≥5 cm at time of presentation.

RESULTS

In a cohort of 9112 patients, 2932 (32.1%) had low, 2084 (22.8%) middle, and 4096 (44.9%) high SES. For insurance status, 5864 (64.3%) had private, 2737 (30.0%) public, and 511 (5.6%) were uninsured. Compared to high SES, patients with low SES were more likely to have metastatic disease (OR = 1.16, P = .03) and tumors ≥5 cm (OR = 1.29, P < .01). Compared to private insurance, public and no insurance were associated with metastatic disease (OR = 1.35, P < .01 and OR = 1.32, P = .02) and increased tumors ≥5 cm (OR = 1.28, P < .01 and OR = 1.67, P < .01).

CONCLUSIONS

SES disparities exist among children and AYA patients with sarcoma. Low SES and public or no insurance are associated with advanced disease at presentation. Further studies are needed to identify interventions to improve earlier detection of sarcomas in at-risk children and young adults.

A Novel Tool to Predict Early Death in Uterine Sarcoma Patients: A Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results-Based Study

Background

Uterine sarcoma is a rare gynecologic tumor with a high degree of malignancy. There is a lack of effective prognostic tools to predict early death of uterine sarcoma.

Methods

Data on patients with uterine sarcoma registered between 2004 and 2015 were extracted from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) data. Important independent prognostic factors were identified by univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses to construct a nomogram for total early deaths and cancer-specific early deaths.

Results

A total of 5,274 patients with uterine sarcoma were included in this study. Of which, 397 patients experienced early death (≤3 months), and 356 of whom died from cancer-specific causes. A nomogram for total early deaths and cancer-specific early deaths was created using data on age, race, tumor size, the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) staging, histological classification, histological staging, treatment (surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy), and brain metastases. On comparing the C-index, area under the curve, and decision curve analysis, the created nomogram showed better predictive power and clinical practicality than one made exclusively with FIGO staging. Calibration of the nomogram by internal validation showed good consistency between the predicted and actual early death.

Conclusions

Nomograms that include clinical characteristics can provide a better prediction of the risk of early death for uterine sarcoma patients than nomograms only comprising the FIGO stage system. In doing so, this tool can help in identifying patients at high risk for early death because of uterine sarcoma.

Off-label prescribing of targeted anticancer therapy at a large pediatric cancer center

Background

Off‐label drug prescribing is common in pediatric clinical medicine, though the extent and impact of this practice in pediatric oncology has not yet been characterized.

Methods

We completed a retrospective single‐institution cohort study evaluating prevalence, characteristics, and clinical outcomes of off‐label prescribing of 108 FDA‐approved targeted anticancer drugs in patients < 30 years old treated for cancer from 2007 to 2017. Dosing strategies were adjusted for body size and compared to FDA‐approved adult dosing regimen. A composite toxicity endpoint was defined as a patient having unplanned clinic visits, emergency department visits, or unplanned hospital admissions that were at least possibly related to the off‐label treatment.

Results

The overall prevalence of off‐label use of targeted therapies was 9.2% (n = 374 patients). The prevalence increased significantly over the study period (P < .0001). Patients treated off‐label were more likely to have neuro‐oncology diagnoses compared to patients not treated off‐label (46% vs 29%; P < .0001). Of the 108 potential agents, 38 (35%) were used by at least one patient. The median starting dose was below the FDA‐approved normalized dose for 44.4% of agents. Fifteen percent of patients had a complete response while receiving off‐label therapy, 38% experienced toxicity as defined, and 13% discontinued off‐label therapy due to toxicity.

Conclusions

In this real‐world evaluation of prescribing at a large pediatric cancer center, off‐label prescribing of FDA‐approved targeted therapies was common, increasing in prevalence, encompassed a broad sample of targeted agents, and was tolerable. Clinicians commonly start dosing below the equivalent FDA‐approved dose.

The Nomogram for Early Death in Patients with Bone and Soft Tissue Tumors

Objectives: The present study aimed to evaluate the early mortality rate and associated factors for early death in bone and soft tissue tumors, and to construct predictive nomogram. Methods: Patients diagnosed between 2010 and 2015 in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) dataset were enrolled. The early death (survival time ≤ 3 months) rate was calculated and associated risk factors were evaluated by the logistic regression models. The significant factors were used to construct predictive nomograms. Results: A total of 2,003 (8.5%) patients died within 3 months after cancer diagnosis, among whom 1,146 (4.9%) patients died from cancer-specific cause. Older age (19-50 and >50 years), grade (III and IV), reginal or distant stage were associated with higher odds of total, cancer-specific and non-cancer-specific early death. T2 stage, metastasis to brain and lung were risk factors for total and cancer-specific early death. Surgical interventions significantly decreased the odds of total, cancer-specific and non-cancer-specific early death. Female and black race were associated with lower odds of non-cancer-specific early death. The area under the curve (AUC) of the nomograms for total early death, cancer-specific and non-cancer-specific early death prediction was 88.0%, 89.0% and 83.2%, respectively. Conclusions: A total of 8.5% patients with bone and soft tissue tumors suffered early death. Several risk factors were associated with higher odds of early death while surgery can decrease the possibility of early death. Nomograms based on all related factors can be used to estimate the early death in bone and soft tissue tumors.

Insurance impacts survival for children, adolescents, and young adults with bone and soft tissue sarcomas

Background

While racial/ethnic survival disparities have been described in pediatric oncology, the impact of income has not been extensively explored. We analyzed how public insurance influences 5‐year overall survival (OS) in young patients with sarcomas.

Methods

The University of California San Francisco Cancer Registry was used to identify patients aged 0‐39 diagnosed with bone or soft tissue sarcomas between 2000 and 2015. Low‐income patients were defined as those with no insurance or Medicaid, a means‐tested form of public insurance. Survival curves were computed using the Kaplan‐Meier method and compared using log‐rank tests and Cox models. Causal mediation was used to assess whether the association between public insurance and mortality is mediated by metastatic disease.

Results

Of 1106 patients, 39% patients were classified as low‐income. Low‐income patients were more likely to be racial/ethnic minorities and to present with metastatic disease (OR 1.96, 95% CI 1.35‐2.86). Low‐income patients had significantly worse OS (61% vs 71%). Age at diagnosis and extent of disease at diagnosis were also independent predictors of OS. When stratified by extent of disease, low‐income patients consistently had significantly worse OS (localized: 78% vs 84%, regional: 64% vs 73%, metastatic: 23% vs 30%, respectively). Mediation analysis indicated that metastatic disease at diagnosis mediated 15% of the effect of public insurance on OS.

Conclusions

Low‐income patients with bone and soft tissue sarcomas had decreased OS regardless of disease stage at presentation. The mechanism by which insurance status impacts survival requires additional investigation, but may be through reduced access to care.