Ascertainment of postprostatectomy radiotherapy for prostate cancer in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database

Early death from childhood cancer: First medical record-level analysis reveals insights on diagnostic timing and cause of death

BACKGROUND

Approximately 7.5% of pediatric cancer deaths occur in the first 30 days post diagnosis, termed early death (ED). Previous database-level analyses identified increased ED in Black/Hispanic patients, infants, late adolescents, those in poverty, and with specific diagnoses. Socioeconomic and clinical risk factors have never been assessed at the medical record level and are poorly understood.

METHODS

We completed a retrospective case-control study of oncology patients diagnosed from 1995 to 2016 at Children's Hospital Colorado. The ED group (n = 45) was compared to a non-early death (NED) group surviving >31 days, randomly selected from the same cohort (n = 44). Medical records and death certificates were manually reviewed for sociodemographic and clinical information to identify risk factors for ED.

RESULTS

We identified increased ED risk in central nervous system (CNS) tumors and, specifically, high-grade glioma and atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumor. There was prolonged time from symptom onset to seeking care in the ED group (29.4 vs. 9.8 days) with similar time courses to diagnosis thereafter. Cause of death was most commonly from tumor progression in brain/CNS tumors and infection in hematologic malignancies.

CONCLUSIONS

In this first medical record-level analysis of ED, we identified socioeconomic and clinical risk factors. ED was associated with longer time from first symptoms to presentation, suggesting that delayed presentation may be an addressable risk factor. Many individual patient-level risk factors, including socioeconomic measures and barriers to care, were unable to be assessed through record review, highlighting the need for a prospective study to understand and address childhood cancer ED.

Radiation Records in the National Cancer Database: Variations in Coding and/or Practice Can Significantly Alter Survival Results

PURPOSE

The aim of the current work was to quantify internally inconsistent and anomalous radiation therapy (RT) data in the National Cancer Database (NCDB) and determine their association with overall survival (OS) using node-positive uterine cancer as a test clinical scenario.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We identified all NCDB participants with International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stage IIIC1 to IIIC2 uterine cancer treated with hysterectomy and adjuvant RT between 1998 and 2012. Variables that were reviewed to identify anomalous data included RT site, modality, dose, fractions, timing, duration, and stage. We used χ² testing to associate anomalous data with reporting facility and demographic variables. OS was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method and comparison between cohorts was performed using the log-rank test. Univariable and multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression analyses were performed.

RESULTS

Of the 14,298 analyzed participants, 2,288 (16.0%) had one or more anomalous data entry, 538 (3.8%) likely because of an incomplete RT course. χ² testing suggested differences in anomalous data prevalence by reporting facility type (P = .0007), geographic region (P < .001), distance from participants' homes (P < .001), diagnosis year (P < .001), and location of RT relative to reporting facility (P = .0038). Five-year OS in those with one or more anomalous data entry was 51.3% versus 58.0% for those without anomalous data (P < .001), and anomalous data remained significantly associated with OS on multivariable analysis. After excluding insufficient, excessive, or unknown total RT dose, anomalous data were no longer significant on multivariable analysis.

CONCLUSION

The overwhelming majority of RT data within the NCDB seem to be appropriate for the clinical scenario. Nevertheless, approximately one eighth of participants in this test clinical scenario had adjuvant RT data that were internally inconsistent or outside generously defined norms. The presence of anomalous RT data was significantly associated with compromised OS, an effect not observed after correcting for total RT dose.

Travel Distance as a Barrier to Receipt of Adjuvant Radiation Therapy After Radical Prostatectomy

OBJECTIVES

Following radical prostatectomy (RP), adjuvant radiation therapy (RT) decreases biochemical recurrence and potentially improves metastasis-free and overall survival for patients with high-risk pathologic features. Since adjuvant RT typically occurs daily over several weeks, the logistical challenges of extensive traveling may be a significant barrier to its use. We examined the association between distance to treatment facility and use of adjuvant RT.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We identified 97,568 patients in the National Cancer Database diagnosed from 2004 through 2011 with cT1-4N0-xM0-x prostate cancer and found to have high-risk pathologic features (pT3-4 stage and/or positive surgical margins) at RP. Multivariable logistic regression adjusting for sociodemographic and clinicopathologic factors was used to examine the association between travel distance and receipt of adjuvant RT, defined as radiotherapy initiated within 12 months after RP.

RESULTS

Overall, 10.6% (10,346) of the study cohort received adjuvant RT. On multivariable analysis, increasing travel distance was significantly associated with decreased use of adjuvant RT, with adjusted odds ratios of 1.0 (reference), 0.67, 0.46, 0.39, and 0.32 (all P<0.001) and prevalence of use at 12.6%, 8.8%, 6.3%, 4.9%, and 3.7% for patients living ≤25.0, 25.1 to 50.0, 50.1 to 75.0, 75.1 to 100.0, and >100.0 miles away, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Increasing travel distance was strongly associated with decreased use of adjuvant RT in this national cohort of postprostatectomy patients with high-risk pathologic features. These results strongly suggest that the logistical challenges of extensive travel are a significant barrier to the use of adjuvant RT. Efforts aimed at improving access to radiotherapy and reducing treatment time are urgently needed.

Using hospital medical record data to assess the accuracy of the SEER Los Angeles Cancer Surveillance Program for initial treatment of prostate cancer: a small pilot study

PURPOSE

Treatment information from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Result Program (SEER) cancer registries is increasingly being used for population-based cancer research; however, it may be incomplete for outpatient procedures and is not quality controlled. We sought to validate SEER information on initial treatment of prostate cancer by comparison to electronic medical record (EMR) review.

METHODS

Patients diagnosed with prostate cancer between 1 January 2010 and 31 December 2014 in Los Angeles County who received treatment at our institution within 6 months of diagnosis were identified from the SEER registry. We reviewed the hospital EMR for these patients and identified initial treatment received within 6 months of diagnosis. We compared data reported to SEER data to our re-abstracted hospital EMR data (defined as the gold standard) to identify the completeness of SEER treatment data (sensitivity) and the accuracy of the SEER information (positive predictive value).

RESULTS

Based on 266 eligible patients, SEER's sensitivity in capturing initial treatment was 95.9% (118/123) for prostatectomy, 95.8% (69/72) for no treatment, 87.5% (21/24) for radiation therapy, 68.3% (28/41) for active surveillance or watchful waiting, and 50.0% (2/4) for cryosurgery. The SEER positive predictive value was 100% for radiation therapy and cryosurgery, 97.5% (118/121) for radical prostatectomy, 82.3% (28/34) for active surveillance or watchful waiting, and 78.4% (69/88) for no treatment.

CONCLUSION

The SEER data were highly sensitive and has a high positive predictive value for surgery and radiation therapy but underreported use of active surveillance. These results may assist researchers in understanding the strengths and weaknesses of using SEER prostate cancer treatment data.

Quality of Radiation Therapy Referral and Utilisation Post-prostatectomy: A Population-based Study of Time Trends

AIMS

Adjuvant radiotherapy post-prostatectomy has been shown to benefit patients with adverse pathology. It remains unclear whether salvage radiotherapy confers equivalent outcomes. Practice guidelines recommend referral to radiation oncology within 6 months after prostatectomy to discuss adjuvant and salvage radiotherapy. The study objectives were to assess, at a population level: (i) post-prostatectomy referral patterns for radiotherapy; (ii) adjuvant and salvage radiotherapy utilisation; and (iii) time trends in relation to clinical trials and guidelines. These findings provide indications of access to quality care.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This was a retrospective cohort study. Electronic radiotherapy consultation and treatment records were linked to the population-based Ontario Cancer Registry. The population included prostate cancer cases treated with prostatectomy in Ontario between 2003 and 2012. Radiotherapy referral and treatment rates over time were analysed using the chi-squared trend test.

RESULTS

Over the study period, 30 447 prostate cancer patients received prostatectomy. The proportion seen by radiation oncology within 6 months after prostatectomy doubled from 10.7% in 2003-2004 to 21.7% in 2011-2012 (P < 0.0001 for trend), with the largest annual percentage difference in 2009-2011 (3.4%). Among 4641 patients seen within 6 months, adjuvant radiotherapy rates remained at 51.0% ± 3.0%. Contemporaneous with radiation oncology referral trends, overall adjuvant radiotherapy use increased from 6.2% in 2003-2004 to 11.0% in 2011-2012 (P < 0.001), while salvage radiotherapy remained at 8.4% ± 0.4%. Consequently, the total proportion receiving radiotherapy within 24 months increased from 14.1% in 2003-2004 to 17.7% in 2009-2010 (P < 0.0001).

CONCLUSIONS

There was an increase in access to early radiation oncology referral post-prostatectomy and adjuvant radiotherapy in Ontario between 2003 and 2012, following guideline publication.