Personal and hospital factors associated with limited surgical resection for lung cancer, in-hospital mortality and complications in New York State

Understanding Racial Differences in Lung Cancer Surgery Through a Statewide Quality Collaborative

BACKGROUND

Persistent racial disparities in lung cancer incidence, treatment, and survival are well documented. Given the importance of surgical resection for lung cancer treatment, racial disparities in surgical quality were investigated using a statewide quality collaborative.

METHODS

This retrospective study used data from the Michigan Society of Cardiothoracic Surgeons General Thoracic database, which includes data gathered for the Society of Thoracic Surgeons General Thoracic Surgery Database at 17 institutions in Michigan. Adult patients undergoing resection for lung cancer between 2015 and 2021 were included. Propensity score-weighting methodology was used to assess differences in surgical quality, including extent of resection, adequate lymph node evaluation, 30-day mortality, and 30-day readmission rate between white and black patients.

RESULTS

The cohort included 5073 patients comprising 357 (7%) black and 4716 (93%) white patients. The black patients had significantly higher unadjusted rates of wedge resection than the white patients, but after propensity score-weighting for clinical factors, wedge resection did not differ from lobectomy (odds ratio [OR], 1.07; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.78-1.49; P = 0.67). The black patients had fewer lymph nodes collected (incidence rate ratio [IRR], 0.77; 95% CI, 0.73-0.81; P < 0.0001) and lymph node stations sampled (IRR, 0.89; 95% CI, 0.84-0.94; P < 0.0001). The black patients did not differ from the white patients in terms of mortality (OR, 0.65; 95% CI, 0.19-2.34; P = 0.55) or readmission (OR, 0.79; 95 % CI, 0.49-1.27; P = 0.32). The black patients had longer hospital stays (OR, 1.08; 95% CI, 1.02-1.14; P = 0.01).

CONCLUSION

In a statewide quality collaborative that included high-volume centers, black patients received a less extensive lymph node evaluation, with fewer non-anatomic wedge resections performed, and a more limited lymph node evaluation with lobectomy.

Trends of hospitalizations among patients with both cancer and dementia diagnoses in New York 2007-2017

BACKGROUND

Cancer and dementia have often been studied in isolation. We aimed to examine the spatiotemporal trend of inpatient admissions with both cancer and dementia diagnoses.

METHODS

Using state-wide inpatient claims data, we identified all hospital admissions for patients aged ≥50 years with both cancer and dementia diagnoses in New York State, 2007-2017. We examined the spatiotemporal trend of the admission using a novel Bayesian hierarchical model adjusting for socioeconomic factor, as measured by Yost index.

RESULTS

Admissions with the presence of both cancer and dementia diagnoses represented 8.5% of all admissions with a cancer diagnosis, and the proportion increased from 7.1% in 2007 to 9.7% in 2017. The median admission rate was 3.5 (interquartile range: 2.2-5.2) hospitalizations per 1000 population aged ≥50 years, which increased from 2.9 in 2007 to 3.7 in 2017. The admission rate peaked first in 2010 followed by a smaller peak in 2014, before stabilizing at a level higher than the pre-2010 period. Taking into account the spatiotemporal heterogeneity, we found that hospitalizations among those with both cancer and dementia diagnoses were associated with a higher socioeconomic status (the posterior median relative risk for Yost index = 1.046 (95% credible interval: 1.033-1.058)).

CONCLUSIONS

Hospitalizations of patients with both cancer and dementia increased over time. Cancer care providers and healthcare systems should be prepared to provide prevention and management strategies and engage in complex medical decision-making for this increasingly common patient population comprised of individuals with cancer and dementia.

Delayed recovery following thoracic surgery: persistent issues and potential interventions

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Lung and esophageal surgery remain a curative option for resectable cancers. However, despite advances in surgical and anesthesia practices, the inclusion of patients with comorbidities that would have previously not been offered curative resection presents additional concerns and challenges.

RECENT FINDINGS

Perioperative complication rates remain high and prolonged and/or painful recovery are common. Further, many patients face a permanent decline in their functional status, which negatively affects their quality of life. Examination of the variables associated with high complications following thoracic surgery reveals patient, physician, and institutional factors in the forefront. Anesthesiologist training, Enhanced Recovery After Surgery protocols, and preparations to minimize "failure to rescue" when a complication does arise are key strategies to address adverse outcomes.

SUMMARY

Delayed and complicated recovery after thoracic noncardiac surgery persist in current practice. This review analyzes the diverse factors that can impact complications and quality of life after lung surgery and the interventions that can help decrease length of stay and improve return to baseline conditions.

Persistence of racial disparities in early-stage lung cancer treatment

OBJECTIVE

Although the incidence of lung cancer has decreased over the past decades, disparities in survival and treatment modalities have been observed for black and white patients with early-stage non-small cell lung cancer, despite the fact that surgical resection has been established as the standard of care. Possible contributors to these disparities are stage at diagnosis, comorbidities, socioeconomic factors, and patient preference. This study examines racial disparities in treatment, adjusting for clinicodemographic factors.

METHODS

The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results-Medicare dataset was queried to identify patients diagnosed with primary stage I non-small cell lung cancer between 1992 and 2009. Multivariable logistic regressions were performed to assess the association between race and treatment modalities within 1 year of diagnosis, adjusted for clinical and demographic factors. Adjusted Cox proportional hazards models were performed to evaluate disparities in survival, accounting for mode of treatment.

RESULTS

We identified 22,724 patients; 21,230 (93.4%) white and 1494 (6.6%) black. Black patients were less likely to receive treatment (odds ratio [OR]_adj, 0.62; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.53-0.73) and less likely to receive surgery only when treated (OR_adj, 0.70, 95% CI, 0.61-0.79). Although univariate survival for black patients was worse, when accounting for treatment mode, there was no difference in survival (hazard ratio_adj, 0.97; 95% CI, 0.90-1.04 for all patients, hazard ratio_adj, 0.98; 95% CI: 0.90-1.06 for treated patients).

CONCLUSIONS

Treatment disparities persist, even when adjusting for clinical and demographic factors. However, when black patients receive similar treatment, survival is comparable with white patients.

Clinical outcome and risk factors for complications after pulmonary segmentectomy by video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery: results of an initial experience

Background

Pulmonary anatomical segmentectomies are increasingly being done via video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS). We analyzed clinical outcomes and risk factors for post-operative complications after pulmonary segmentectomy by VATS was introduced in two institutions.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed records of all patients who underwent anatomical pulmonary segmentectomy by VATS from 2014 to 2016 at the university hospitals of Geneva and Lausanne in Switzerland.

Results

One hundred twenty-nine patients (64 men; median age 68 years, range, 29-85 years) underwent anatomical VATS segmentectomy for primary lung tumors (n=100), metastases (n=16) and benign lesions (n=13). The overall 30-day mortality and morbidity rates were 0.8% and 31%, respectively. The reoperation rate was 4.7% [indications: hemothorax 2, prolonged air leak (PAL) 2, segmental torsion 1, empyema 1]. Chest drainage lasted for a median of 2 days (range, 1-33 days) and patients were discharged from the hospital after a median of 6 days (range, 2-37 days). Postoperative complications were mainly associated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) [odds ratio (OR) 2.54 and 95% confidence interval (95% CI), 1.18-5.47], and smoking pack-years >50 units (OR 5.27; 95% CI, 1.68-16.55). Nine patients (9%) presented with distant recurrences. Nodule size >2 cm was associated with decreased disease-free survival (DFS) (P=0.04). There was no association between surgical experience in VATS segmentectomy and DFS or postoperative complications.

Conclusions

Segmentectomies can be safely performed by VATS in an initial experience and result in favorable clinical outcome. COPD and smoking pack-years are associated with an increased risk of complications.

Racial Disparity in Utilization of High-Volume Hospitals for Surgical Treatment of Esophageal Cancer

BACKGROUND

Utilization of high-volume hospitals (HVH) for esophagectomy has been associated with improved perioperative outcomes and reduced mortality. We aimed to test the hypothesis that black-white racial disparities exist in HVH utilization and identify predictors of in-hospital surgical outcomes of esophageal cancer while adjusting for HVH utilization patterns.

METHODS

We queried the New York Statewide Planning and Research Cooperative System database (1995 to 2012) for esophageal cancer patients who underwent surgical resection exclusively. Only records for patients with self-reported white or black race and a valid New York State ZIP code were included (n = 2,895). Analysis was performed to identify factors associated with HVH hospital (≥20 esophagectomies/year) utilization and determine predictors of complications and in-hospital mortality.

RESULTS

Black patients (361 [12.5%]) were significantly different (p < 0.001) than their white counterparts in the proportion of women, Medicaid, income distribution, and privately insured individuals. Although 55% patients overall utilized an HVH, blacks were significantly less likely to utilize an HVH than whites (odds ratio [OR], 0.18; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.14 to 0.24), even though 74.5% resided within 8.9 miles of one. Operations performed at HVHs were associated with lower in-hospital mortality (OR, 0.48; 95% CI, 0.35 to 0.65); however, mortality remained higher for blacks (OR, 2.04; 95% CI, 1.65 to 3.30; propensity matched OR, 2.45; 95% CI, 1.5 to 4.03).

CONCLUSIONS

Black patients were less likely to undergo esophagectomy at an HVH and experienced higher mortality. Efforts should be made to understand factors influencing patients' decision process and improve referral practices to ensure optimal care is provided across all segments of the population, irrespective of race, insurance, or income status.