Impact of individual and neighborhood factors on socioeconomic disparities in localized and advanced prostate cancer risk

Small-area spatio-temporal analysis of cancer risk to support effective and equitable cancer prevention

Cancer is rapidly increasing worldwide and urgent global action towards cancer control is required. Consistent with global trends, Canada is expected to experience a near doubling in new cases and cancer deaths between 2020-2040; population growth and ageing being the primary drivers. The projected increased cancer incidence and its associated costs is expected to further exacerbate socioeconomic inequities. Focused actions to prevent cancer, to detect it earlier when more treatable, and, to lower the risk of recurrence, must be prioritized. Almost half of all cancers are preventable, caused by risk factors that are potentially avoidable and modifiable. Integrating cancer prevention with care-based models is necessary and represents the most cost-effective and sustainable approach to control cancer. To be effective, prevention efforts must consider the cancers impacting local populations and understand how community and individual factors interact within the spatial and temporal contexts in which people live. This study is part of the Nova Scotia Community Cancer Matrix project which profiles the cancers impacting communities over time; measuring associations between cancer and socioeconomic status (SES); and determining how the joint spatial distribution of cancers can be used to address inequities, identify priority populations and strengthen prevention efforts. Using Bayesian inference to model spatio-temporal variations in 58,206 cases diagnosed in 301 communities between 2001-2017, across 10 preventable cancer types, we report significant disparities in cancer risk across communities based on sex and community SES. The work highlights the utility of small-area mapping to identify at-risk communities and understand how community-SES impacts risk. It also uncovers significant inequities rooted in the differential distribution of material and social capacity, operating beyond the control of individuals. The approach is implementable to other regions to inform and strengthen prevention efforts aiming at reducing the burden of cancer or that of other diseases.

Racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic disparities in rates of stage IV prostate cancer after USPSTF category "D" recommendation against prostate-specific antigen screening: a retrospective cohort study

Background

In 2012 the United States Preventative Services Task Force (USPSTF) changed its prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening recommendation to a category "D". The purpose of this study is to examine racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic differences in risk of presentation with metastatic prostate cancer (mPCa) at time of diagnosis before and after the 2012 USPSTF category "D" recommendation.

Methods

This is a population-based cohort study. We identified patients with mPCa at diagnosis within the National Cancer Database from 2004-2017. Logistic regression models were used to examine associations of mPCa with age, race, ethnicity, geographic location, education level, income, and insurance status. Linear regression models assuming underlying binomial distribution were fitted to annual percentage of mPCa at diagnosis for years 2012-2017 to evaluate the post category "D" recommendation era.

Results

From 2004 to 2017, 88,987 patients presented with mPCa. A higher percentage of mPCa was noted post-USPSTF category "D" recommendation, with a disproportionately greater increase observed among Hispanics and non-Hispanic Blacks [Δslope/year: Hispanics (0.0092), non-Hispanic Blacks (0.0073) and non-Hispanic Whites (0.0070)]. Insurance status impacts race/ethnicity differently: uninsured Hispanics were 3.66 times more likely to present with mPCa than insured Hispanics, while uninsured non-Hispanic Blacks were 2.62 times more likely to present with mPCa than insured non-Hispanic Blacks. Household income appears to be associated with differences in mPCa, particularly among non-Hispanic Blacks. Those earning <$30,000 were more likely to present with mPCa compared to higher income brackets.

Conclusions

Since the USPSTF grade "D" recommendation against PSA screening, the percentage of mPCa at diagnosis has increased, with a higher rate of increase among Hispanic and non-Hispanic Blacks compared to non-Hispanic Whites.

Application of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in the Study of Prostate Cancer Disparities: A Systematic Review

Introduction: PCa is one of the cancers that exhibits the widest disparity gaps. Geographical place of residence has been shown to be associated with healthcare access/utilization and PCa outcomes. Geographical Information Systems (GIS) are widely being utilized for PCa disparities research, however, inconsistencies in their application exist. This systematic review will summarize GIS application within PCa disparities research, highlight gaps in the literature, and propose alternative approaches. Methods: This paper followed the methods of the Cochrane Collaboration and the criteria set of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). Articles published in peer-reviewed journals were searched through the PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science databases until December 2022. The main inclusion criteria were employing a GIS approach and examining a relationship between geographical components and PCa disparities. The main exclusion criteria were studies conducted outside the US and those that were not published in English. Results: A total of 25 articles were included; 23 focused on PCa measures as outcomes: incidence, survival, and mortality, while only 2 examined PCa management. GIS application in PCa disparities research was grouped into three main categories: mapping, processing, and analysis. GIS mapping allowed for the visualization of quantitative, qualitative, and temporal trends of PCa factors. GIS processing was mainly used for geocoding and smoothing of PCa rates. GIS analysis mainly served to evaluate global spatial autocorrelation and distribution of PCa cases, while local cluster identification techniques were mainly employed to identify locations with poorer PCa outcomes, soliciting public health interventions. Discussion: Varied GIS applications and methodologies have been used in researching PCa disparities. Multiple geographical scales were adopted, leading to variations in associations and outcomes. Geocoding quality varied considerably, leading to less robust findings. Limitations in cluster-detection approaches were identified, especially when variations were captured using the Spatial Scan Statistic. GIS approaches utilized in other diseases might be applied within PCa disparities research for more accurate inferences. A novel approach for GIS research in PCa disparities could be focusing more on geospatial disparities in procedure utilization especially when it comes to PCa screening techniques. Conclusions: This systematic review summarized and described the current state and trend of GIS application in PCa disparities research. Although GIS is of crucial importance when it comes to PCa disparities research, future studies should rely on more robust GIS techniques, carefully select the geographical scale studied, and partner with GIS scientists for more accurate inferences. Such interdisciplinary approaches have the potential to bridge the gaps between GIS and cancer prevention and control to further advance cancer equity.

An exploratory analysis of the impact of area-level exposome on geographic disparities in aggressive prostate cancer

Numbers of aggressive prostate cancer (aPC) cases are rising, but only a few risk factors have been identified. In this study, we introduce a systematic approach to integrate geospatial data into external exposome research using aPC cases from Pennsylvania. We demonstrate the association between several area-level exposome measures across five Social Determinants of Health domains (SDOH) and geographic areas identified as having elevated odds of aPC. Residential locations of Pennsylvania men diagnosed with aPC from 2005 to 2017 were linked to 37 county-/tract-level SDOH exosome measures. Variable reduction processes adopted from neighborhood-wide association study along with Bayesian geoadditive logistic regression were used to identify areas with elevated odds of aPC and exposome factors that significantly attenuated the odds and reduced the size of identified areas. Areas with significantly higher odds of aPC were explained by various SDOH exposome measures, though the extent of the reduction depended on geographic location. Some areas were associated with race (social context), health insurance (access), or tract-level poverty (economics), while others were associated with either county-level water quality or a combination of factors. Area-level exposome measures can guide future patient-level external exposome research and help design targeted interventions to reduce local cancer burden.

Influence of Neighborhood Social and Natural Environment on Prostate Tumor Histology in a Cohort of Male Health Professionals

Adverse neighborhood social and natural (green space) environments may contribute to the etiology of prostate cancer (CaP), but mechanisms are unclear. We examined associations between neighborhood environment and prostate intratumoral inflammation in 967 men diagnosed with CaP with available tissue samples from 1986-2009 in the Health Professionals Follow-up Study. Exposures were linked to work or residential addresses in 1988. We estimated indices of neighborhood socioeconomic status (nSES) and segregation (Index of Concentration at the Extremes (ICE)) using US Census tract-level data. Surrounding greenness was estimated using seasonal averaged Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) data. Surgical tissue underwent pathological review for acute and chronic inflammation, corpora amylacea, and focal atrophic lesions. Adjusted odds ratios (aORs) for inflammation (ordinal) and focal atrophy (binary) were estimated using logistic regression. No associations were observed for acute or chronic inflammation. Each interquartile-range increase in NDVI within 1,230 m of the participant's work or home address (aOR = 0.74, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.59, 0.93), in ICE-income (aOR = 0.79, 95% CI: 0.61, 1.04), and in ICE-race/income (aOR = 0.79, 95% CI: 0.63, 0.99) was associated with lower odds of postatrophic hyperplasia. Interquartile-range increases in nSES (aOR = 0.76, 95% CI: 0.57, 1.02) and ICE-race/income (aOR = 0.73, 95% CI: 0.54, 0.99) were associated with lower odds of tumor corpora amylacea. Histopathological inflammatory features of prostate tumors may be influenced by neighborhood.

Neighbourhood social deprivation and risk of prostate cancer

BACKGROUND

Striking geographic variations in prostate cancer incidence suggest an aetiological role for spatially-distributed factors. We assessed whether neighbourhood social deprivation, which can reflect limited social contacts, unfavourable lifestyle and environmental exposures, is associated with prostate cancer risk.

METHODS

In 2005-2012, we recruited 1931 incident prostate cancer cases and 1994 controls in a case-control study in Montreal, Canada. Lifetime residential addresses were linked to an area-based social deprivation index around recruitment (2006) and about 10 years earlier (1996). Logistic regression estimated adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs).

RESULTS

Men residing in areas characterised by greater social deprivation had elevated prostate cancer risks (ORs of 1.54 and 1.60 for recent and past exposures, respectively; highest vs lowest quintiles), independently from area- and individual-level confounders and screening patterns. The increase in risk with recent high social deprivation was particularly elevated for high-grade prostate cancer at diagnosis (OR 1.87, 95% CI 1.32-2.64). Associations were more pronounced for neighbourhoods with higher proportions of separated/divorced or widowed individuals in the past, and with higher percentages of residents living alone recently.

CONCLUSIONS

These novel findings, suggesting that neighbourhood-level social deprivation increases the risk of prostate cancer, point out to potential targeted public health interventions.

Agreement between individual and neighborhood income measures in patients with colorectal cancer in Canada

INTRODUCTION

With increasing interest in income-related differences in cancer outcomes, accurate measurement of income is imperative. Misclassification of income can result in wrong conclusions as to the presence of income inequalities. We determined misclassification between individual- and neighborhood-level income and their association with overall survival among colorectal cancer (CRC) patients.

METHODS

The Canadian Census Health and Environment Cohorts were used to identify CRC patients diagnosed from 1992 to 2017. We used neighborhood income quintiles from Statistics Canada and created individual income quintiles from the same data sources to be as similar as possible. Agreement between individual and neighborhood income quintiles was measured using cross-tabulations and weighted kappa statistics. Cox proportional hazards and Lin semiparametric hazards models were used to determine the effects of individual and neighborhood income independently and jointly on survival. Analyses were also stratified by rural residence.

RESULTS

A total of 103 530 CRC patients were included in the cohort. There was poor agreement between individual and neighborhood income with only 17% of respondents assigned to the same quintile (weighted kappa = 0.18). Individual income had a greater effect on relative and additive survival than neighborhood income when modeled separately. The interaction between individual and neighborhood income demonstrated that the most at risk for poor survival were those in the lowest individual and neighborhood income quintiles. Misclassification was more likely to occur for patients residing in rural areas.

CONCLUSION

Cancer researchers should avoid using neighborhood income as a proxy for individual income, especially among patients with cancers with demonstrated inequalities by income.

Inequalities in Environmental Cancer Risk and Carcinogen Exposures: A Scoping Review

Background: Cancer is the leading cause of death in Canada and a major cause of death worldwide. Environmental exposure to carcinogens and environments that may relate to health behaviors are important to examine as they can be modified to lower cancer risks. Built environments include aspects such as transit infrastructure, greenspace, food and tobacco environments, or land use, which may impact how people move, exercise, eat, and live. While environments may play a role in overall cancer risk, exposure to carcinogens or healthier environments is not equitably spread across space. Exposures to carcinogens commonly concentrate among socially and/or economically disadvantaged populations. While many studies have examined inequalities in exposure or cancer risk, this has commonly been for one exposure. Methods: This scoping review collected and synthesized research that examines inequities in carcinogenic environments and exposures. Results: This scoping review found that neighborhoods with higher proportions of low-income residents, racialized people, or same-sex couples had higher exposures to carcinogens and environments that may influence cancer risk. There are currently four main themes in research studying inequitable exposures: air pollution and hazardous substances, tobacco access, food access, and other aspects of the built environment, with most research still focusing on air pollution. Conclusions: More work is needed to understand how exposures to these four areas intersect with other factors to reduce inequities in exposures to support longer-term goals toward cancer prevention.

Association of Neighborhood Deprivation With Prostate Cancer and Immune Markers in African American and European American Men

Importance

Neighborhood variables may be factors in the excessive burden of prostate cancer among African American men.

Objective

To examine associations between neighborhood deprivation, circulating immune-oncology markers, and prostate cancer among African American and European American men.

Design, Setting, and Participants

A case-control study was conducted between January 1, 2005, and January 1, 2016. Participants included men with prostate cancer and age- and race-frequency-matched population controls. Participants were recruited at the Baltimore Veterans Affairs Medical Center and University of Maryland Medical Center; controls were obtained through the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration database. National Death Index follow-up was performed through December 31, 2020, and data analysis was conducted from February 1, 2022, through October 31, 2022.

Exposures

2000 Census-tract Neighborhood Deprivation Index as a standardized score.

Main Outcomes and Measures

Primary outcomes included prostate cancer, all-cause mortality, and disease-specific mortality. Secondary outcomes included the National Comprehensive Cancer Network risk score and serum proteomes for 82 immune-oncology markers with pathway annotation.

Results

Participants included men with prostate cancer (n = 769: 405 African American, 364 European American men) and age- and race-frequency-matched population controls (n = 1023: 479 African American, 544 European American men). The median survival follow-up was 9.70 years (IQR, 5.77 years), with 219 deaths. Among 884 African American men, mean (SD) age at recruitment was 63.8 (7.6) years; mean (SD) age at recruitment among 908 European American men was 66.4 (8.1) years. In the multivariable logistic regression analysis with individual socioeconomic status adjustment, neighborhood deprivation was associated with 55% increased odds of prostate cancer among African American men (odds ratio [OR], 1.55; 95% CI, 1.33-1.81), but was not associated with the disease among European American men. Residing in the most-deprived vs least-deprived neighborhoods corresponded to 88% higher disease odds (OR, 1.88; 95% CI, 1.30-2.75) among all men and an approximate 3-fold increase among African American men (OR, 3.58; 95% CI, 1.72-7.45), but no association was noted among European American men. In Cox proportional hazard regression analyses, socioeconomic status-adjusted neighborhood deprivation was associated with an increased all-cause mortality only among African American men (hazard ratio [HR], 1.28; 95% CI, 1.08-1.53), whereas it was associated with metastatic disease and a 50% increased hazard of a prostate cancer-specific death among all men (HR, 1.50; 95% CI, 1.07-2.09). In analyses restricted to controls, neighborhood deprivation was associated with increased activity scores of serum proteome-defined chemotaxis, inflammation, and tumor immunity suppression.

Conclusions and Relevance

The findings of this study suggest that deprived neighborhood residency may increase the risk of African American men for prostate cancer and a related mortality, potentially through its association with systemic immune function and inflammation.

Racial Distribution of Neighborhood-Level Social Deprivation in a Retrospective Cohort of Prostate Cancer Survivors

Background: A better understanding of neighborhood-level factors’ contribution is needed in order to increase the precision of cancer control interventions that target geographic determinants of cancer health disparities. This study characterized the distribution of neighborhood deprivation in a racially diverse cohort of prostate cancer survivors. Methods: A retrospective cohort of 253 prostate cancer patients who were treated with radical prostatectomy from 2011 to 2019 was established at the Medical University of South Carolina. Individual-level data on clinical variables (e.g., stage, grade) and race were abstracted. Social Deprivation Index (SDI) and Healthcare Professional Shortage (HPS) status was obtained from the Robert Graham Center and assigned to participants based on their residential census tract. Data were analyzed with descriptive statistics and multivariable logistic regression. Results: The cohort of 253 men consisted of 168 white, 81 African American, 1 Hispanic and 3 multiracial men. Approximately 49% of 249 men lived in areas with high SDI (e.g., SDI score of 48 to 98). The mean for SDI was 44.5 (+27.4), and the range was 97 (1−98) for all study participants. African American men had a significantly greater likelihood of living in a socially deprived neighborhood compared to white men (OR = 3.7, 95% C.I. 2.1−6.7, p < 0.01), while men who lived in areas with higher HPS shortage status were significantly more likely to live in a neighborhood that had high SDI compared to men who lived in areas with lower HPS shortages (OR = 4.7, 95% C.I. = 2.1−10.7, p < 0.01). African Americans had a higher likelihood of developing biochemical reoccurrence (OR = 3.7, 95% C.I. = 1.7−8.0) compared with white men. There were no significant association between SDI and clinical characteristics of prostate cancer. Conclusions: This study demonstrates that SDI varies considerably by race among men with prostate cancer treated with radical prostatectomy. Using SDI to understand the social environment could be -particularly useful as part of precision medicine and precision public health approaches and could be used by cancer centers, public health providers, and other health care specialists to inform operational decisions about how to target health promotion and disease prevention efforts in catchment areas and patient populations.

Neighbourhood socioeconomic improvement, residential mobility and premature death: a population-based cohort study and inverse probability of treatment weighting analysis

BACKGROUND

Causal inference using area-level socioeconomic measures is challenging due to risks of residual confounding and imprecise specification of the neighbourhood-level social exposure. By using multi-linked longitudinal data to address these common limitations, our study aimed to identify protective effects of neighbourhood socioeconomic improvement on premature mortality risk.

METHODS

We used data from the Canadian Community Health Survey, linked to health administrative data, including longitudinal residential history. Individuals aged 25-69, living in low-socioeconomic status (SES) areas at survey date (n = 8335), were followed up for neighbourhood socioeconomic improvement within 5 years. We captured premature mortality (death before age 75) until 2016. We estimated protective effects of neighbourhood socioeconomic improvement exposures using Cox proportional hazards models. Stabilized inverse probability of treatment weights (IPTW) were used to account for confounding by baseline health, social and behavioural characteristics. Separate analyses were carried out for three exposure specifications: any improvement, improvement by residential mobility (i.e. movers) or improvement in place (non-movers).

RESULTS

Overall, 36.9% of the study cohort experienced neighbourhood socioeconomic improvement either by residential mobility or improvement in place. There were noted differences in baseline health status, demographics and individual SES between exposure groups. IPTW survival models showed a modest protective effect on premature mortality risk of socioeconomic improvement overall (HR = 0.86; 95% CI 0.63, 1.18). Effects were stronger for improvement in place (HR = 0.67; 95% CI 0.48, 0.93) than for improvement by residential mobility (HR = 1.07, 95% 0.67, 1.51).

CONCLUSIONS

Our study provides robust evidence that specific neighbourhood socioeconomic improvement exposures are important for determining mortality risks.

Neighborhood Obesogenic Environment and Risk of Prostate Cancer: The Multiethnic Cohort

BACKGROUND

Obesity is associated with risk of aggressive prostate cancer. It is not known whether neighborhood obesogenic factors are independently associated with prostate cancer risk.

METHODS

Neighborhood socioeconomic status (nSES) and four neighborhood obesogenic environment factors (urbanicity, mixed-land development, unhealthy food environment, and parks) were assessed for associations with prostate cancer risk among 41,563 African American, Japanese American, Latino, and White males in the Multiethnic Cohort (MEC) Study, California site. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression was used to estimate HRs and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for nonaggressive and aggressive prostate cancer, adjusting for individual-level sociodemographic, behavioral, and prostate cancer risk factors. Analyses were stratified by race, ethnicity, and, among Latino males, nativity.

RESULTS

Males residing in low-SES, compared with high-SES, neighborhoods had lower risk of nonaggressive prostate cancer [lowest vs. highest quintile HR = 0.81; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.68-0.95, Ptrend 0.024], driven by a similar trend among foreign-born Latino males. Foreign-born Latino males in neighborhoods with low mixed-land development had increased risk of non-aggressive disease (lowest vs. highest quintile HR = 1.49; 95% CI = 1.07-2.09). For aggressive disease, the only association noted was between lower mixed-land development and lower risk among White males (Ptrend = 0.040).

CONCLUSIONS

nSES and obesogenic environment factors were independently associated with prostate cancer risk; associations varied by race, ethnicity, nativity, and disease aggressiveness.

IMPACT

Upstream structural and social determinants of health that contribute to neighborhood obesogenic characteristics likely impact prostate cancer risk differently across groups defined by race, ethnicity, and nativity and by disease aggressiveness.

Social Determinants of Kidney Stone Disease: The Impact of Race, Income and Access on Urolithiasis Treatment and Outcomes

The medical and surgical management of kidney stones is one of the most common functions of the urologist. Management choices are often nuanced, involving the decision to embark on one surgical plan among several options. As the wider medical community critically evaluates the care we provide to an increasingly diverse population, it will be important to examine patient outcomes with a particular focus on ensuring equitable care. This review examines the influence of social parameters on the care of kidney stone patients. The dearth of literature in this area warrants rigorous studies on the relationship between race as well as socioeconomic status and the management of kidney stone disease.

Is Population Density Associated with Non-Communicable Disease in Western Developed Countries? A Systematic Review

Over the last three decades, researchers have investigated population density and health outcomes at differing scale. There has not been a systematic review conducted in order to synthesise this evidence. Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews (PRISMA) guidelines, we systematically reviewed quantitative evidence published since 1990 on population density and non-communicable disease (NCD) within Westernised countries. Fifty-four studies met the inclusion criteria and were evaluated utilising a quality assessment tool for ecological studies. High population density appears to be associated with higher mortality rates of a range of cancers, cardiovascular disease and COPD, and a higher incidence of a range of cancers, asthma and club foot. In contrast, diabetes incidence was found to be associated with low population density. High and low population density are therefore risk markers for a range of NCDs, indicating that there are unidentified factors and mechanisms underlying aetiology. On closer examination, our synthesis revealed important and complex relationships between population density, the built environment, the nature of greenspace and man-made exposures. In light of increasing rates of morbidity and mortality, future research is required to investigate these associations in order to establish causative agents for each NCD.

Association between environmental quality and prostate cancer stage at diagnosis

BACKGROUND

Prostate cancer (PC) etiology is up to 57% heritable, with the remainder attributed to environmental exposures. There are limited studies regarding national level environmental exposures and PC aggressiveness, which was the focus of this study METHODS: SEER was queried to identify PC cases between 2010 and 2014. The environmental quality index (EQI) is a county-level metric for 2000-2005 combining data from 18 sources and reports an overall ambient environmental quality index, as well as 5 environmental quality sub-domains (air, water, land, built, and sociodemographic) with higher values representing lower environmental quality. PC stage at diagnosis was determined and, multivariable logistic regression models which adjusted for age at diagnosis (years) and self-reported race (White, Black, Other, Unknown) were used to test associations between quintiles of EQI scores and advanced PC stage at diagnosis.

RESULTS

The study cohort included 252,164 PC cases, of which 92% were localized and 8% metastatic at diagnosis. In the adjusted regression models, overall environmental quality EQI (OR 1.20, CI 1.15-1.26), water EQI (OR: 1.34, CI: 1.27-1.40), land EQI (OR: 1.35, CI: 1.29-1.42) and sociodemographic EQI (OR: 1.29, CI: 1.23-1.35) were associated with metastatic PC at diagnosis. For these domains there was a dose response increase in the OR from the lowest to the highest quintiles of EQI. Black race was found to be an independent predictor of metastatic PC at diagnosis (OR: 1.36, CI: 1.30-1.42) and in stratified analysis by race; overall EQI was more strongly associated with metastatic PC in Black men (OR: 1.53, CI: 1.35-1.72) compared to White men (OR: 1.18, CI: 1.12-1.24).

CONCLUSION(S)

Lower environmental quality was associated with advanced stage PC at diagnosis. The water, land and sociodemographic domains showed the strongest associations. More work should be done to elucidate specific modifiable environmental factors associated with aggressive PC.

Neighborhood social capital and incidence and mortality of prostate cancer: a Swedish cohort study

BACKGROUND

There is a growing interest in the contextual effect of neighborhood linking social capital on different health outcomes, including cancer.

AIMS

To examine associations between neighborhood linking social capital and incidence and mortality of prostate cancer.

METHOD

This cohort study was based on national registers. Between 2002 and 2015, we included 1,196,563 men aged 50 years and above in the analyses. Multilevel logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for the association between exposure and outcome, adjusting for potential confounding factors.

RESULTS

The total incidence of prostate cancer and mortality in patients with prostate cancer were 8.22 (per 100) and 1.80 (per 100), respectively, during the follow-up period. Individuals living in neighborhoods with low (OR 0.90; 95% CI 0.88-0.93) and intermediate (OR 0.94; 95% CI 0.92-0.96) linking social capital were less likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer than those living in neighborhoods with high linking social capital. Opposite effects were observed for mortality; prostate cancer patients living in neighborhoods with low (OR 1.15; 95% CI 1.08-1.23) and intermediate (OR 1.09; 95% CI 1.03-1.14) linking social capital were more likely to die from prostate cancer than those in neighborhoods with high linking social capital.

CONCLUSIONS

Lower neighborhood linking social capital was associated with lower incidence but higher mortality in patients with prostate cancer. These findings suggest that men living in neighborhoods with low linking social capital may need additional surveillance for prostate cancer.

Disparities and Inequities Among Patients with Central Nervous System Tumor

Since the 2002 Institute of Medicine report, which many cite as a landmark in first defining and calling attention to the concept of health disparities in medicine, much work has been dedicated to characterizing health disparities in medical care with the aim of eliminating them. Importantly, this report, "Unequal Treatment: Confronting Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Health Care," laid bare the differences in quality of health care that are based on race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. Here, the authors elaborate on these issues and discuss the role of the neuro-oncologic workforce in potentially mitigating these disparities.

Regional and facility disparities in androgen deprivation therapy for prostate cancer from a multi-institutional Japan-wide database

OBJECTIVES

To examine the differences in prognosis of prostate cancer patients receiving primary androgen deprivation therapy by region and facility type using a Japan-wide database.

METHODS

Data on patients treated with primary androgen deprivation therapy between 2001 and 2003 from a nationwide community-based database established by the Japan Study Group of Prostate Cancer were obtained. Clinicopathological characteristics and prognostic variables, including progression, cancer-specific survival and overall survival, were compared according to region and facility type where the patients were treated.

RESULTS

Among 19 162 patients, 7102 (37.1%) and 12 060 (62.9%) men were in urban and rural areas, respectively, and 3556 (18.6%), 13 623 (71.1%) and 1983 (10.3%) patients were enrolled from academic centers, non-academic hospitals and urological clinics, respectively. The risks of progression, cancer-specific mortality and all-cause mortality were comparable between urban and rural areas in propensity-score matched analysis. Risks of progression, cancer-specific mortality and all-cause mortality in urological clinics were higher than those in academic centers in propensity-score matched analysis.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest that Japan facility type, but not geographical regions, might affect the prognosis of prostate cancer patients receiving primary androgen deprivation therapy.

Differences in Use of Aggressive Therapy for Localized Prostate Cancer in New York City

BACKGROUND

Socioeconomic factors may impact how a patient is treated for prostate cancer (CaP). Our objective was to determine if county of residence or neighborhood socioeconomic characteristics were associated with treatment for CaP in New York City (NYC).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We used the NYSPACED database to identify men aged 40 to 80 years with localized CaP in NYC between 2004 and 2016. We categorized patients into receiving either aggressive local therapy (ALT) or non-aggressive treatment (NT). We identified borough of residence through NYSPACED and used Public Use Microdata Area (PUMA) designation to define neighborhood characteristics using United States Census data. We hypothesized that differences exist in use of ALT according to county of residence and neighborhood characteristics. We used multivariable logistic regression to test the association between county of residence and ALT as well as between ALT and PUMA characteristics.

RESULTS

Our cohort included 40,668 patients. Overall, 80% had ALT, and 21% had NT. NT use increased over time from 16% in 2004 to 32% in 2016 (P < .001). On multivariable logistic regression, patients in Manhattan were less likely to receive ALT compared with those in other boroughs (P < .001). PUMAs with lower education attainment, larger foreign-born populations, lower crime rate, and higher median income were significantly associated with receipt of ALT (P < .05).

CONCLUSIONS

We observed significant differences in use of treatment for men with newly diagnosed CaP in NYC. The ability to receive this treatment was associated with borough of residence as well as neighborhood socioeconomic characteristics. Additional research is required to identify barriers in access to NT within NYC.

Prognosis of prostate cancer and bone metastasis pattern of patients: a SEER-based study and a local hospital based study from China

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the leading cause of cancer-related death among men worldwide. Knowledge of the prognostic factors of PCa and the bone metastasis pattern of patients would be helpful for patients and doctors. The data of 177,255 patients with prostate cancer diagnosed between 2010 and 2013 with at least five years of follow-up were retrieved from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. Multivariate Cox regression analysis was used to determine the predictive value of patients’ characteristics for survival after adjusting for other variates. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the odds ratio of bone metastasis in PCa patients. The predictive value of age, race, marital status, and tumor characteristics were compared. The survival of patients with different socioeconomic statuses and bone metastasis statuses was compared by Kaplan–Meier analysis. A total of 1,335 patients with prostate cancer diagnosed between 2009 and 2015 were enrolled from the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine. The survival of patients with different prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels, Gleason scores, marital statuses and bone metastasis statuses was compared by Kaplan-Meier analysis. In SEER database, 96.74% of patients were 50 years of age or older. Multivariate Cox analysis revealed that for PCa patients, age at presentation, older age, single marital status, lower socioeconomic status, higher PSA level, T1 and N0 stage, and bone metastasis were independent risk factors for increased mortality. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that patients who were married, were living in urban areas, had lower PSA levels, underwent surgery, and radiation had lower OR factors for bone metastasis. Asian or Pacific Islander, better socioeconomic status, lived in urban areas, married marital status, lower PSA levels and lower Gleason scores were better prognostic factors in PCa. Additionally, patients with single or divorced marital status, who were living in rural places had higher PSA levels, and T1 and N0 stages have a high OR for bone metastasis.

Changes in prostate-specific antigen at the time of prostate cancer diagnosis after Medicaid expansion in young men

BACKGROUND

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of Medicaid expansion under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (January 1, 2014) on the epidemiology of high-risk prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels (≥20 ng/mL) at the time of prostate cancer (PCa) diagnosis. The authors hypothesized that better access to care would result in a reduction of high-risk features at diagnosis.

METHODS

A retrospective cohort study was performed of 122,324 men aged <65 years who were diagnosed with PCa within the National Cancer Database. Difference-in-difference (DID) analyses adjusting for sociodemographic variables using linear regression compared PSA levels at diagnosis before expansion (2012-2013) and after expansion (2015-2016) between men residing in states that did or did not expand Medicaid.

RESULTS

From 2012 to 2016, the proportion of men with PSA levels ≥20 ng/mL increased (from 18.9% to 19.8%) in nonexpansion states and decreased (from 19.9% to 18.2%) in expansion states. Compared with men in nonexpansion states, men in expansion states experienced a decline in PSA ≥20 ng/mL (DID, -2.33%; 95% CI, -3.21% to -1.44%; P < .001). Accordingly, the proportion of men presenting with high-risk disease decreased in expansion states relative to nonexpansion states (DID, -1.25%; 95% CI, -2.26% to 0.25%; P = .015). A similar statistically significant decrease in PSA levels ≥20 ng/mL was noted among black men (DID, -3.11%; 95% CI, -5.25% to 0.96%; P = .005).

CONCLUSIONS

In Medicaid expansion states, there was an associated decrease in the proportion of young men presenting with PSA ≥20 ng/mL at the time of PCa diagnosis. These results suggest that Medicaid expansion improved access to PCa screening. Longer term data should assess oncologic outcomes.

Agreement between area- and individual-level income measures in a population-based cohort: Implications for population health research

Socioeconomic status is an important determinant of health, the measurement of which is of great significance to population health research. However, individual-level socioeconomic factors are absent from much health administrative data, resulting in widespread use of area-level measures in their place. This study aims to clarify the role of individual- and area-level socioeconomic status in Ontario, Canada, through comparison of income measures.

Using data from four cycles (2005–2012) of the Canadian Community Health Survey, we assessed concordance between individual- and area-level income quintiles using percent agreement and Kappa statistics. Individual-level characteristics were compared at baseline. Cumulative adult premature mortality was calculated for 5-years following interview. Rates were calculated separately for area-level and individual-level income, and jointly for each combination of income groups. Multivariable negative binomial models were fit to estimate associations between area- and individual-level income quintile and premature mortality after adjustment for basic demographics (age, sex, interview cycle) and key risk factors (alcohol, smoking, physical activity, and body mass index).

Agreement between individual- and area-level income measures was low. Kappa statistics for same and similar (i.e. ±1 quintile) measures were 0.11 and 0.48, indicating low and moderate agreement, respectively. Socioeconomic disparities in premature mortality were greater for individual-level income than area-level income. When rates were stratified by both area- and individual-level income quintiles simultaneously, individual-level income gradients persisted within each area-level income group. The association between income and premature mortality was significant for both measures, including after full adjustment.

Area-level socioeconomic status is an inappropriate proxy for missing individual-level data. The low agreement between area- and individual-level income measures and differences in demographic profile indicate that the two socioeconomic status measures do not capture the same population groups. However, our findings demonstrate that both individual- and area-level income measures are associated with premature mortality, and describe unique socioeconomic inequities.

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Area- and individual-level income measures may not capture the same groups.

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Area-level socioeconomic status is not a valid proxy for individual-level data.

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Area- and individual-level income are independently meaningful for health outcomes.

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Measures can be used together to fully contextualize socioeconomic status.

Use of empiric methods to inform prostate cancer health disparities: Comparison of neighborhood-wide association study "hits" in black and white men

BACKGROUND

Black men are more likely to die of prostate cancer (PCa) compared with white men. Factors ranging from genetics to neighborhood environment contribute to these disparities. However, unlike genetics, agnostic investigations that identify candidate variables from large-scale data, and that allow for empiric investigations into differential associations between neighborhood and PCa by race/ethnicity, to the authors' knowledge have not been well explored. Thus, herein, the authors built on their previously developed, empiric neighborhood-wide association study (NWAS) in white men and conducted a NWAS in black men to determine whether findings differed by race.

METHODS

Pennsylvania Cancer Registry data were linked to US Census data. For the NWAS in non-Hispanic black men, the authors evaluated the association between 14,663 neighborhood census variables and advanced PCa (11 high-stage and/or high-grade cases and 8632 low-stage and/or low-grade cases), adjusting for age, diagnosis year, spatial correlation, and multiple testing. Odds ratios and 95% credible intervals were reported. Replication of NWAS findings across black and white races was assessed using Bayesian mixed effects models.

RESULTS

Five variables related to housing (3 variables), education (1 variable), and employment and/or transportation (1 variable) were found to be significantly associated with advanced PCa in black men compared with 17 socioeconomic variables (mostly related to poverty and/or income) in white men. The top hit in black men was related to crowding in renter-occupied housing (odds ratio, 1.10; 95% credible interval, 1.001-1.12). Nine of 22 NWAS hits (4 of 5 hits in black men) were replicated across racial/ethnic groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Different neighborhood variables, or "candidates," were identified across race-specific NWASs. These findings and empiric approaches warrant additional study and may inform PCa racial disparities, particularly future gene-environment studies aimed at identifying patients and/or communities at risk of advanced PCa.

Barriers to accrual and enrollment in brain tumor trials

Many factors contribute to the poor survival of malignant brain tumor patients, some of which are not easily remedied. However, one contributor to the lack of progress that may be modifiable is poor clinical trial accrual. Surveys of brain tumor patients and neuro-oncology providers suggest that clinicians do a poor job of discussing clinical trials with patients and referring patients for clinical trials. Yet, data from the Cancer Action Network of the American Cancer Society suggest that most eligible oncology patients asked to enroll on a clinical trial will agree to do so. To this end, the Society for Neuro-Oncology (SNO) in collaboration with the Response Assessment in Neuro-Oncology (RANO) Working Group, patient advocacy groups, clinical trial cooperative groups, including the Adult Brain Tumor Consortium (ABTC), and other partners are working together with the intent to double clinical trial accrual over the next 5 years. Here we describe the factors contributing to poor clinical trial accrual in neuro-oncology and offer possible solutions.

Socioenvironmental adversity and risk of prostate cancer in non-Hispanic black and white men

Non-Hispanic black (NHB) men experience higher risk of prostate cancer than other racial/ethnic groups, and it is possible that socioenvironmental (SE) adversity and resulting stress may contribute to this disparity. Data from the Southern Community Cohort Study were used to evaluate associations between SE adversity and perceived stress in relation to prostate cancer risk, overall and by race/ethnicity and grade. Between 2002 and 2009, 26,741 men completed a questionnaire, from which an 8-item SE adversity composite was created (covering socioeconomic status, residential environment, and social support/buffers). Two items from the Perceived Stress Scale were assessed. With follow-up through 2011, 527 prostate cancer cases were diagnosed. In multivariable models, each one-unit increase in the SE adversity composite was associated with increased prostate cancer risk among non-Hispanic white (NHW) men (HR 1.23; 95% CI 1.02-1.48) and reduced risk among NHB men (HR 0.89; 95% CI 0.82-0.95) (p interaction: 0.001). This pattern held for low grade, but not high grade, cancers although power was limited for the latter. Perceived stress variables were associated with increased risk of prostate cancer among NHW men, but not among NHB men. Results do not support the hypothesis that SE adversity my underlay the racial disparity in prostate cancer, over and above that of covariates, including healthcare utilization.

Influence of Socioeconomic Factors on Stone Burden at Presentation to Tertiary Referral Center: Data From the Registry for Stones of the Kidney and Ureter

OBJECTIVE

To determine social factors associated with advanced stone disease (defined as unilateral stone burden >2 cm) at time of presentation to a regional stone referral center. Little is known about social determinants of urolithiasis. We hypothesize that socioeconomic factors impact kidney stone severity at intake to referral centers.

METHODS

A retrospective review of the prospectively collected data from the Registry for Stones of the Kidney and Ureter from 2015 to 2018 was conducted to evaluate patient characteristics predictive of having a large (>2 cm) unilateral kidney stone. Data on patient age, gender, body mass index, diabetes, race, language, education level, infection, distance, income, referring regional urologist density, American Society of Anesthesiologists score, and stone analysis were evaluated.

RESULTS

Complete imaging and patient variable data was present in 650 of 1142 patients including 197 patients with unilateral stone burden >2 cm. On multivariate analysis, obesity, lower education level, increased distance from the referral center, and symptoms of infection predicted for unilateral stone burden greater than 2 cm. Among 191 patients with stone analysis data present, stone type, income, and urologist density predicted for unilateral stone burden greater than 2 cm.

CONCLUSION

In addition to known biological risk factors, patients with lower education levels and from regions of lower mean income were found to be more likely to present to our tertiary care center with stone burden greater than 2 cm. More research is needed to elucidate the social and societal determinants of advanced stone disease and the impact this has on population costs for stone treatment.