Differences in initial treatment patterns and outcomes of lung cancer in the elderly

What health inequalities exist in access to, outcomes from and experience of treatment for lung cancer? A scoping review

OBJECTIVES

Lung cancer (LC) continues to be the leading cause of cancer-related deaths and while there have been significant improvements in overall survival, this gain is not equally distributed. To address health inequalities (HIs), it is vital to identify whether and where they exist. This paper reviews existing literature on what HIs impact LC care and where these manifest on the care pathway.

DESIGN

A systematic scoping review based on Arksey and O'Malley's five-stage framework.

DATA SOURCES

Multiple databases (EMBASE, HMIC, Medline, PsycINFO, PubMed) were used to retrieve articles.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

Search limits were set to retrieve articles published between January 2012 and April 2022. Papers examining LC along with domains of HI were included. Two authors screened papers and independently assessed full texts.

DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS

HIs were categorised according to: (a) HI domains: Protected Characteristics (PC); Socioeconomic and Deprivation Factors (SDF); Geographical Region (GR); Vulnerable or Socially Excluded Groups (VSG); and (b) where on the LC pathway (access to, outcomes from, experience of care) inequalities manifest. Data were extracted by two authors and collated in a spreadsheet for structured analysis and interpretation.

RESULTS

41 papers were included. The most studied domain was PC (32/41), followed by SDF (19/41), GR (18/41) and VSG (13/41). Most studies investigated differences in access (31/41) or outcomes (27/41), with few (4/41) exploring experience inequalities. Evidence showed race, rural residence and being part of a VSG impacted the access to LC diagnosis, treatment and supportive care. Additionally, rural residence, older age or male sex negatively impacted survival and mortality. The relationship between outcomes and other factors (eg, race, deprivation) showed mixed results.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings offer an opportunity to reflect on the understanding of HIs in LC care and provide a platform to consider targeted efforts to improve equity of access, outcomes and experience for patients.

Surgical under-treatment of older adult patients with cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Older patients with cancer often have lower surgery rates and survival than younger patients, but this may reflect surgical contraindications of advanced disease, comorbidities, and frailty - and not necessarily under-treatment.

OBJECTIVES

This review aims to describe variations in surgery rates and observed or net survival among younger (<75) and older (≥75) patients with breast, lung and colorectal cancer, while taking account of pre-existing health factors, in order to understand how under-treatment is defined and estimated in the literature.

METHOD

MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science and PubMed databases were searched for studies reporting surgery rates and observed or net survival among younger and older patients with breast, lung, and colorectal cancer. Study quality was assessed using the Newcastle Ottawa Scale, and random effects meta-analyses were used to combine study results. The I-squared statistic and subgroup analyses were used to assess heterogeneity.

RESULTS

Thirty relatively high-quality studies of patients with breast (230,200; 71.9%), lung (77,573; 24.2%), and colorectal (12,407; 3.9%) cancers were identified. Compared to younger patients, older patients were less likely to receive surgical treatment for 1) breast cancer after adjusting for comorbidity, performance status (PS), functional status and patient choice, 2) lung cancer after accounting for stage, comorbidity, PS, and 3) colorectal cancer after adjusting for stage, comorbidity, and gender. The pooled unadjusted analyses showed lower surgery receipt in older patients with breast (odds ratio [OR] 0.31, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.13-0.78), lung (OR 0.54, 95% CI 0.39-0.75), and colorectal (OR 0.59, 95% CI 0.51-0.68) cancer. In separate analyses, older patients with breast, lung and colorectal cancer had lower observed and net survival, compared to younger patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Lower surgery rates in older patients may contribute to their poorer survival compared to younger patients. Future research quantifying under-treatment should include necessary clinical factors, patient choice, patient's quality of life and a statistically-robust approach, which will demonstrate how much of the survival deficit in older patients is due to their receiving lower surgery rates.

Is long travel distance a barrier to surgical cancer care in the United States? A systematic review

BACKGROUND

Travel distance to surgical cancer care is increasing. The relationship between increased travel distance and receipt of surgical cancer care in the United States is not well characterized.

METHODS

A systematic review of studies examining travel distance and receipt of surgery for adult patients in the United States was performed. Literature searches were conducted using PubMed and EMBASE.

RESULTS

Seven studies were included. Only one found lower likelihood of surgery with increasing travel distance. Three studies, all based on hospital-based data, found that increased travel distance was associated with a higher likelihood of receiving surgery. Two studies found no association and one study had mixed findings.

CONCLUSION

We were unable to identify a consistent relationship between travel distance and receipt of surgery. Our results highlight the need for additional research examining how increasing travel distance impacts receipt of surgical cancer care.

CANcer BEhavioural nutrition and exercise feasibility trial (CanBenefit); phase I qualitative interview findings

BACKGROUND

Older people with lung cancer are often frail and unfit due to their cancer and co-morbidities and may tolerate cancer treatments poorly. Physical activity (PA) and a healthy diet offer quality of life benefit to people with cancer before, during, and post treatment. However, older adults are poorly represented in the clinical trials on which recommendations were made.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the acceptability, usefulness, and practicality of delivering a tailored wellbeing (PA and nutrition) intervention for older adults with lung cancer before, during, and after cancer treatments (chemotherapy and/or immunotherapy).

METHODS

Semi-structured interviews conducted with nine patients with lung cancer and three patients with mesothelioma, ≥70 years and ten informal carers, and nine Multidisciplinary Team (MDT) members. A topic guide covered the acceptability, usefulness, and practicality of a wellbeing intervention as well as specific feedback on individual components. Data were subjected to thematic analysis.

FINDINGS

Four themes were generated: current lack of wellbeing care in clinical work; preferred "can have" dietary and "can do" PA advice; peer support as facilitating factor; and barriers to compliance including patients' psychological and physical issues as well as current cancer pathway and staffing issues.

CONCLUSION

Older adults with lung cancer would welcome a proactive, clear and instructive, wellbeing intervention. Many barriers to compliance exist, particularly before and during cancer treatments due to the psycho-social impact of diagnosis, and the effects of cancer treatment. The intervention must be tailored to individual need and address physical limitations, psychological and social welfare in addition to PA and nutritional advice.

Expected Monetary Impact of Oncotype DX Score-Concordant Systemic Breast Cancer Therapy Based on the TAILORx Trial

BACKGROUND

TAILORx demonstrated that women with node-negative, hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative breast cancers and Oncotype DX recurrence scores (RS) of 0-25 had similar 9-year outcomes with endocrine vs chemo-endocrine therapy; evidence for women aged 50 years and younger and RS 16-25 was less clear. We estimated how expected changes in practice following the trial might affect US costs in the initial 12 months of care (initial costs).

METHODS

Data from Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER), SEER-Medicare, and SEER-Genomic Health Inc datasets were used to estimate Oncotype DX testing and chemotherapy rates and mean initial costs pre- and post-TAILORx (in 2018 dollars), assuming all women received Oncotype DX testing and score-suggested therapy posttrial. Sensitivity analyses tested the impact on costs of assumptions about compliance with testing and score-suggested treatment and estimation methods.

RESULTS

Pretrial mean initial costs were $2.816 billion. Posttrial, Oncotype DX testing costs were projected to increase from $115 to $231 million and chemotherapy use to decrease from 25% to 17%, resulting in initial care costs of $2.766 billion, or a net savings of $49 million (1.8% decrease). A small net savings was seen under most assumptions. The one exception was if all women aged 50 years and younger with tumors with RS 16-25 elected to receive chemotherapy, initial care costs could increase by $105 million (4% increase).

CONCLUSIONS

Personalizing breast cancer treatment based on tumor genetic profiles could result in small cost decreases in the initial 12 months of care. Studies are needed to evaluate the long-term costs and nonmonetary benefits of personalized cancer care.

Correlation between mouse age and human age in anti-tumor research: Significance and method establishment

Age is closely related with the occurrence and development of tumors, and with treatment outcomes. To improve the accuracy and rigor of preclinical studies, and to enhance consistency between the preclinical research and the clinical reality, the age of experimental animals used in preclinical studies is important. The mouse genome is 99% identical to the human genome, and mice have similar patterns with respect to organs and systemic physiology. Thus, mice have been the most widely used animals in anti-tumor research. However, most mice used in such studies are 6 to 8 weeks old, ignoring the fact that different tumors may often occur in various periods, with a particular tendency to occur in later stages of life. The great difference in age limits the success rate of clinical transformation. Therefore, it is very important to choose mice of suitable age for preclinical studies and to correlate ages of human and mice. Only a few related studies have been reported and there is a lack of consistency in the findings. This review points out that age is one of the important factors in anti-tumor research, and establishes a new method for calculating the age correlation between humans and mice. The equations obtained from the method can help researchers conveniently determine suitable aged mouse for their research, which will improve the rigor of their experimental results. Furthermore, this method can be used beyond anti-tumor research, in studies on other diseases that use mouse as an animal model.

Facts and Fears in Public Reporting: Patients' Information Needs and Priorities When Selecting a Hospital for Cancer Care

Objective. Public reporting on the quality of provider care has the potential to empower patients to make evidence-based decisions. Yet patients seldom consult resources such as provider report cards in part because they perceive the information as irrelevant. To inform more effective public reporting, we investigated patients' information priorities when selecting a hospital for cancer treatment. We hypothesized that patients would be most interested in data on clinical outcomes. Methods. An experienced moderator led a series of focus groups using a semistructured discussion guide. Separate sessions were held with patients aged 18 to 54 years and those older than 54 years in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Phoenix, Arizona; and Indianapolis, Indiana, in 2017. All 38 participants had received treatment for cancer within the past 2 years and had a choice of hospitals. Results. In selecting hospitals for cancer treatment, many participants reported that they considered factors such as reputation, quality of the facilities, and experiences of other patients. For most, however, decisions were guided by trusted advisors, with the majority agreeing that a physician's opinion would sway them to disregard objective data about hospital quality. Nonetheless, nearly all expressed interest in having comparative data. Participants varied in selecting from a hypothetical list, "the top 3 things you would want to know when choosing a hospital for cancer care." The most commonly preferred items were overall care quality, timeliness, and patient satisfaction. Contrary to our hypothesis, many preferred to avoid viewing comparative clinical outcomes, particularly survival. Conclusions. Patients' information preferences are diverse. Fear or other emotional responses might deter patients from viewing outcomes data such as survival. Additional research should explore optimal ways to help patients incorporate comparative data on the components of quality they value into decision making.

Socioeconomic Predictors of Surgical Resection and Survival for Patients With Osseous Spinal Neoplasms

OF BACKGROUND DATA

Primary osseous spinal neoplasms (POSNs) include locally aggressive tumors such as osteosarcoma, chondrosarcoma, Ewing sarcoma, and chordoma. For such tumors, surgical resection is associated with improved survival for patients. Socioeconomic predictors of receiving surgery, however, have not been studied.

OBJECTIVE

To examine the independent effect of race on receiving surgery and survival probability in patients with POSN.

STUDY DESIGN

A total of 1904 patients from the SEER program at the National Cancer Institute database, all diagnosed with POSN of the spinal cord, vertebral column, pelvis, or sacrum from 2003 through 2012 were included in the study. Race was reported as white or nonwhite. Treatment included receiving surgery and no surgery.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Multivariable logistic regression was used to determine odds of receiving surgery based on race. Survival probability based on and race and surgery status was analyzed by Cox proportional hazards model and Kaplan-Meir curves. Results were adjusted for age at diagnosis, sex, socioeconomic status (composite index), tumor size, and tumor grade. Data were analyzed with SAS version 9.4.

RESULTS

The study found that white patients were significantly more likely to receive surgery (odds ratio=3.076, P<0.01). Furthermore, nonwhite race was associated with significantly shorter survival time [hazard ratio (HR)=1.744, P<0.05]. Receiving surgery was associated with improved overall survival (HR=2.486, P<0.01). After adjusting for receiving surgery, white race remained significantly associated with higher survival probability (HR=2.061, P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

This national study of patients with typically aggressive POSN found a significant correlation between race and the likelihood of receiving surgery. The study also found race to be a significant predictor of overall survival, regardless of receiving surgical treatment. These findings suggest an effect of race on receiving treatment and survival in patients with POSN, regardless of socioeconomic status. Further studies are required to understand reasons underlying these findings, and how they may be addressed.

Disparities in the Treatment and Outcome of Stage I Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer in the 21st Century

BACKGROUND

African American (AA) individuals are less likely to receive treatment and more likely to die from cancer compared with Caucasian (C) individuals. Recent advancements in surgery and radiation have improved outcomes in early stage non-small-cell lung cancer (ESNSCLC). We studied racial disparities in ESNSCLC in the past decade.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database was used to retrieve data of 62,312 ESNSCLC patients age 60 years and older diagnosed between 2004 and 2012. Patients were divided into racial cohorts: C, AA, American Indian (AI), Asian/Pacific Islander (API), or unknown. Demographics characteristics, therapy, and survival were compared using χ² test, Kaplan-Meier method, and Cox multivariate analysis.

RESULTS

AA and AI individuals were less likely to receive surgery than typical ESNSCLC patients (55.9% and 57.6% vs. 66.7%; P < .0001). Two-year overall survival (OS) for C individuals was 70%, for AA 65%, AI 60%, and API 76% (P < .0001). Two-year cancer-specific survival (CSS) for C individuals was 79%, AA 76%, AI 73%, and API 84% (P < .0001). Median CSS for AI and AA individuals was less than that of typical ESNSCLC patients (49 and 80 months vs. 107 months; P < .0001). This difference disappeared in multivariate analysis, accounted by sex, age, treatment, histology, and T stage (all P < .0001).

CONCLUSION

Despite treatment advancements in the past decade, AA and AI individuals continue to have worse OS and CSS from ESNSCLC. This might be because of the association with more adverse risk factors, including older age, squamous histology, male sex, T2 stage, and tendency to forgo treatment.

The effect of low insurance reimbursement on quality of care for non-small cell lung cancer in China: a comprehensive study covering diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes

Background

The insurance reimbursement rate of medical cost affects the quality and quantity of health services provided in China. The nature of this relationship, however, has not been reliably described in the field of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The objective of the current study was to examine the impact of low reimbursement rates of medical costs on diagnosis, treatment and outcomes among patients with NSCLC.

Methods

We examined care of 2643 NSCLC patients and we divided the study cohort into a high reimbursement rate group and a low reimbursement rate group. The impact of reimbursement rates of medical costs on quality of care of NSCLC patients were examined using logistic regression and generalized linear models.

Results

Compared with patients insured with high reimbursement rate, patients insured through lower reimbursement rate programs were less likely to benefit from early detection and treatment services. Delayed detection was more common in low reimbursement group and they were less likely to be recommended for adjuvant chemotherapy, or to receive adjuvant chemotherapy and postoperative radiation therapy and they had lower odds to receipt chemotherapy response assessment. However, low reimbursement rate group had lower rate of in-hospital mortality and metastases.

Conclusions

Low reimbursement rate mainly negatively influenced the diagnosis and treatment of NSCLC. Reducing the gap in reimbursement rate between the three health insurance schemes should be a focus of equalizing access to care and improving the level of medical compliance and finally improving quality of care of NSCLC.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s12885-018-4608-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Reasons for lack of referral to medical oncology for systemic therapy in stage IV non-small-cell lung cancer: comparison of 2003-2006 with 2010-2011

Introduction

Only approximately 25% of stage iv non-small-cell lung cancer (nsclc) patients receive systemic therapy. For such patients, we examined factors affecting referral to a cancer centre (cc) and to medical oncology (mo), and use of systemic therapy.

Methods

Using the Glans-Look Lung Cancer database, we completed a chart review of stage iv nsclc patients diagnosed in Southern Alberta during 2003-2006 and 2010-2011, comparing median overall survival (mos), referral, and treatment in the two cohorts.

Results

Of the 922 patients diagnosed in 2003-2006 and the 560 diagnosed in 2010-2011, 94% and 82% respectively were referred to a cc, with 22% and 23% receiving traditional chemotherapy (tctx). Referral to a cc or mo and use of tctx correlated with survival (p < 0.0001): The mos duration was 11.2 months in those receiving tctx and 1.0 months in those not referred to a cc. The overall mos duration was similar in the two cohorts (4.1 months vs. 3.9 months, p = 0.47). Major reasons for lack of referral to mo included poor functional status, rapid decline, and patient wish, which were similar to the reasons for forgoing tctx. In the two cohorts, 87 (9.4%) and 42 (7.5%) patients received epidermal growth factor inhibitors, with a mos duration of 16.2 months. Multivariable analysis showed that male sex [hazard ratio (hr): 1.16; p = 0.008] and pulmonary embolus (hr: 1.2; p = 0.002) correlated with worse survival. In contrast, receipt of chemotherapy (hr: 0.5; p < 0.001) and enrolment in a clinical trial (hr: 0.76; p = 0.049) correlated with better survival.

Conclusions

Our experience confirms that, over time, uptake of systemic therapy, including tctx and targeted therapy, changed little despite their established efficacy. Most of the factors limiting systemic therapy uptake appear to be non-modifiable at the time of referral. Rapid diagnosis and the availability of well-tolerated drugs for all nsclc patients will likely be the most important factors in increasing systemic therapy uptake in this population.

Treatment Toxicity in Elderly Patients With Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

OBJECTIVES

Toxicity is a main concern limiting the use of chemotherapy and radiotherapy (RT) for elderly patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The objective of this study was to assess the rates of treatment-related toxicity among elderly stage IIIB and IV NSCLC patients.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We used the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results registry linked to Medicare records to identify 2596 stage IIIB and 14,803 stage IV NSCLC patients aged 70 years and above, diagnosed in 2000 or later. We compared rates of toxicity requiring hospitalization according to treatment (chemotherapy, RT, or chemoradiation [CRT]) in unadjusted and adjusted models controlling for selection bias using propensity scores.

RESULTS

Among stage IIIB patients, rates of any severe toxicity were 10.1%, 23.8%, 30.4%, and 39.2% for patients who received no treatment, RT, chemotherapy alone, and CRT, respectively. In stage IV patients, rates of any severe toxicity were 31.5% versus 13.5% among those treated with and without chemotherapy, respectively. In stage IIIB patients treated with CRT, the most common toxicities was esophagitis (odds ratio, 48.5; 95% confidence interval, 6.7-350.5). Among stage IV patients treated with chemotherapy, the risk of toxicity was highest for neutropenia (odds ratio, 8.4; 95% confidence interval, 6.1-11.5).

CONCLUSIONS

Toxicity was relatively common among stage IIIB patients with up to a 6-fold increase in elderly individuals treated with CRT and a 4-fold increase in toxicities among stage IV patients. This information should be helpful to guide discussions about the risk-benefit ratio of chemotherapy and RT in elderly patients with advanced NSCLC.

Do cancer survivors change their prescription drug use for financial reasons? Findings from a nationally representative sample in the United States

BACKGROUND

There is limited evidence from nationally representative samples about changes in prescription drug use for financial reasons among cancer survivors in the United States.

METHODS

The 2011 to 2014 National Health Interview Survey was used to identify adults who reported ever having been told they had cancer (cancer survivors; n = 8931) and individuals without a cancer history (n = 126,287). Measures of changes in prescription drug use for financial reasons included: 1) skipping medication doses, 2) taking less medicine, 3) delaying filling a prescription, 4) asking a doctor for lower cost medication, 5) buying prescription drugs from another country, and 6) using alternative therapies. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were controlled for demographic characteristics, number of comorbid conditions, interactions between cancer history and number of comorbid conditions, and health insurance coverage. Main analyses were stratified by age (nonelderly, ages 18-64 years; elderly, ages ≥65 years) and time since diagnosis (recently diagnosed, <2 years; previously diagnosed, ≥2 years).

RESULTS

Among nonelderly individuals, both recently diagnosed (31.6%) and previously diagnosed (27.9%) cancer survivors were more likely to report any change in prescription drug use for financial reasons than those without a cancer history (21.4%), with the excess percentage changes for individual measures ranging from 3.5% to 9.9% among previously diagnosed survivors and from 2.6% to 2.7% among recently diagnosed survivors (P < .01). Elderly cancer survivors and those without a cancer history had comparable rates of changes in prescription drug use for financial reasons.

CONCLUSIONS

Nonelderly cancer survivors are particularly vulnerable to changes in prescription drug use for financial reasons, suggesting that targeted efforts are needed. Cancer 2017;123:1453-1463. © 2016 American Cancer Society.

Assessing Survival and Grading the Severity of Complications in Octogenarians Undergoing Pulmonary Lobectomy

Introduction. Octogenarians are at increased risk for complications after lung resection. With alternatives such as radiation, understanding the risks of surgery and associated survival are valuable. Data grading the severity of complications and long-term survival in this population is lacking. We reviewed our experience with lobectomy in octogenarians, grading complications using a validated thoracic morbidity and mortality schema. Methods. We retrospectively reviewed consecutive patients aged ≥80 undergoing lobectomy between 2004 and 2012. Demographics, clinical/pathologic stage, complications, recurrence, and mortality were collected. Complications were graded by the Seely thoracic morbidity and mortality model. Results. 45 patients (mean age 82.2 years) were analyzed. The majority of patients (28/45, 62%) were clinical stage IA/IB. 62% (28/45) of patients experienced a complication. Only 15.6% (7/45) were considered significantly morbid (≥ grade IIIB) per the Seely model. Perioperative mortality was 2% and half of patients were living at a follow-up of 53 months. Overall five-year survival was 52%. Conclusions. In carefully selected octogenarians, lobectomy carries a 15.6% rate of significantly morbid complications with encouraging overall survival. These data provide the basis for a more complete discussion with patients regarding lobectomy for lung cancer.

Increasing Rates of No Treatment in Advanced-Stage Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Patients: A Propensity-Matched Analysis

INTRODUCTION

Variation in treatment and survival outcomes for NSCLC is high among patients with stage III or IV disease, but patients with untreated NSCLC have not been critically analyzed to evaluate for improvable outcomes. We evaluated treatment trends and their association with oncologic outcomes for NSCLC, hypothesizing that there are a substantial number of untreated patients who are similar to patients who undergo treatment.

METHODS

Linear regression was used to calculate trends in utilization of treatment. Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression modeling were used to determine predictors of receiving treatment. Propensity matching was used to compare survival among subsets of treated versus untreated patients.

RESULTS

Patients with primary NSCLC were identified from the National Cancer Data base from 1998 to 2012, and 21% of patients (190,539) received no treatment. For stage IIIA and IV, the proportion of untreated patients increased over the study period by 0.21% and 0.4%, respectively (p = 0.003 and p < 0.0001). Regardless of stage, untreated patients had significantly shorter overall survival (OS) (p < 0.0001). Propensity-matched analyses of 6144 stage IIIA patient pairs treated with chemoradiation versus no treatment confirmed shorter OS for untreated patients (median 16.5 versus 6.1 months, p < 0.0001). For 19,046 stage IV patient pairs treated with chemotherapy versus no treatment, similar results were obtained (median OS 9.3 versus 2.0 months, p < 0.0001).

CONCLUSIONS

The proportion of untreated patients with stage IIIA and IV disease is increasing. Survival outcomes among patients with advanced-stage disease are superior with treatment, independent of selection bias. The benefits and risks of treatment should be carefully assessed before choosing to forego treatment.

Surveillance Practice Patterns after Curative Intent Therapy for Stage I Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer in the Medicare Population

OBJECTIVES

Recurrence after treatment for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is common, and routine imaging surveillance is recommended by evidence-based guidelines. Little is known about surveillance patterns after curative intent therapy for early stage NSCLC. We sought to understand recent practice patterns for surveillance of stage I NSCLC in the first two years after curative intent therapy in the Medicare population.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER)-Medicare linked database we selected patients diagnosed with stage I NSCLC between 1998 and 2008. We studied adherence to surveillance guidelines based on specialty society recommendations for chest radiography and computed tomography (CT) scanning. We also tracked the use of Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scans, which are not recommended for surveillance. We calculated the percent of patients who received guideline-adherent surveillance imaging and used logistic regression to determine associations between patient and provider factors and guideline adherence.

RESULTS

Overall, 61.4% of patients received guideline-adherent surveillance during the initial 2 years after treatment. Use of CT scans in the first year after treatment increased from 47.4% in 1998-78.5% in 2008, and PET use increased from 5.8% to 28.9%. Adherence with surveillance imaging was associated with younger age, higher income, more comorbidities, access to primary care, and receipt of SBRT as the primary treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

Adherence to specialty society guidelines for surveillance after treatment for stage I NSCLC was poor in this population of Medicare beneficiaries, with less than two-thirds of patients receiving recommended imaging, and almost 30% receiving non-recommended PET scans.

Pragmatic study designs for older adults with cancer: Report from the U13 conference

Cancer is a disease occurring disproportionately in older adults. However, the evidence base regarding how best to care for these patients remains limited due to their underrepresentation in cancer clinical trials. Pragmatic clinical trials represent a promising approach for enhancing the evidence base in geriatric oncology by allowing investigators to enroll older, frailer patients onto cancer clinical trials. These trials are more accessible, less resource intensive, and place minimal additional burden on participating patients. Additionally, these trials can be designed to measure endpoints directly relevant to older adults, such as quality of life, functional independence and treatment tolerability which are often not addressed in standard clinical trials. Therefore, pragmatic clinical trials allow researchers to include patients for whom the treatment will ultimately be applied and to utilize meaningful endpoints. Examples of pragmatic studies include both large, simple trials and cluster randomized trials. These study designs allow investigators to conduct clinical trials within the context of everyday practice. Further, researchers can devise these studies to place minimal burden on the patient, the treating clinicians and the participating institutions. In order to be successful, pragmatic trials must efficiently utilize the electronic medical record for data capture while also maximizing patient recruitment, enrollment and retention. Additionally, by strategically utilizing pragmatic clinical trials to test therapies and interventions that have previously shown efficacy in younger, fitter patients, these trials represent a potential mechanism to improve the evidence base in geriatric oncology and enhance care for older adults with cancer.

Surgery for Non-Small Cell Carcinoma in Geriatric Patients: 15-Year Experience

The purpose of this study was to determine the clinical patterns, short- and long-term survival in elderly patients after surgery for non-small cell lung carcinoma. The 273 patients aged over 70 years who underwent curative resection from 1986 to 2001 were retrospectively assessed. Mean age was 73.2 ± 3.1 years, (11% were > 80 years). The mean follow-up was 31 months. Standard procedures were used: 151 lobectomies, 49 bilateral lobectomies, 42 pneumonectomies, 9 sleeve resections, and 22 wedge resections. The 30-day mortality was 5.4%. Multivariate analysis showed that extended procedures, male sex, and age were predictors of mortality. Overall survival rates at 5, 10, and 15 years were 35.6%, 10.5%, and 2.5%, respectively. Advanced disease stage, low forced expiratory volume in 1 second, and previous cardiac disease were independent predictors that adversely influenced survival. Geriatric patients with non-small cell lung carcinoma can undergo resection safely with acceptable long-term survival. Lobectomy is the procedure of choice, extended resections should only be carried out in highly selected patients. Careful attention to preoperative clinical staging is important as the elderly beyond the early stage of disease fare poorly. Surgery is justified for the treatment of stage I–II lung cancer.

Geographic variation in the use of adjuvant therapy among elderly patients with resected non-small cell lung cancer

OBJECTIVES

The purpose of this study was to assess to what extent geographic variation in adjuvant treatment for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients would remain, after controlling for patient and area-level characteristics.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A retrospective cohort of 18,410 Medicare beneficiaries with resected, stage I-IIIA NSCLC was identified from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER)-Medicare linked database. Adjuvant therapies were classified as adjuvant chemotherapy (ACT), postoperative radiation therapy (PORT), or no adjuvant therapy. Predicted treatment probabilities were estimated for each patient given their clinical, demographic, and area-level characteristics with multivariate logistic regression. Area Treatment Ratios were used to estimate the propensity of patients in a local area to receive an adjuvant treatment, controlling for characteristics of patients in the area. Areas were categorized as low-, mid- and high-use and mapped for two representative SEER registries.

RESULTS

Overall, 10%, 12%, and 78% of patients received ACT, PORT and no adjuvant therapy, respectively. Age, sex, stage, type and year of surgery, and comorbidity were associated with adjuvant treatment use. Even after adjusting for patient characteristics, substantial geographic treatment variation remained. High- and low-use areas were tightly juxtaposed within and across SEER registries, often within the same county. In some local areas, patients were up to eight times more likely to receive adjuvant therapy than expected, given their characteristics. On the other hand, almost a quarter of patients lived in local areas in which patients were more than three times less likely to receive ACT than would be predicted.

CONCLUSION

Controlling for patient and area-level covariates did not remove geographic variation in adjuvant therapies for resected NSCLC patients. A greater proportion of patients were treated less than expected, rather than more than expected. Further research is needed to better understand its causes and potential impact on outcomes.

Annual Medical Expenditure and Productivity Loss Among Colorectal, Female Breast, and Prostate Cancer Survivors in the United States

BACKGROUND

There are limited nationally representative estimates of the annual economic burden among survivors of the three most prevalent cancers (colorectal, female breast, and prostate) in both nonelderly and elderly populations in the United States.

METHODS

The 2008 to 2012 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey data were used to identify colorectal (n = 540), female breast (n = 1568), and prostate (n = 1170) cancer survivors and individuals without a cancer history (n = 109 423). Excess economic burden attributable to cancer included per-person excess annual medical expenditures and productivity losses (employment disability, missed work days, and days stayed in bed). All analyses were stratified by cancer site and age (nonelderly: 18-64 years vs elderly: ≥ 65 years). Multivariable analyses controlled for age, sex, race/ethnicity, marital status, education, number of comorbidities, and geographic region. All statistical tests were two-sided.

RESULTS

Compared with individuals without a cancer history, cancer survivors experienced annual excess medical expenditures (for the nonelderly population, colorectal: $8647, 95% confidence interval [CI] = $4932 to $13 974, P < .001; breast: $5119, 95% CI = $3439 to $7158, P < .001; prostate: $3586, 95% CI = $1792 to $6076, P < .001; for the elderly population, colorectal: $4913, 95% CI = $2768 to $7470, P < .001; breast: $2288, 95% CI = $814 to $3995, P = .002; prostate: $3524, 95% CI = $1539 to $5909, P < .001). Nonelderly colorectal and breast cancer survivors experienced statistically significant annual excess employment disability (13.6%, P < .001, and 4.8%, P = .001) and productivity loss at work (7.2 days, P < .001, and 3.3 days, P = .002) and at home (4.5 days, P < .001, and 3.3 days, P = .003). In contrast, elderly survivors of all three cancer sites had comparable productivity losses as those without a cancer history.

CONCLUSIONS

Colorectal, breast, and prostate cancer survivors experienced statistically significantly higher economic burden compared with individuals without a cancer history; however, excess economic burden varies by cancer site and age. Targeted efforts will be important in reducing the economic burden of colorectal, breast, and prostate cancer.

Disparities in Lung Cancer Care and Outcomes among Elderly in a Medically Underserved State Population-A Cancer Registry-Linked Database Study

Despite availability of guidelines for lung cancer care, variations in lung cancer care among the elderly exist across the nation and are a cause for concern in rural and medically underserved areas. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the patterns of lung cancer care and associated health outcomes among elderly residing in a rural and medically underserved area. The authors identified 1924 elderly lung cancer patients from the West Virginia Cancer Registry-Medicare linked database (2002-2007) and categorized them by receipt of guideline-concordant (appropriate and timely) care using guidelines from the American College of Chest Physicians, British Thoracic Society, and the RAND Corporation. Hierarchical generalized logistic models were constructed to identify variables associated with receipt of guideline-concordant care. Kaplan-Meier analysis and log-rank test were used to compare 3-year survival outcomes. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards models were constructed to estimate lung cancer mortality risk associated with nonreceipt of guideline-concordant care. Although guideline-concordant appropriate care was received by fewer than half of all patients (46.5%), of those receiving care, 78.7% received it in a timely manner. Delays in diagnosis and treatment varied significantly. Survival outcomes significantly improved with appropriate care (799 vs. 366 days; P≤0.05), but did not improve with timely care. This study highlights the critical need to address disparities in receipt of guideline-concordant lung cancer care among the elderly residing in rural and medically underserved areas. Although lung cancer diagnostic and management services are covered under the Medicare program, underutilization of these services is a concern. (Population Health Management 2016;19:109-119).

Racial disparities in the use of SBRT for treating early-stage lung cancer

OBJECTIVES

Prior studies have shown that the surgical resection rate for black patients with early-stage lung cancer is significantly lower than that of white patients, which may partially explain the worse outcomes observed in this group. Over the past decade, however, there has been increasing utilization of stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) as an alternative to surgical resection for inoperable patients. We undertook a population-based study to evaluate potential racial disparities in the use of SBRT.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Using the National Cancer Database, black and white patients with Stage I NSCLC between 2003 and 2011 were identified. Patients were categorized based on primary treatment modality. Univariable and multivariable analyses were performed to identify demographic predictors of SBRT utilization in the non-operative population.

RESULTS

A total of 113,312 patients met the inclusion criteria. When compared to white patients, black patients were less likely to receive surgical intervention (66% vs. 58%, P<0.001) or SBRT (6.1% vs. 5.5%, P<0.001), and more likely to receive standard fractionated external beam radiation (EBRT) or no treatment. When confined to the non-operative cohort, multivariable logistic regression confirmed black race to be negatively associated with SBRT use compared to less aggressive therapy.

CONCLUSION

In this national dataset, we confirmed prior observations that black patients are less likely to receive surgery than white patients, and also found that black patients are less likely to receive SBRT. This suggests that even with emerging utilization of SBRT for inoperable candidates, black patients continue to receive less aggressive therapy.

Guideline-concordant lung cancer care and associated health outcomes among elderly patients in the United States

OBJECTIVES

In the United States (US), the elderly carry a disproportionate burden of lung cancer. Although evidence-based guidelines for lung cancer care have been published, lack of high quality care still remains a concern among the elderly. This study comprehensively evaluates the variations in guideline-concordant lung cancer care among elderly in the US.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER)-Medicare database (2002-2007), we identified elderly patients (aged ≥65 years) with lung cancer (n = 42,323) and categorized them by receipt of guideline-concordant care, using evidence-based guidelines from the American College of Chest Physicians. A hierarchical generalized logistic model was constructed to identify variables associated with receipt of guideline-concordant care. Kaplan-Meier analysis and Log Rank test were used for estimation and comparison of the three-year survival. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards model was constructed to estimate lung cancer mortality risk associated with receipt of guideline-discordant care.

RESULTS

Only less than half of all patients (44.7%) received guideline-concordant care in the study population. The likelihood of receiving guideline-concordant care significantly decreased with increasing age, non-white race, higher comorbidity score, and lower income. Three-year median survival time significantly increased (exceeded 487 days) in patients receiving guideline-concordant care. Adjusted lung cancer mortality risk significantly increased by 91% (HR = 1.91, 95% CI: 1.82-2.00) among patients receiving guideline-discordant care.

CONCLUSION

This study highlights the critical need to address disparities in receipt of guideline-concordant lung cancer care among elderly. Although lung cancer diagnostic and management services are covered under the Medicare program, underutilization of these services is a concern.

Designing therapeutic clinical trials for older and frail adults with cancer: U13 conference recommendations

A majority of cancer diagnoses and deaths occur in patients age ≥ 65 years. With the aging of the US population, the number of older adults with cancer will grow. Although the coming wave of older patients with cancer was anticipated in the early 1980s, when the need for more research on the cancer-aging interface was recognized, many knowledge gaps remain when it comes to treating older and/or frailer patients with cancer. Relatively little is known about the best way to balance the risks and benefits of existing cancer therapies in older patients; however, these patients continue to be underrepresented in clinical trials. Furthermore, the available clinical trials often do not include end points pertinent to the older adult population, such as preservation of function, cognition, and independence. As part of its ongoing effort to advance research in the field of geriatric oncology, the Cancer and Aging Research Group held a conference in November 2012 in collaboration with the National Cancer Institute, the National Institute on Aging, and the Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology. The goal was to develop recommendations and establish research guidelines for the design and implementation of therapeutic clinical trials for older and/or frail adults. The conference sought to identify knowledge gaps in cancer clinical trials for older adults and propose clinical trial designs to fill these gaps. The ultimate goal of this conference series is to develop research that will lead to evidence-based care for older and/or frail adults with cancer.

International patterns of radiotherapy practice for non-small cell lung cancer

Radiotherapy is an important treatment modality for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). There are models of radiotherapy utilization that estimate the proportion of patients with NSCLC who have an evidence-based indication for radiotherapy. These estimates range from 46%-68% for radiotherapy utilization at diagnosis and 64%-75% overall. However, actual radiotherapy utilization throughout much of the world is lower than this, ranging from 28%-53%, with the largest differences between actual and estimated radiotherapy utilization seen in stage III NSCLC. Some of this discrepancy is attributable to the assumptions in the models that are based on broad factors such as stage and performance status. Characteristics of the population with underlying lung cancer that often has comorbidities or compromised respiratory function also influence the ability to deliver radiotherapy safely. Sociodemographic factors such as race and income have been found to affect access to radiotherapy in certain jurisdictions. The type of clinician or medical setting the patient presents to initially can also influence radiotherapy use in NSCLC. Potential solutions to improve appropriate radiotherapy utilization for NSCLC include restructuring models of care to ensure that all patients with lung cancer are managed within a multidisciplinary team including a radiation oncologist.

Comparative effectiveness research in radiation oncology: assessing technology

Technological advances are a major contributor to rising costs in health care, including radiation oncology. Despite the large amount spent on new technologies, technology assessment remains inadequate, leading to potentially costly and unnecessary use of new technologies. Comparative effectiveness studies have an important role to play in evaluating the benefits and harms of new technologies compared with older technologies and have been identified as a priority area for research by the Radiation Oncology Institute. This article outlines the elements of effective technology assessment, identifies key challenges to comparative effectiveness studies of new radiation oncology technologies, and reviews several examples of comparative effectiveness studies in radiation oncology, including studies on conformal radiation, IMRT, proton therapy, and other concurrent new technologies.

Annual patient time costs associated with medical care among cancer survivors in the United States

BACKGROUND

Although patient time costs are recommended for inclusion in cost-effectiveness analyses, these data are not routinely collected. We used nationally representative data and a medical service-based approach to estimate the annual patient time costs among cancer survivors.

METHODS

We identified adult 6699 cancer survivors and 86,412 individuals without a cancer history ages 18 years or more from 2008-2011 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS). Service use was categorized as hospitalizations, emergency room use, provider visits, ambulatory surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy. Service time estimates were applied to frequencies for each service category and the US median wage rate in 2011 was used to value time. We evaluated the association between cancer survivorship and service use frequencies and patient time costs with multivariable regression models, stratified by age group (18-64 and 65+ y). Sensitivity analyses evaluated different approaches for valuing time.

RESULTS

Cancer survivors were more likely to have hospitalizations, emergency room visits, ambulatory surgeries, and provider visits in the past year than individuals without a cancer history in adjusted analyses (P<0.05). Annual patient time was higher for cancer survivors than individuals without a cancer history among those aged 18-64 years (30.2 vs. 13.6 h; P<0.001) and 65+ years (55.1 vs. 36.6 h; P<0.001), as were annual patient time costs (18-64 y: $500 vs. $226; P<0.001 and 65+ y: $913 vs. $607; P<0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Cancer survivors had greater annual medical service use and patient time costs than individuals without a cancer history. This medical service-based approach for estimating annual time costs can also be applied to other conditions.

Patient preference and contraindications in measuring quality of care: what do administrative data miss?

PURPOSE

Prior studies report that half of patients with lung cancer do not receive guideline-concordant care. With data from a national Veterans Health Administration (VHA) study on quality of care, we sought to determine what proportion of patients refused or had a contraindication to recommended lung cancer therapy.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Through medical record abstraction, we evaluated adherence to six quality indicators addressing lung cancer-directed therapy for patients diagnosed within the VHA during 2007 and calculated the proportion of patients receiving, refusing, or having contraindications to recommended treatment.

RESULTS

Mean age of the predominantly male population was 67.7 years (standard deviation, 9.4 years), and 15% were black. Adherence to quality indicators ranged from 81% for adjuvant chemotherapy to 98% for curative resection; however, many patients met quality indicator criteria without actually receiving recommended therapy by having a refusal (0% to 14%) or contraindication (1% to 30%) documented. Less than 1% of patients refused palliative chemotherapy. Black patients were more likely to refuse or bear a contraindication to surgery even when controlling for comorbidity; race was not associated with refusals or contraindications to other treatments.

CONCLUSION

Refusals and contraindications are common and may account for previously demonstrated low rates of recommended lung cancer therapy performance at the VHA. Racial disparities in treatment may be explained, in part, by such factors. These results sound a cautionary note for quality measurement that depends on data that do not reflect patient preference or contraindications in conditions where such considerations are important.

Role of induction therapy: surgical resection of non-small cell lung cancer after induction therapy

Patients with Stage III non-small cell lung cancer are best managed by multimodality therapy. Patients with N2 disease can be treated with induction therapy (usually chemotherapy) followed by surgical resection. Patients whose medical comorbidities preclude surgery should be treated with definitive chemoradiotherapy. T3 or T4 tumors involving the superior sulcus or spine are best managed with induction chemoradiotherapy and surgical resection.

Costs during the first five years following cancer diagnosis in Korea

OBJECTIVES

We estimated the total medical costs incurred during the 5 years following a cancer diagnosis and annual medical use status for the six most prevalent cancers in Korea.

METHODS

From January 1 to December 31, 2006, new patients registered with the six most prevalent cancers (stomach, liver, lung, breast, colon, and thyroid) were randomly selected from the Korea Central Cancer Registry, with 30% of patients being drawn from each cancer group. For the selected patients, cost data were generated using National Health Insurance claims data from the time of cancer diagnosis in 2006 to December 31, 2010. The total number of patients selected was 28,509. Five-year total medical costs by tumor site and Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) stage at the time of diagnosis, and annual total medical costs from diagnosis, were estimated. All costs were calculated as per-patient net costs.

RESULTS

Mean 5-year net costs per patient varied widely, from $5,647 for thyroid cancer to $20,217 for lung cancer. Advanced stage at diagnosis was associated with a 1.8-2.5-fold higher total cost, and the total medical cost was highest during the first year following diagnosis and decreased by the third or fourth year.

CONCLUSIONS

The costs of cancer care were substantial and varied by tumor site, annual phase, and stage at diagnosis. This indicates the need for increased prevention, earlier diagnosis, and new therapies that may assist in reducing medical costs.

Socioeconomic inequalities in lung cancer treatment: systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Intervention-generated inequalities are unintended variations in outcome that result from the organisation and delivery of health interventions. Socioeconomic inequalities in treatment may occur for some common cancers. Although the incidence and outcome of lung cancer varies with socioeconomic position (SEP), it is not known whether socioeconomic inequalities in treatment occur and how these might affect mortality. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of existing research on socioeconomic inequalities in receipt of treatment for lung cancer.

METHODS AND FINDINGS

MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Scopus were searched up to September 2012 for cohort studies of participants with a primary diagnosis of lung cancer (ICD10 C33 or C34), where the outcome was receipt of treatment (rates or odds of receiving treatment) and where the outcome was reported by a measure of SEP. Forty-six papers met the inclusion criteria, and 23 of these papers were included in meta-analysis. Socioeconomic inequalities in receipt of lung cancer treatment were observed. Lower SEP was associated with a reduced likelihood of receiving any treatment (odds ratio [OR] = 0.79 [95% CI 0.73 to 0.86], p<0.001), surgery (OR = 0.68 [CI 0.63 to 0.75], p<0.001) and chemotherapy (OR = 0.82 [95% CI 0.72 to 0.93], p = 0.003), but not radiotherapy (OR = 0.99 [95% CI 0.86 to 1.14], p = 0.89), for lung cancer. The association remained when stage was taken into account for receipt of surgery, and was found in both universal and non-universal health care systems.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with lung cancer living in more socioeconomically deprived circumstances are less likely to receive any type of treatment, surgery, and chemotherapy. These inequalities cannot be accounted for by socioeconomic differences in stage at presentation or by differences in health care system. Further investigation is required to determine the patient, tumour, clinician, and system factors that may contribute to socioeconomic inequalities in receipt of lung cancer treatment.

The Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) experiences with cancer survivorship supplement

INTRODUCTION

The prevalence of cancer survivorship in the USA is expected to increase in the future because the US population is increasing in size and is aging and because survival following diagnosis is improving for many types of cancer. Medical care costs associated with cancer are also projected to increase dramatically. However, currently available data for estimating medical care costs and other important aspects of the burden of cancer, including time spent receiving medical care, productivity loss due to morbidity for patients and their families, and financial hardship, are limited, particularly in the population under the age of 65.

METHODS

We describe selected publicly available data sources for estimating the burden of cancer in the USA and a new collaborative effort to improve the quality of these data: the nationally representative Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) Experiences with Cancer Survivorship Supplement.

CONCLUSIONS

Data from this effort can be used to address key gaps in cancer survivorship research related to medical care costs, employment patterns, financial hardship, and other aspects of the burden of illness for cancer survivors and their families.

IMPLICATIONS FOR CANCER SURVIVORS

Research using the MEPS Experiences with Cancer Survivorship Supplement can inform efforts by health care policy makers, healthcare systems, providers, and employers to improve the cancer survivorship experience in the USA.

Impact of age and comorbidity on non-small-cell lung cancer treatment in older veterans

PURPOSE

Because comorbidity affects cancer treatment outcomes, guidelines recommend considering comorbidity when making treatment decisions in older patients with lung cancer. Yet, it is unclear whether treatment is targeted to healthier older adults who might reasonably benefit.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Receipt of first-line guideline-recommended treatment was assessed for 20,511 veterans age ≥ 65 years with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in the Veterans Affairs (VA) Central Cancer Registry from 2003 to 2008. Patients were stratified by age (65 to 74, 75 to 84, ≥ 85 years), Charlson comorbidity index score (0, 1 to 3, ≥ 4), and American Joint Committee on Cancer stage (I to II, IIIA to IIIB, IIIB with malignant effusion to IV). Comorbidity and patient characteristics were obtained from VA claims and registry data. Multivariate analysis identified predictors of receipt of guideline-recommended treatment.

RESULTS

In all, 51% of patients with local, 35% with regional, and 27% with metastatic disease received guideline-recommended treatment. Treatment rates decreased more with advancing age than with worsening comorbidity for all stages, such that older patients with no comorbidity had lower rates than younger patients with severe comorbidity. For example, 50% of patients with local disease age 75 to 84 years with no comorbidity received surgery compared with 57% of patients age 65 to 74 years with severe comorbidity (P < .001). In multivariate analysis, age and histology remained strong negative predictors of treatment for all stages, whereas comorbidity and nonclinical factors had a minor effect.

CONCLUSION

Advancing age is a much stronger negative predictor of treatment receipt among older veterans with NSCLC than comorbidity. Individualized decisions that go beyond age and include comorbidity are needed to better target NSCLC treatments to older patients who may reasonably benefit.

Economic burden of cancer in the United States: estimates, projections, and future research

The economic burden of cancer in the United States is substantial and expected to increase significantly in the future because of expected growth and aging of the population and improvements in survival as well as trends in treatment patterns and costs of care following cancer diagnosis. In this article, we describe measures of the economic burden of cancer and present current estimates and projections of the national burden of cancer in the United States. We discuss ongoing efforts to characterize the economic burden of cancer in the United States and identify key areas for future work including developing and enhancing research resources, improving estimates and projections of economic burden, evaluating targeted therapies, and assessing the financial burden for patients and their families. This work will inform efforts by health care policy makers, health care systems, providers, and employers to improve the cancer survivorship experience in the United States.

Factors associated with adherence to chemotherapy guidelines in patients with non-small cell lung cancer

BACKGROUND

Evidence-based guidelines recommend chemotherapy for medically fit patients with stages II-IV non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Adherence to chemotherapy guidelines has rarely been studied among large populations, mainly because performance status (PS), a key component in assessing chemotherapy appropriateness, is missing from claims-based datasets. Among a large cohort of patients with known PS, we describe first line chemotherapy use relative to guideline recommendations and identify patient factors associated with guideline concordant use.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Insured patients, ages 50+, with stages II-IV NSCLC between 2000 and 2007 were identified via tumor registry (n=406). Chart abstracted PS, automated medical claims, Census tract information, and travel distance were linked to tumor registry data. Chemotherapy was considered appropriate for patients with PS 0-2. Multivariate logit models were fit to evaluate patient characteristics associated with chemotherapy over- and under-use per guideline recommendations. Tests of statistical significance were two sided.

RESULTS

Overall compliance with first line chemotherapy guidelines was 71%. Significant (p<0.05) predictors of chemotherapy underuse (19%) included increasing age (odds ratio [OR], 1.09), higher income (OR, 1.02), diagnosed before 2003 (OR, 2.05), and vehicle access (OR, 6.96) in the patient's neighborhood. Significant predictors of chemotherapy overuse (10%) included decreasing age (OR, 0.92), diagnosed after 2003 (OR, 3.24), and higher income (OR, 1.05) in the patient's neighborhood. Among NSCLC patients 29% do not receive guideline recommended chemotherapy treatment missing opportunities for cure or beneficial palliation, or receiving chemotherapy with more risk of harm than benefit. Care concordant with guidelines is influenced by age, economic considerations such as income and transportation barriers.

Comparison of demographic characteristics, surgical resection patterns, and survival outcomes for veterans and nonveterans with non-small cell lung cancer in the Pacific Northwest

INTRODUCTION

Lung cancer is a leading cause of death in the United States and among veterans. This study compares patterns of diagnosis, treatment, and survival for veterans diagnosed with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) using a recently established cancer registry for the Veterans Affairs Pacific Northwest Network with the Puget Sound Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results cancer registry.

METHODS

A cohort of 1715 veterans with NSCLC were diagnosed between 2000 and 2006, and 7864 men were diagnosed in Washington State during the same period. Demographics, tumor characteristics, initial surgical patterns, and survival across the two registries were evaluated.

RESULTS

Veterans were more likely to be diagnosed with stage I or II disease (32.8%) compared with the surrounding community (21.5%, p = 0.001). Surgical resection rates were similar for veterans (70.2%) and nonveterans (71.2%) older than 65 years with early-stage disease (p = 0.298). However, veterans younger than 65 years with early-stage disease were less likely to undergo surgical resection (83.3% versus 91.5%, p = 0.003). Because there were fewer late-stage patients among veterans, overall survival was better, although within each stage group veterans experienced worse survival compared with community patients. The largest differences were among early-stage patients with 44.6% 5-year survival for veterans compared with 57.4% for nonveterans (p = 0.004).

CONCLUSIONS

The use of surgical resection among younger veterans with NSCLC may be lower compared with the surrounding community and may be contributing to poorer survival. Cancer quality of care studies have primarily focused on patients older than 65 years using Medicare claims; however, efforts to examine care for younger patients within and outside the Department of Veterans Affairs are needed.

Predictors and outcomes of limited resection for early-stage non-small cell lung cancer

BACKGROUND

Lobectomy is considered the standard treatment for early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC); however, more limited resections are commonly performed. We examined patient and surgeon factors associated with limited resection and compared postoperative and long-term outcomes between sublobar and lobar resections.

METHODS

A population- and health system-based sample of patients newly diagnosed with stage I or II NSCLC between 2003 and 2005 in five geographically defined regions, five integrated health-care delivery systems, and 15 Veterans Affairs hospitals was observed for a median of 55 months, through May 31, 2010. Predictors of limited resection and postoperative outcomes were compared using unadjusted and propensity score-weighted analyses. All P values are from two-sided tests.

RESULTS

One hundred fifty-five (23%) patients underwent limited resection and 524 (77%) underwent lobectomy. In adjusted analyses of patient-specific factors, smaller tumor size (P = .004), coverage by Medicare or Medicaid, no insurance or unknown insurance (P = .02), more severe lung disease (P < .001), and a history of stroke (P = .049) were associated with receipt of limited resection. In adjusted analyses of surgeon characteristics, thoracic surgery specialty (P = .02), non-fee-for-service compensation (P = .008), and National Cancer Institute cancer center designation (P = .006) were associated with higher odds of limited resection. Unadjusted 30-day mortality was higher with limited resection than with lobectomy (7.1% vs 1.9%, difference = 5.2%, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.5% to 10.8%, P = .003), and the adjusted difference was not statistically significant (6.5% vs 2.9%, difference = 3.6%, 95% CI = -.1% to 9.2%, P = .09). Postoperative complications did not differ by type of surgery (all P > .05). Over the course of the study, a non-statistically significant trend toward improved long-term survival was evident for lobectomy, compared with limited resection, in adjusted analyses (hazard ratio of death = 1.35 for limited resection, 95% CI = 0.99 to 1.84, P = .05).

CONCLUSIONS

Evidence is statistically inconclusive but suggestive that lobectomy, compared with limited resection, is associated with increased long-term survival for early-stage lung cancer. Clinical, socioeconomic, and surgeon factors appear to be associated with the choice of surgical resection.

Improved outcomes associated with higher surgery rates for older patients with early stage nonsmall cell lung cancer

BACKGROUND

Although surgery offers the greatest chance of a cure for patients with early stage nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC), older and sicker patients often fail to undergo resection. The benefits of surgery in older patients and patients with multiple comorbidities are uncertain.

METHODS

The authors identified a national cohort of 17,638 Medicare beneficiaries aged ≥66 years living in Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) areas who were diagnosed with stage I or II NSCLC during 2001 to 2005. Areas with high and low rates of curative surgery for early stage lung cancer were compared to estimate the effectiveness of surgery in older and sicker patients. Logistic regression models were used to assess mortality according to the quintile of area-level surgery rates, adjusting for potential confounders.

RESULTS

Less than 63% of patients underwent surgery in low-surgery areas, whereas >79% underwent surgery in high-surgery areas. High-surgery areas operated on more patients of advanced age and patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease than low-surgery areas. The adjusted all-cause 1 year mortality was 18% in high-surgery areas versus 22.8% in low-surgery areas (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 0.89; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.86-0.93) for each 10% increase in the surgery rate).The 1-year lung-cancer-specific mortality similarly was lower in high-surgery areas (12%) versus low-surgery areas (16.9%; adjusted OR, 0.86; 95% CI, 0.82-0.91) for each 10% increase in the surgery rate.

CONCLUSIONS

Higher rates of surgery for stage I/II NSCLC were associated with improved survival, even when older patients and sicker patients underwent resection. The authors concluded that more work is needed to identify and reduce barriers to surgery for early stage NSCLC.

Cost disparities in lung cancer treatment by disability status, sex, and race

BACKGROUND

The recent literature contains numerous reports of disparities in the diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes of lung cancer across a growing list of population subgroups, including disability status. A common assumption is that disparities stem mainly from variations in the level and type of treatment resources available to specific subgroups. Few studies, however, have directly measured resource differentials. Since policy makers identify reducing health disparities as a critical priority, this study examined whether cumulative Medicare costs (resource consumption) for lung cancer treatment differ across eight patient subgroups defined by disability status, sex, and race.

HYPOTHESIS

Treatment disparities across the eight subgroups will be reflected in variations in the cumulative cost profiles of those subgroups, controlling for other plausible cost drivers. Failure to detect statistically significant differentials in these cost profiles implies that treatment disparities stem from factors other than access to, and utilization of, health care services.

METHODS

Linked SEER-Medicare data were used to construct cost profiles by service type and treatment phase for roughly 80,000 incident lung cancer cases in patients aged 45 to 85 years at diagnosis. Multiple regression models then tested for cost differentials across the eight subgroups, controlling for various patient and disease characteristics.

RESULTS

Significant cost differentials were detected, some unanticipated. Women tended to have higher treatment costs than men; they also had more favorable survivals. Nonwhites also tended to have higher treatment costs than whites, although they had significantly shorter survivals. On average, men with disabilities consumed the fewest treatment resources and had the shortest survivals. Mixed results were obtained for women with disabilities.

CONCLUSIONS

Among others, the findings suggest that reducing disparities will take more than just improving access to health care. Special attention must be paid to lung cancer patients with disabilities by both policy makers and clinicians.

Projections of the cost of cancer care in the United States: 2010-2020

BACKGROUND

Current estimates of the costs of cancer care in the United States are based on data from 2003 and earlier. However, incidence, survival, and practice patterns have been changing for the majority of cancers.

METHODS

Cancer prevalence was estimated and projected by phase of care (initial year following diagnosis, continuing, and last year of life) and tumor site for 13 cancers in men and 16 cancers in women through 2020. Cancer prevalence was calculated from cancer incidence and survival models estimated from Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program data. Annualized net costs were estimated from recent SEER-Medicare linkage data, which included claims through 2006 among beneficiaries aged 65 years and older with a cancer diagnosis. Control subjects without cancer were identified from a 5% random sample of all Medicare beneficiaries residing in the SEER areas to adjust for expenditures not related to cancer. All cost estimates were adjusted to 2010 dollars. Different scenarios for assumptions about future trends in incidence, survival, and cost were assessed with sensitivity analysis.

RESULTS

Assuming constant incidence, survival, and cost, we projected 13.8 and 18.1 million cancer survivors in 2010 and 2020, respectively, with associated costs of cancer care of 124.57 and 157.77 billion 2010 US dollars. This 27% increase in medical costs reflects US population changes only. The largest increases were in the continuing phase of care for prostate cancer (42%) and female breast cancer (32%). Projections of current trends in incidence (declining) and survival (increasing) had small effects on 2020 estimates. However, if costs of care increase annually by 2% in the initial and last year of life phases of care, the total cost in 2020 is projected to be $173 billion, which represents a 39% increase from 2010.

CONCLUSIONS

The national cost of cancer care is substantial and expected to increase because of population changes alone. Our findings have implications for policy makers in planning and allocation of resources.

Lung function changes and complications after lobectomy for lung cancer in septuagenarians

BACKGROUND:

In septuagenarians, lobectomy is the preferable operation, with lower morbidity than for pneumonectomy. However, the 1-year impact of lobectomy on lung function has not been well studied in elderly patients.

MATERIALS AND METHODS:

Retrospective study including 30 patients 70 years or older (study group), 25 patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) under 70 years (control group 1), and 22 patients under 70 years with normal lung function (control group 2) operated for lung cancer in a 2-year period. The study and control groups were compared related to lung function changes after lobectomy, operative morbidity, and mortality.

RESULTS:

Postoperative lung function changes in the elderly followed the similar trend as in patients with COPD. There were no significant differences between these two groups related to changes in forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV₁) and vital capacity (VC). Unlike that, the pattern of the lung function changes in the elderly was significantly different compared with patients with normal lung function. The mean postoperative decrease in FEV₁ was 14.16% in the elderly, compared with a 29.23% decrease in patients with normal lung function (P < 0.05). In the study and control groups, no patients died within the first 30 postoperative days. The operative morbidity in the elderly group was significantly lower than in patients with COPD (23.3% vs. 60%).

CONCLUSIONS:

The lung function changes after lobectomy in the elderly are similar to those in patients with COPD. The explanation for such a finding needs further investigation. Despite a high proportion of concomitant diseases, the age itself does not carry a prohibitively high risk of operative mortality and morbidity.

Using claims-based measures to predict performance status score in patients with lung cancer

BACKGROUND

Performance status (PS) is a good prognostic factor in lung cancer and is used to assess chemotherapy appropriateness. Researchers studying chemotherapy use are often hindered by the unavailability of PS in automated data sources. To the authors' knowledge, no attempts have been made to estimate PS using claims-based measures. The current study explored the ability to estimate PS using routinely available measures.

METHODS

A cohort of insured patients aged ≥50 years who were diagnosed with American Joint Committee on Cancer stage II through IV lung cancer between 2000 and 2007 was identified via a tumor registry (n = 552). PS was abstracted from medical records. Automated medical and pharmaceutical claims from the year preceding diagnosis were linked to tumor registry data. A logistic regression model was fit to estimate good versus poor PS in a random half of the sample. C statistics, sensitivity, specificity, and R2 were used to compare the predictive ability of models that included demographic factors, comorbidity measures, and claims-based utilization variables. Model fit was evaluated in the other half of the sample.

RESULTS

PS was available in 80% of medical records. The multivariable regression model predicted good PS with high sensitivity (0.88 or 0.94 depending on how good PS was defined), but moderate specificity (0.45 or 0.32) with a 0.50 prediction cutoff, and good sensitivity (0.64 or 0.83) and specificity (0.69 or 0.55) when the cutoff was 0.70. The goodness-of-fit c statistic was 0.76 or 0.78.

CONCLUSIONS

PS can be estimated, with some accuracy, using claims-based measures. Emphasis should be placed on documenting PS in medical records and tumor registries.

Impact of age, sex, and comorbidity on cancer therapy and disease progression

A theme of personalized medicine was highlighted at the 2009 Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology. To this end, the current review focuses on the impact of host characteristics (such as age, sex, and comorbidity) as they pertain to cancer biology, treatment efficacy, and tolerance. Increasing age is associated with complex changes in physiology, including alterations in renal and hepatic function, and decreased bone marrow reserve. These may in turn result in alterations in pharmacokinetics and toxicity related to many commonly used anticancer agents. Using tools, such as the geriatric assessment, may help to elucidate the physiologic age of the patient as opposed to the chronologic age. Increasing age is paralleled by an increase in comorbidity, and comorbidity may have independent prognostic implications and substantially impact medical decision making in the patient with cancer. Numerous biologic ties between cancer and comorbidity exist, one example being an association of diabetes with an increased risk of disease recurrence and mortality in the setting of colon cancer. Biologic features can also vary by sex; several biomarkers with either prognostic or predictive value (ie, excisionrepair cross-complementation group 1 expression, epidermal growth factor receptor mutation, or dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase polymorphism) may differentiate efficacy or toxicity in males and females. Taken together, age, sex, and comorbidity each encompass a complex array of physiologic and molecular variations that may each aid in personalizing care for the patient with cancer.

Factors affecting pattern of care and survival in a population-based cohort of non-small-cell lung cancer incident cases

OBJECTIVE

To analyze the role of sociodemographic factors as determinants of the initial pattern of care and survival in incident NSCLC cases.

METHODS

We linked 2298 incident NSCLC cases, identified by the Piedmont Cancer Registry of Turin (PCRT) with administrative health records to identify the initial pattern of care. Because stage of disease strongly influences pattern of care and prognosis of NSCLC, all the analyses were stratified according to stage (early and advanced). The association between the set of patient's characteristics and the probability of accessing a specific pattern of care was analysed with a multivariable multinomial logistic regression model. Survival was analysed with the Cox proportional hazard model.

RESULTS

In the early stage group, presence of comorbidities, older age and low educational level were all associated with a lower probability of receiving surgery. These same factors, as well as being unmarried, were associated with higher probability of receiving other non-curative care only. The effects of comorbidities and low educational level as barriers to receiving more effective patterns of care were not relevant in the advanced stage group. When controlling for initial patterns of care, in the early stage group, an age older than 75 years and being unmarried were negative prognostic factors, while survival was completely independent from educational level. Among patients with an advanced stage of disease, only comorbidities had a negative impact on survival.

CONCLUSION

Appropriate lung cancer care is affected by sociodemographic factors. Greater attention to social and health programs is recommended to improve the timeliness of diagnosis, the staging of potentially resectable patients, and to implement more comprehensive multidisciplinary evaluations of those who may benefit from curative treatments.