Disparities in Access to Bariatric Surgery in North Carolina

BACKGROUND

This study sought to identify factors that contribute to disparities in access to bariatric surgery in North Carolina (NC).

METHODS

Using the rate of bariatric surgery in the county with the best health outcome as the reference, we calculated the Surgical Equity Index (SEI) in the remaining counties in NC.

RESULTS

Approximately 2.95 million individuals (29%) were obese in NC. There were 992 (.5%) bariatric procedures performed on a population of 194 209 individuals with obesity in the Reference County (RC). The mean SEI for bariatric surgery in NC was .47 (SD .17, range .15-.95). A statistically significant difference was observed in 89 counties. Univariable analyses identified the following variables to be significantly associated with the SEI: percent of population living in rural areas (% rural) (relative rate change in SEI [RR] = .994, 95% CI .92-.997; <.0001), median household income (RR = 1.0, 95% CI = 1.0-1.0; P = .0002), prevalence of diabetes (RR = .947, 95% CI .917-.977; .0006), the primary care physician ratio (RR = .995, 95% CI .991-.998; P = .006), and percent uninsured adults (RR = .955, 95% CI .927-.985; P = .003). By multivariable hierarchical regression analysis, only the % rural remained statistically associated with a low SEI (RR = .995 per 1% increase in % rural, 95% CI = .992, .998; P = .0002).

DISCUSSION

The percent rural is the most significant predictor of disparities in access to bariatric surgery. For every 1% increase in % rural, the rate of surgery decreased by .5%. Understanding the characteristics of rurality that are barriers to access is crucial to mitigate disparities in bariatric surgical access in NC.

A Pragmatic Randomized Trial Comparing Surgical Clipping and Endovascular Treatment of Unruptured Intracranial Aneurysms

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Surgical clipping and endovascular treatment are commonly used in patients with unruptured intracranial aneurysms. We compared the safety and efficacy of the 2 treatments in a randomized trial.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Clipping or endovascular treatments were randomly allocated to patients with one or more 3- to 25-mm unruptured intracranial aneurysms judged treatable both ways by participating physicians. The study hypothesized that clipping would decrease the incidence of treatment failure from 13% to 4%, a composite primary outcome defined as failure of aneurysm occlusion, intracranial hemorrhage during follow-up, or residual aneurysms at 1 year, as adjudicated by a core lab. Safety outcomes included new neurologic deficits following treatment, hospitalization of >5 days, and overall morbidity and mortality (mRS > 2) at 1 year. There was no blinding.

RESULTS

Two hundred ninety-one patients were enrolled from 2010 to 2020 in 7 centers. The 1-year primary outcome, ascertainable in 290/291 (99%) patients, was reached in 13/142 (9%; 95% CI, 5%-15%) patients allocated to surgery and in 28/148 (19%; 95% CI, 13%-26%) patients allocated to endovascular treatments (relative risk: 2.07; 95% CI, 1.12-3.83; P = .021). Morbidity and mortality (mRS >2) at 1 year occurred in 3/143 and 3/148 (2%; 95% CI, 1%-6%) patients allocated to surgery and endovascular treatments, respectively. Neurologic deficits (32/143, 22%; 95% CI, 16%-30% versus 19/148, 12%; 95% CI, 8%-19%; relative risk: 1.74; 95% CI, 1.04-2.92; P = .04) and hospitalizations beyond 5 days (69/143, 48%; 95% CI, 40%-56% versus 12/148, 8%; 95% CI, 5%-14%; relative risk: 0.18; 95% CI, 0.11-0.31; P < .001) were more frequent after surgery.

CONCLUSIONS

Surgical clipping is more effective than endovascular treatment of unruptured intracranial aneurysms in terms of the frequency of the primary outcome of treatment failure. Results were mainly driven by angiographic results at 1 year.

Race-Related Differences in the Clinical Presentation and Histopathologic Features of Phyllodes Tumor

BACKGROUND

Phyllodes tumor (PT) is a rare fibroepithelial lesion of the breast with variable malignant potential. Black women have a higher incidence of a related benign tumor, fibroadenoma, but there are limited epidemiological data on PT. The aim of our study was to evaluate race-related differences in the clinicopathologic features and outcomes of PT.

METHODS

Our institutional pathology database was queried for breast specimen reports from 01/2009 to 10/2019 to identify patients with a pathologic diagnosis of PT. Chart review and detailed slide review were performed to obtain clinical and histopathologic variables, respectively.

RESULTS

Among twelve patients, two had malignant PT, three had borderline PT, and seven had benign PT. All patients with malignant and borderline PT were black, compared with 29% of those with benign PT. There were no apparent race-related differences in specific histopathologic features among black vs. non-black women with benign PT. Malignant and borderline PT were relatively larger than benign PT, with mean tumor sizes of 9.0 cm (standard deviation [SD] 4.7 cm), 12.2 cm (SD 9.4 cm), and 5.4 cm (SD 5.8 cm), respectively. Two women had a local recurrence, both of whom were black.

DISCUSSION

In this single-institution retrospective study, we observed disproportionate rates of aggressive histopathologic features and disparate outcomes among black women with PT. A multi-institutional PT registry would facilitate improved knowledge about race-related differences in the presentation and outcomes of this rare tumor.

Disparate Access to Surgery for Operable Carcinoma of the Lung in North Carolina

PURPOSE

Disparities in access to surgical care are associated with poorer outcomes in patients with cancer. We sought to determine whether vulnerable populations undergo an expected rate of surgery for Stage I-IIIA lung cancer in North Carolina (NC).

METHODS

We calculated the proportional surgical ratio (PSR) to identify a potential disparity in surgery rates for early stage (I-IIIA) lung cancer, first in the five counties with the worst health outcomes (LRC) and subsequently the entire state. The reference was the five healthiest counties (HRC), initially, and then the single county with the best health outcomes.

RESULTS

In 2016, 3,452 individuals with Stage I-IIIA lung cancer were diagnosed in NC of which 246,854 resided in LRC, whereas 1,865,588 resided in HRC. A total of 453 operable lung cancers were diagnosed in the HRC and 107 in the LRC. The observed lobectomy rate in HRC was 40.1% (range 20.2-58.3%) of early-stage lung cancer and 19% (range 12-36%) for LRC. The PSR was 0.65 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.35, 0.90). For all 99 counties across NC, the PSR ranged from 0.33 to 0.96 (mean = 0.49, standard deviation [SD] = 0.10). In a multivariable model, only other primary care provider ratio (relative rate per 100 increase = 0.997; 95% CI = 0.994, 0.999) was significantly associated with PSR.

CONCLUSIONS

Individuals residing in LRC in NC are 42% less likely to undergo surgery for operable lung cancer than patients living in HRC. Understanding how factors impact access is key to designing informed interventions.

Development and Assessment of a Systematic Approach for Detecting Disparities in Surgical Access

Importance

Although optimal access is accepted as the key to quality care, an accepted methodology to ascertain potential disparities in surgical access has not been defined.

Objective

To develop a systematic approach to detect surgical access disparities.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This cross-sectional study used publicly available data from the Health Cost and Utilization Project State Inpatient Database from 2016. Using the surgical rate observed in the 5 highest-ranked counties (HRCs), the expected surgical rate in the 5 lowest-ranked counties (LRCs) in North Carolina were calculated. Patients 18 years and older who underwent an inpatient general surgery procedure and patients who underwent emergency inpatient cholecystectomy, herniorrhaphy, or bariatric surgery in 2016 were included. Data were collected from January to December 2016, and data were analyzed from March to July 2020.

Exposures

Health outcome county rank as defined by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

Main Outcomes and Measures

The primary outcome was the proportional surgical ratio (PSR), which was the disparity in surgical access defined as the observed number of surgical procedures in the 5 LRCs relative to the expected number of procedures using the 5 HRCs as the standardized reference population.

Results

In 2016, approximately 1.9 million adults lived in the 5 HRCs, while approximately 246 854 lived in the 5 LRCs. A total of 28 924 inpatient general surgical procedures were performed, with 4521 being performed in those living in the 5 LRCs and 24 403 in those living in the 5 HRCs. The rate of general surgery in the 5 HRCs was 13.09 procedures per 1000 population. Using the 5 HRCs as the reference, the PSR for the 5 LRCs was 1.40 (95% CI, 1.35-1.44). For emergent/urgent cholecystectomy, the PSR for the 5 LRCs was 2.26 (95% CI, 2.02-2.51), and the PSR for emergent/urgent herniorrhaphy was 1.83 (95% CI, 1.33-2.45). Age-adjusted rate of obesity (body mass index [calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared] greater than 30), on average, was 36.6% (SD, 3.4) in the 5 LRCs vs 25.4% (SD, 4.6) in the 5 HRCs (P = .002). The rate of bariatric surgery in the 5 HRCs was 33.07 per 10 000 population with obesity. For the 5 LRCs, the PSR was 0.60 (95% CI, 0.51-0.69).

Conclusions and Relevance

The PSR is a systematic approach to define potential disparities in surgical access and should be useful for identifying, investigating, and monitoring interventions intended to mitigate disparities in surgical access that effects the health of vulnerable populations.

Enhancing Education to Avoid Complications in Endovascular Treatment of Unruptured Intracranial Aneurysms: A Neurointerventionalist's Perspective

It is of utmost importance to avoid errors and subsequent complications when performing neurointerventional procedures, particularly when treating low-risk conditions such as unruptured intracranial aneurysms. We used endovascular treatment of unruptured intracranial aneurysms as an example and took a survey-based approach in which we reached out to 233 neurointerventionalists. They were asked what they think are the most important points staff should teach their trainees to avoid errors and subsequent complications in endovascular treatment of unruptured intracranial aneurysms. One hundred twenty-one respondents (51.9%) provided answers in the form of free text responses, which were thematically clustered in an affinity diagram and summarized in this Practice Perspectives. The article is primarily intended for neurointerventional radiology fellows and junior staff and will hopefully provide them the opportunity to learn from the mistakes of their more experienced colleagues.

Regional Disparities in Breast Cancer Outcomes and the Process of Care

Mortality from breast cancer in eastern North Carolina (ENC) surpasses the rest of North Carolina (RNC). We sought to identify modifiable factors associated with the increased mortality of women diagnosed with breast cancer in ENC. A retrospective cohort study of women diagnosed with breast cancer in North Carolina between January 1, 2004, and December 31, 2007 (n = 27,631) was studied. There was no difference in the pathologic T ( P = 0.62), N ( P = 0.26), or stage grouping ( P = 0.25) at diagnosis. Women in ENC were less likely to be white ( P < 0.001), estrogen receptor (ER)-positive ( P < 0.001), progesterone receptor (PR)-positive ( P < 0.001), or to receive adjuvant chemotherapy ( P = 0.02). The median survival of ENC patients was worse than RNC patients (39 vs. 43 months, P = 0.003). Improved median survival was associated with ER status ( P < 0.001), PR status ( P < 0.001), race/ethnicity ( P < 0.001), and delivery of timely chemotherapy ( P < 0.0001). ER-negative status ( P = 0.01), black race ( P = 0.03), and adjuvant chemotherapy within 90 days of surgery ( P < 0.001) remained significant predictors of survival. The poor outcomes observed in ENC can be attributed to recognized prognostic primary patient and tumor characteristics. However, a failure in process of care remains significantly associated with poorer outcomes. Improved timing of delivery of chemotherapy could affect breast cancer mortality.

Measuring the Impact of Multidisciplinary Care on Quality for Pancreatic Surgery: Transition to a Focused, Very High-volume Program

Outcomes are superior for pancreatic resection at high-volume centers. To assess the impact of focused high-volume multidisciplinary care, a quality index (QI) was used to review our experience. Data from 1996 to July 2012 were analyzed in three groups: 1) early (1996 to 2007); 2) transition (2008 to 2009); and 3) mature (2010 to July 2012). A total of 239 patients were included with a mean age of 63.4 years and the majority were white (65.7%). The number of patients with Charlson comorbidity index greater than 2 and age older than 80 years increased comparing Group 1 with latter groups. Volume increased over time: Group 1 (n = 93) 7.75/year, Group 2 (n = 51) 25.5/year, and Group 3 (n = 95) 39/year. Overall mortality was 5.9 per cent: Group 1, 4.3 per cent; Group 2, 11.5 per cent; and Group 3, 3.9 per cent ( P = 0.0454). The QI score incorporates documentation, chemotherapy, resection for Stage I/II, time to treatment, margins, lymph nodes, mortality, and surgical volume with a maximum possible score 10. The QI increased over time: 3 in Group 1; 4 in Group 2; and 6 in Group 3. An improvement was noted for the quality indicators: surgical resection ( P = 0.0125) and use of palliative and adjuvant therapy ( P = 0.0144 and < 0.0001). Implementation of a focused multidisciplinary pancreatic surgery program increases quality.

Malignant Blue Nevus: Clinicopathologically Similar to Melanoma

Malignant blue nevus (MBN) is a rare melanocytic lesion and controversy exists whether it is a melanoma or a unique entity. We sought to establish clinical behavior using a large national registry. All patients with MBN and melanoma from 1973 to 2008 were identified in the Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results tumor registry. We performed comparative and survival analysis among the two tumor types. A total of 228,038 patients were identified (227,986 with melanoma and 52 with MBN). The mean age was 57.7 years. Both lesions had similar age of presentation (55.8 vs 55.7 years, P = 0.527), sex (male 50 vs 55%, P = 0.44), and nodal positivity rate (9.6 vs 5.4%, P = 0.22). MBNs were more likely to be nonwhite (11.8 vs 1.6%, P < 0.0001) and present with metastatic disease (15.2 vs 4%, P = 0.0028). MBN and melanoma had a similar survival (264 vs 240 months, P = 0.78) and remained similar when stratified by race (264 vs 242 months, P = 0.99) and stage (264 vs 256 months, P = 0.83). This is the largest study to date demonstrating similar clinical behavior and survival between patients with MBN and those with melanoma. We believe MBN is a variant of melanoma and suggest using a similar treatment algorithm as that of melanoma.

Race May Not Impact Endocrine Therapy-Related Changes in Breast Density

BACKGROUND

Reduction in breast density may be a biomarker of endocrine therapy (ET) efficacy. Our objective was to assess the impact of race on ET-related changes in volumetric breast density (VBD).

METHODS

This retrospective cohort study assessed longitudinal changes in VBD measures in women with estrogen receptor-positive invasive breast cancer treated with ET. VBD, the ratio of fibroglandular volume (FGV) to breast volume (BV), was measured using Volpara software. Changes in measurements were evaluated using a multivariable linear mixed effects model.

RESULTS

Compared with white women (n = 191), black women (n = 107) had higher rates of obesity [mean ± SD body mass index (BMI) 34.5 ± 9.1 kg/m² vs. 30.6 ± 7.0 kg/m², P < 0.001] and premenopausal status (32.7% vs. 16.7%, P = 0.002). Age- and BMI-adjusted baseline FGV, BV, and VBD were similar between groups. Modeled longitudinal changes were also similar: During a follow-up of 30.7 ± 15.0 months (mean ± SD), FGV decreased over time in premenopausal women (slope = -0.323 cm³; SE = 0.093; P = 0.001), BV increased overall (slope = 2.475 cm³; SE = 0.483; P < 0.0001), and VBD decreased (premenopausal slope = -0.063%, SE = 0.011; postmenopausal slope = -0.016%, SE = 0.004; P < 0.0001). Race was not significantly associated with these longitudinal changes, nor did race modify the effect of time on these changes. Higher BMI was associated with lower baseline VBD (P < 0.0001). Among premenopausal women, VBD declined more steeply for women with lower BMI (time × BMI, P = 0.0098).

CONCLUSIONS

Race does not appear to impact ET-related longitudinal changes in VBD.

IMPACT

Racial disparities in estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer recurrence and mortality may not be explained by differential declines in breast density due to ET.

Enhancing the electronic health record to promote and measure adherence to breast cancer clinical pathways

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Background: Clinical pathways are widely accepted tools for improving the quality of cancer care. We developed and implemented, within the electronic health record (EHR), a standardized multidisciplinary breast cancer conference template comprised of NCCN clinical pathway elements, with triggers to promote adherence and measure compliance. Methods: The records of breast cancer patients diagnosed from January 2016 to December 2017 were reviewed. Baseline data on (1) the documentation of clinical stage prior to prospective presentation at multidisciplinary conference, (2) documentation of family history, and (3) functional breast imaging utilization were recorded. EHR enhancements developed throughout 2018 were implemented in January 2019. Post-implementation data were obtained via an EHR query of records from January 2019 to the present. Results: At baseline, 56.5% of new patients (n = 435) had a clinical stage documented appropriately (goal 100%). After the EHR enhancements went live, this rate increased to 76.9% (n = 78 new diagnoses), ranging from 40% for patients with metastatic disease to 85.7% for non-metastatic. Compared with baseline data, EHR-derived data from 149 multidisciplinary conference notes demonstrated relatively stable rates of compliance with the family history and imaging metrics: 94.3% to 93.9% (goal 100%), and 12.8% to 13.4% (goal ≤20%), respectively. In 2019, there were 128 instances of an EHR trigger prompting physicians to review the multidisciplinary conference recommendations. While 89.1% of users responded that they reviewed the note, only 42.1% of these clicked on the link to view it. Conclusions: The EHR is a powerful tool for incorporating clinical pathways into oncology providers’ daily workflow. Quality improvement data can be extracted rapidly and efficiently, which facilitates continuous QI. We observed a notable improvement in documentation of clinical staging prior to multidisciplinary conference after the implementation of the clinical pathways in the EHR. Our first report identified several areas for improvement, which will be the focus of subsequent PDSA cycles.

Abstract P5-11-12: Longitudinal changes in volumetric breast density and fibroglandular volume with endocrine therapy in African American women with estrogen receptor positive breast cancer

Background and Aim:

Reduction in breast density has been proposed as a biomarker of response to endocrine therapy (ET). The vast majority of current data are derived from white or Asian women. Because baseline breast density is associated with race, it is possible that changes in breast density with treatment may also be affected by race. Our objective was to assess the impact of ET on volumetric breast density (VBD) and fibroglandular volume (FGV) in African American (AA) women with invasive breast cancer.

Methods:

We conducted a retrospective study of AA women diagnosed with estrogen receptor positive invasive breast cancer at our institution from 2009-2013. Mammograms within two years prior to diagnosis and at least 6 months post-diagnosis were utilized for comparing density measurements. Using Volpara automated software, VBD and FGV were measured for the contralateral normal breast by averaging the respective values measured on the craniocaudal and mediolateral oblique views.

Results:

51 women met the inclusion criteria and were confirmed to have received ET. Sixteen women received tamoxifen, 34 received an aromatase inhibitor, and medication data was unavailable in one case. The mean age at diagnosis was 56 years (range 29-72, median 55). 53% of women had stage I disease, 29% had stage II disease, and 18% had stage III disease. The majority of women had ER+ PR+ HER2 - disease (82.4%). 53.0% of women received systemic chemotherapy and all but one woman were treated surgically. Average body mass index (BMI) at diagnosis was 36.5, with data not available for 22 women. The mean time between diagnosis and baseline mammogram was 32 days, and the mean time between follow-up mammogram and baseline mammogram was 401 days. Average BMI at one year follow up was 33.7, with data not available for 19 women. The mean baseline VBD was 7.5% (range 1.9-21.5%, median 6.3%) and the mean follow-up VBD was 6.9% (range 2.0-23.6%, median 5.6%). Fifteen women had a longitudinal increase in VBD. The mean absolute change in VBD was -0.6% (range -3.4% to +9.8%, median 0.7%), with a mean 8.0 percent decrease from baseline to follow-up (range -0.7 to +0.5, median 0.1). The mean baseline FGV was 72.3 cm3 (range 18.5-208.4, median 65.3) and the mean follow-up FGV was 69.7 cm3 (range 22.7-197.5, median 60.5). Nineteen women had a longitudinal increase in FGV. The mean absolute reduction in FGV was 2.6 cm3 (range -53.3 to 49.3, median 4.8), with a mean 0.9 percent decrease from baseline to follow-up (range -111.6 to +53.0, median 5.2).

Conclusions:

We observed an overall decrease in Volpara-calculated VBD and FGV in our cohort of AA women treated with ET. It remains to be determined whether changes in VBD and FGV across serial mammograms may be a biomarker for response to ET in women of all races. Large prospective studies are needed to evaluate the effects of ET on longitudinal changes in VBD and FGV while controlling for confounders such as menopausal status, BMI, and chemotherapy.

Citation Format: Johnson HM, Shivalingappa H, Wong JH, Muzaffar M, Verbanac K, Vohra NA. Longitudinal changes in volumetric breast density and fibroglandular volume with endocrine therapy in African American women with estrogen receptor positive breast cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2018 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2018 Dec 4-8; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P5-11-12.

Abstract P6-08-21: Early breast cancer-specific mortality in women with early stage breast cancer: Epidemiological and clinical characteristics

Background and Aim:

The five-year survival for women with stage I-II breast cancer is 93-100%. Despite standard of care treatment, a small subset of these women suffer early breast cancer-specific mortality and die within 12 months of diagnosis. This subset of women has not been previously described. The aim of this study is to characterize the incidence, demographics, and clinical characteristics of women with early stage breast cancer who suffer early breast cancer-specific mortality.

Methods:

Retrospective population study of the National Cancer Institute's Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) registry of women diagnosed with stage I, IIA, or IIB breast cancer between 2004 and 2010. Data were filtered to histology codes 8500-8543 and 8575. Patient demographics (age, race, ethnicity) and clinical characteristics (stage, T stage, N stage, grade, ER status, PR status) of women in the early mortality subset were compared with those of women who survived &gt; 12 months via the Chi-square test and the student t-test.

Results:

259,380 women formed the basis of our analysis. 4,572 women (0.018%) died within 12 months of diagnosis. Compared with those who survived &gt; 12 months, women who suffered early breast cancer-specific mortality were on average older (mean age 65.7 years versus 60.3 years, p&lt;0.00001) and more likely to be Hispanic (14.3% versus 8.9%, p&lt;0.00001) or black (11.0% versus 9.1%, p&lt;0.00001). Clinical characteristics associated with early mortality included higher stage (stage IIA 34.2% versus 29.4%, stage IIB 21.8% versus 12.9%, p&lt;0.00001), higher T stage (T2 40.5% versus 28.1%, T3 3.1% versus 1.6%, p&lt;0.00001), higher N stage (N1 29.7% versus 23.2%, N2 0.8% versus 0.4%, N3 0.4% versus 0.1%, p&lt;0.00001), higher grade (moderate 39.3% versus 42.5%, high 40.0% versus 31.5%, p&lt;0.00001), higher rates of ER negativity (27.2% versus 19.0%, p&lt;0.00001), and higher rates of PR negativity (38.5% versus 30.2%, p&lt;0.00001).

Conclusions:

Breast cancer-specific mortality within 12 months of diagnosis of stage I-II breast cancer is a rare phenomenon which has not been previously characterized. There are several demographic and clinical features associated with early mortality, however further research is needed to identify specific prognostic factors that will allow identification of women at risk for early mortality at the time of diagnosis.

Citation Format: Johnson HM, Wong JH, Vohra NA, Muzaffar M. Early breast cancer-specific mortality in women with early stage breast cancer: Epidemiological and clinical characteristics [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2017 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2017 Dec 5-9; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P6-08-21.

Clinical outcomes in very early breast cancer (≤ 1cm): A national population based analysis

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Background: The utilization of screening mammogram has resulted in increased diagnosis of very small breast cancers including T1a (≤5 mm), T1b ( > 0.5 but ≤1 cm). These small tumors have excellent prognosis with cancer-specific survival rates as high as 90% to 95%.This study evaluates outcomes in very early breast cancer in a national database. Methods: Patients with stage I breast cancer, tumor ≤ 1cm (T1aN0, T1bN0) diagnosed between 2006 and 2011 were selected from the SEER database. We excluded patients with missing biomarker information. Treatment outcome and prognostic factors for disease-specific survival (DSS) and overall survival (OS) were evaluated. Results: We identified 70,543 cases and included 54,796 patients with stageT1aN0M0 and T1bN0M0 in the final analysis.The mean age was 62.09 yrs(CI 95% 62.2-61.99),84% are white,7% black and 7% Other.89% were ER positive,11% ER negative and 3% had Her 2 positive tumors.71% of patients had T1b. ≤ 1cm breast cancer cases increased from 15% in 2006 to 18% in 2011.The 5-year disease specific survival (DSS) and overall survival (OS) for patients with stage T1aN0T1b N0 was 98.7% and 93.7%, respectively. Estrogen receptor(ER) positive tumors were associated with improved 5-yr DSS 99% vs 96% in ER negative (p < 0.0001) and OS in ER positive 94% vs 92%( p < 0.0001).Among white patients 5-yr DSS was 98.8% and OS was 93.7% while 5yr-DSS was 94%,OS 91.5% among black vs 5-yr DSS 99% and OS 96.3% in others( Asian or Pacific Islanders,AI), (p < 0.0001).Tumor subtype was not associated with significant difference in outcome but T1a tumor was associated with OS 94.5% vs 93.4% with T1b tumors(p < 0.0001) On cox model analysis factors which correlated with prolonged DSS and OS are race (p < 0.0001),older age (p < 0.0001), ER positivity (p < 0.0001) and tumor less than 5mm (p = 0.0006). Conclusions: Very early breast cancer is associated with excellent outcome but has some heterogeneity. Nonwhite/Non Black race was associated with better survival compared to white and black patients.ER positive tumors, older age were also associated with better outcome. This data while reassuring also brings into question of overtreatment of this disease subset.

Abstract P6-09-26: Effect of race on triple negative breast cancer outcomes

Background: African American (AA) women and patients with Triple Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC) have poor outcomes. It is unclear whether these worse outcomes in AA women are due to a higher frequency of TNBC in AA women. The purpose of our study was to determine difference in outcomes between AA and Caucasian (CA) female with TNBC.

Methods: A retrospective study of women diagnosed with ER, PR and HER2 (1+) negative breast cancer between January 1/2001 and December 31/2013 at Vidant Medical Center (East Carolina University) in Greenville, North Carolina was undertaken. Patient demographics and tumor characteristics were analyzed to determine impact on overall survival.

Results: In our institution, 4,434 women were diagnosed with breast cancer in this study period, of which 378 had TNBC. Our TNBC population was predominantly AA (53%). AA patients were younger (54.1 years vs 58.7 years, p=0.005), less often postmenopausal (62.6% vs 74.5%, p=0.013), more likely to have Medicaid (24.3% vs 7.9%, p &lt;0.001), and to have received chemotherapy (80% vs 69%, p=0.017) compared to CA women. There was no difference in stage at diagnosis between AA and CA patients (p=0.12). By univariate analysis, improved survival in TNBC was associated with non-Medicaid status (p=0.01), early stage at diagnosis (p=0.001), N stage (&lt;0.001), and tumor grade (p&lt;0.001). A Cox regression analysis demonstrated that only insurance status (p=0.007) and N Stage (p=0.01) predicted outcomes in TNBC. Survival in TNBC was not affected by race (p=0.7).

Conclusions: Poorer outcomes in AA women cannot be attributed to the higher frequency of TNBC. Improved access to healthcare, with broader insurance coverage, may help minimize disparities in outcome by diagnosing TNBC at an earlier stage.Background: African American (AA) women and patients with Triple Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC) have poor outcomes. It is unclear whether these worse outcomes in AA women are due to a higher frequency of TNBC in AA women. The purpose of our study was to determine difference in outcomes between AA and Caucasian (CA) female with TNBC.

Methods: A retrospective study of women diagnosed with ER, PR and HER2 (1+) negative breast cancer between January 1/2001 and December 31/2013 at Vidant Medical Center (East Carolina University) in Greenville, North Carolina was undertaken. Patient demographics and tumor characteristics were analyzed to determine impact on overall survival.

Results: In our institution, 4,434 women were diagnosed with breast cancer in this study period, of which 378 had TNBC. Our TNBC population was predominantly AA (53%). AA patients were younger (54.1 years vs 58.7 years, p=0.005), less often postmenopausal (62.6% vs 74.5%, p=0.013), more likely to have Medicaid (24.3% vs 7.9%, p &lt;0.001), and to have received chemotherapy (80% vs 69%, p=0.017) compared to CA women. There was no difference in stage at diagnosis between AA and CA patients (p=0.12). By univariate analysis, improved survival in TNBC was associated with non-Medicaid status (p=0.01), early stage at diagnosis (p=0.001), N stage (&lt;0.001), and tumor grade (p&lt;0.001). A Cox regression analysis demonstrated that only insurance status (p=0.007) and N Stage (p=0.01) predicted outcomes in TNBC. Survival in TNBC was not affected by race (p=0.7).

Conclusions: Poorer outcomes in AA women cannot be attributed to the higher frequency of TNBC. Improved access to healthcare, with broader insurance coverage, may help minimize disparities in outcome by diagnosing TNBC at an earlier stage.

Citation Format: Mosquera C, Amin R, Wong JH. Effect of race on triple negative breast cancer outcomes [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2016 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2016 Dec 6-10; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P6-09-26.

Periareolar or Peritumoral Injection of Isosulfan Blue and the Effect on the Number of Sentinel Lymph Nodes Examined

The conduct of sentinel node biopsy (SLNBx) for breast cancer (BC) has evolved substantially since its original description. No national standards for the performance of SLNBx exist, therefore, we sought to determine the effect of isosulfan blue (ISB) injection technique on nodal harvesting and staging accuracy during SLNBx. Our main outcome measures included the number of SLNs examined and the number of positive axillae in patients undergoing SLNBx after injection of filtered sulfur colloid intradermally and either small volume ISB injected in the periareolar dermis (PA,∼0.75 cc) or large volume peritumoral (PT, 5 cc). Between January 1, 2009, and September 30, 2013, 1357 patients at an academic/community practice setting underwent SLNBx of which 966 (71.2%) were node negative. These patients ranged in age from 27 to 97 years (mean 60.1 years). The majority of patients (76%) underwent PT injection of ISB. There was no significant difference in the mean age of these two groups (61.2 PT vs 59.7 PA years). All were female. The majority of patients (72.7%) had T1 primaries. Nearly 73 per cent of patients were Luminal A/B, 10.8 per cent HER, and 16.4 per cent were triple negative. There was no significant difference in the distribution of T stage (P = 0.56) or breast cancer subtypes between the techniques (P = 0.59). The mean number of nodes examined was 3.1 (range, 1-18). PT patients had a mean of 3.5 (range, 1-18) nodes, whereas PA patients had a mean of 2.4 nodes (range, 1-10) (P < 0.001). The technical aspects of injecting ISB affect the number of nodes harvested during SLNBx but not staging accuracy.

Periareolar or Peritumoral Injection of Isosulfan Blue and the Effect on the Number of Sentinel Lymph Nodes Examined

The conduct of sentinel node biopsy (SLNBx) for breast cancer (BC) has evolved substantially since its original description. No national standards for the performance of SLNBx exist, therefore, we sought to determine the effect of isosulfan blue (ISB) injection technique on nodal harvesting and staging accuracy during SLNBx. Our main outcome measures included the number of SLNs examined and the number of positive axillae in patients undergoing SLNBx after injection of filtered sulfur colloid intradermally and either small volume ISB injected in the periareolar dermis (PA,∼0.75 cc) or large volume peritumoral (PT, 5 cc). Between January 1, 2009, and September 30, 2013, 1357 patients at an academic/community practice setting underwent SLNBx of which 966 (71.2%) were node negative. These patients ranged in age from 27 to 97 years (mean 60.1 years). The majority of patients (76%) underwent PT injection of ISB. There was no significant difference in the mean age of these two groups (61.2 PT vs 59.7 PA years). All were female. The majority of patients (72.7%) had T1 primaries. Nearly 73 per cent of patients were Luminal A/B, 10.8 per cent HER, and 16.4 per cent were triple negative. There was no significant difference in the distribution of T stage (P = 0.56) or breast cancer subtypes between the techniques (P = 0.59). The mean number of nodes examined was 3.1 (range, 1–18). PT patients had a mean of 3.5 (range, 1–18) nodes, whereas PA patients had a mean of 2.4 nodes (range, 1–10) (P < 0.001). The technical aspects of injecting ISB affect the number of nodes harvested during SLNBx but not staging accuracy.

Patterns of node mapping differ for axial and extremity primary cutaneous melanoma: A case for a more selective use of pre-operative imaging

PURPOSE

Preoperative lymphoscintigraphy for sentinel lymph node mapping in melanoma improves the ability to locate nodes. However, it still remains unclear whether this step is required for all patients.

METHODS

Patients diagnosed with cutaneous melanoma from 1996 to 2012 were identified. Exclusion criteria were in situ disease, metastatic disease, or no SLN biopsy.

RESULTS

214 patients were evaluated. Median age was 57 years, the majority were male (59.8%), white (97.2%), and stage I (60.7%). SLN revealed metastatic disease in 14.5% of patients. The most common primary site was the trunk (43.4%) followed by head and neck (21%), upper extremity (19.2%), and lower extremity (16.4%). Multiple lymphatic basins were most common for head and neck lesions (66.7%) followed by those on the trunk (28.8%), with fewer identified when lower (11.4%), and upper extremities were involved (4.2%). When comparison was restricted to extremity vs. axial, a single basin was noted in 94.5% vs. 59.9% of patients, p < 0.0001. For all extremity lesions the SLN was located in the primary basin. Additional sites included in-transit (popliteal) and second tier basins. The only melanomas with bilateral or contralateral SLN were axial melanomas.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with axial melanomas benefit most from lymphoscintigraphy. This step may not be required for extremity melanoma.

Dramatic Increase in the Incidence and Mortality from Merkel Cell Carcinoma in the United States

Merkel cell carcinoma is a cutaneous neuroendocrine neoplasm that has been poorly studied in contemporary cohorts. Patients with Merkel cell carcinoma from 1986 to 2011 were identified in the Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results registry. A total of 5211 patients met the inclusion criteria. The mean age was 74.9 years; majority were male (61.4%) and white (94.9%). Patients were divided into two cohorts: Group 1 (1986 and 1999) and Group 2 (1999-2010). Group 2 was more likely to have Stage III disease (14.6 vs 23.3%, P < 0.001) and less likely to have Stage I/II disease (71.8 vs 65.1%, P < 0.0001). The increase in Stage III was likely secondary to increased use of sentinel lymph node biopsy. Disease-specific five-year survival for Stages I/II was 78.1 per cent and Stage III was 54 per cent. Disease-specific five-year survival was unchanged between Groups 1 and 2, 69.9 versus 66.6 per cent, respectively (P = 0.44). Both incidence and mortality significantly increased over the study period with P value for both trends <0.0001. In 1986, incidence and mortality rates per 100,000 were 0.22 and 0.03, respectively, and increased to 0.79 and 0.43 in 2011, respectively. There has been a greater than 333 per cent increase in mortality from Merkel cell carcinoma.

Recent studies on the antimicrobial peptides lactoferricin and lactoferrampin

Lactoferricin and lactoferrampin, peptides derived from the whey protein lactoferrin, are antimicrobial agents with a promising prospect and are currently one of the research focuses. In this review, a basic introduction including location and solution structures of these two peptides is given. Their biological activities encompassing antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal and anti-inflammatory activities with possible mechanisms are mentioned. In terms of modification studies, research about identification of their active derivatives and crucial amino acid residues is also discussed. Various attempts at modification of lactoferricin and lactoferrampin such as introducing big hydrophobic side-chains; employing special amino acids for synthesis; N-acetylization, amidation, cyclization and peptide chimera are summarized. The studies on lactoferricin-lactoferrampin chimera are discussed in detail. Future prospects of lactoferricin and lactoferrampin are covered.

Abstract P2-01-12: Impact of the ASOCOG Z0011 trial on a multi-institutional mixed practice setting

Background

The ASOCOG Z0011 trial is widely considered to be practice changing, but reports to date on the adoption of Z0011 are largely confined to tertiary academic institutions with breast cancer surgical specialty services. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of Z0011 on the care of breast cancer patients in a mixed academic/ non-academic practice setting.

Methods

All patients who underwent surgical treatment for breast cancer in the Vidant Healthcare System, a multi-county network, between the years January 1, 2009 and September 20, 2013 were identified. Patients with Stage IV disease and ductal carcinoma in situ were excluded.

Results

One thousand six hundred four patients met initial inclusion criteria, 661 in the pre-Z0011 period and 973 in the post-Z0011 period. The majority of patients were female (99%) and Caucasian (65%). Infiltrating ductal cancer (67%) was the most common tumor type. Tumors on average were 23mm in size with the majority being ER (74%), PR (63%) positive and Her2 (82%) negative. Most patients had node negative disease (73%). Table 1 summarizes the characteristics of the pre- and post-Z0011 study populations.

Patient and Tumor CharacteristicsVariablePre-Z0011Post-Z0011p valueFemale (%)656 (99.2)968 (99.4)0.86Race (%)  0.49White448 (67.8)642 (65.9) Black205 (31.0)314 (32.2) Mean size (mm)19.922.30.06Histology (%)  0.07Infiltrating ductal cancer434 (65.7)663 (68.1) Infiltrating lobular cancer30 (4.5)62 (6.4) ER Positive (%)484 (73.3)722 (74.2)0.92PR Positive (%)406 (61.5)622 (63.9)0.61Her2 Negative (%)304 (78.4)897 (83.5)0.01Triple Negative Subtype (%)83 (23.9)168 (18.9)0.07Node Positive Status175 (27.5)926 (26.7)0.71

A total of 142 patients met Z0011 criteria, with T1-2 disease, underwent partial mastectomy and had a positive SNB. There were a similar number of patients who met Z00111 criteria in the pre- (n=63) and post-Z0011 (n=79) periods, p&gt;0.05. In the post-Z0011 period, patients were more likely to undergo SNB alone (56 vs. 19%, p&lt;0.001). Post-Z0011 the decrease in ALND was in those who had immediate ALND (34% vs. 71%), with no substantive change in the delayed group (10.1 vs. 9.5%), p&lt;0.001. Patient who underwent SNB alone had smaller tumors (22 vs. 32mm, p&lt;0.001), but similar histologic subtypes (p=0.60) and receptor status (p≥0.15) as compared to patients who underwent SNB with ALND. Over the entire study period patients in an academic practice were less likely to undergo SNB alone (31 vs. 43%). In the post-Z0011 period, patients cared for in an academic practice had an increase in SNB alone from year 1 (2012) to year 2 (2013) (40% to 57%), while the non-academic practices had a decrease in SNB alone from year 1 to year 2, (63% to 56%).

Conclusion

In this mixed practice setting there was an overall decrease in ALND in T1/T2 patients with low metastatic axillary burden following publication of Z0011. Immediately post-Z0011 the non-academic practices more rapidly adopted SNB alone, however these differences were no longer apparent two years following Z0011. Continued longitudinal studies will further assess the variability in the incorporation of Z0011 among various surgical practices.

Citation Format: Swapnil D Kachare, Nasreen A Vohra, Kathyrn M Verbanac, Timothy L Fitzgerald, Emmanuel E Zervos, Jan H Wong. Impact of the ASOCOG Z0011 trial on a multi-institutional mixed practice setting [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Thirty-Seventh Annual CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium: 2014 Dec 9-13; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(9 Suppl):Abstract nr P2-01-12.

Abstract P6-15-01: A comparative analysis of primary tumor resection in men and women with stage IV breast cancer

Background: Primary tumor resection (PTR) for metastatic female breast cancer continues to be debated. Given the rarity of male breast cancer, treatment paradigms for female breast cancer are extended to the management of male breast cancer. Whether the role of PTR in men with metastatic breast cancer is similar to that in women remains unclear. We sought to compare these two populations using a large, national database.

Methods:

All patients with Stage IV breast cancer between the years 1988-2011 in the SEER database were identified. Uni and multivariate descriptive and survival analyses were performed.

Results: A total of 41,601 patients with stage IV breast cancer were identified; 98.9% (n=41,162) females, 1.1% (n=439) males. On average, female patients were younger (63 vs. 66y) and more often White (78 vs. 74%), p≤0.02. Tumors in male patients were more likely to be hormonally positive, with varying breakdown of T and N-stages and histologic subtypes as compared to tumors in females, p≤0.05. Males were more likely to undergo PTR (51 vs.40%, p&lt;0.05), however both males and females had similar rates of radiotherapy (35 vs. 32%, p=0.35). Among male patients, those who received PTR were of similar age to those who did not receive PTR (p=0.64), but had a greater representation of White patients (p=0.04). There were differences in T-stage, N-stage and hormonal status between men who did and did not receive PTR, p≤0.05. Men receiving surgery were also more likely to receive radiation therapy (38 vs. 32%, p=0.003). In women, all demographic and tumor-related factors were significantly different between those who did and did not undergo PTR. On univariate analysis, surgery was associated with improved disease-specific median survival in both men (36 vs. 21 mths) and women (34 vs. 18 mths), p&lt;0.05. Younger age, White race, lower T and N-stage, lower grade, hormonal positivity, mucinous histology, and radiation therapy were associated with improved disease specific survival (DSS) in females, while only lower T-stage, hormone positivity and mucinous histology were associated with improved DSS in men. On multivariate analysis, a lack of resection of the primary tumor remained independently associated with increased mortality in men (HR 1.91, p&lt;0.05) and women (HR 1.6, p&lt;0.05). Over the study period there was a decrease in the rate of surgery in both men and women, p≤0.0006, but only women were found to have a statistically significant improvement in DSS with surgery over time.

Conclusion: Regardless of gender, patients with metastatic breast cancer who underwent primary tumor resection had a significant improvement in DSS. Factors associated with DSS varied between male and female patients, but the reasons for this difference are unclear. A well designed randomized trial including both genders will help determine the utility of PTR in stage IV breast cancer patients.

Characteristics of Stage IV Breast Cancer in Males: Surgery vs. No surgery (S = ≤ p.05) Surgery (%)No surgery (%)P-valueWhite race78.468.7ST1 stage15.87.4SN1 stage27.538.6SER +72.557.6SPR +57.245.2SHer2 +1.43.70.25Grade II34.726.3SInfiltrating ductal carcinoma76.656.2SRadiation therapy37.832.3SYear of diagnosis   1988-19928.17.4S2008-201125.236.9S

Citation Format: Nasreen A Vohra, Swapnil D Kachare, Timothy L Fitzgerald, Jan H Wong, Mahvish Muzaffar. A comparative analysis of primary tumor resection in men and women with stage IV breast cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Thirty-Seventh Annual CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium: 2014 Dec 9-13; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(9 Suppl):Abstract nr P6-15-01.

Abstract P2-13-26: Trend in primary tumor resection and disease specific survival in patients with metastatic breast cancer: A SEER database analysis (1988-2011)

INTRODUCTION: The value of primary tumor resection in patients with metastatic breast cancer is a topic of ongoing debate. We aimed to analyze the trend and impact of primary tumor resection on survival over the last two decades using a national database. We hypothesized that there would be a decreasing utilization of primary tumor resection over time with an increase in disease specific survival.

METHODS: All patients with stage IV breast cancer at diagnosis between the years 1988 and 2011 were identified in the SEER database. Univariate and multivariate descriptive and survival analyses were performed.

RESULTS: A total of 41,601 patients with stage IV breast cancer were included in the study, 98.9 % (41,162) were females and 1.1% were males. Forty percent underwent surgery. Table 1 summarizes the other significant differences in demographic and tumor-related characteristics of patients who did and did not receive PTR. Over the 23- year study period there was a statistically significant temporal trend of decreased primary tumor resection (62% of patients underwent PTR in 1988, 42.4% in 2000 and 27.7% in 2011). On univariate analysis, patients who underwent PTR had a greater median disease-specific survival (DSS), (34 vs. 18 months, p&lt;0.0001). Younger age (p&lt;0.0001), non-African American race (p&lt;0.0001), lower T and N-stage (p&lt;0.0001), positive hormone receptor status (p&lt;0.0001), lower grade (p&lt;0.0001), mucinous histology (p&lt;0.0001), radiation therapy (p&lt;0.0001), and surgery performed in the latter years (p&lt;0.0001) were also associated with improved DSS. On multivariate analysis increasing age (p&lt;0.0001), AA race (p=0.0001), higher T and N stage (p&lt;0.0001), negative hormone receptor status (p&lt;0.0001), higher grade (p&lt;0.0001), no history of radiation therapy (p=0.002), and surgery in earlier years were associated with increased mortality (p&lt;0.0001). Not undergoing PTR was independently associated with increased mortality, (p&lt;0.0001).

Table 1: Comparison of patient and tumor characteristics in the surgery vs no surgery group (all p&lt;0.0001)VariableSurgeryNo surgeryFemale (%)16,328 (98.7)24,750 (99.1)White Race (%)13,198 (79.7)19,328 (77.4)T1 stage (%)3,067 (18.5)2,096 (8.4)N1 stage (%)4,173 (25.2)5,834 (23.4)ER Positive (%)9,642 (58.3)12,300 (49.3)PR Positive (%)7,532 (45.5)9,346 (37.4)Her2 Positive (%)414 (4.5)745 (3.0)Grade II (%)4,844 (29.3)5,400 (21.6)Infiltrating ductal cancer (%)11,539 (69.7)12,461 (50.0)Radiation Therapy (%)6,338 (38.3)6,937 (27.8)

CONCLUSIONS: Results from this retrospective study suggest a survival advantage in patients with stage IV breast cancer who undergo primary tumor resection. However, there has been a marked reduction in the number of patients undergoing surgery, most likely reflecting more focused patient selection. Ongoing randomized controlled trials will help address the impact of primary tumor surgery on survival of patients diagnosed with metastatic disease.

Citation Format: Mahvish Muzaffar, Swapnil D Kachare, Timothy L Fitzgerald, Jan H Wong, Kathryn Verbanac, Nasreen A Vohra. Trend in primary tumor resection and disease specific survival in patients with metastatic breast cancer: A SEER database analysis (1988-2011) [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Thirty-Seventh Annual CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium: 2014 Dec 9-13; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(9 Suppl):Abstract nr P2-13-26.

The influence of sentinel lymph node biopsy on survival for intermediate-thickness melanoma

BACKGROUND

The Multicenter Selective Lymphadenectomy Trial-1 (MSLT-1) failed to demonstrate a survival advantage for sentinel lymph node biopsy (SNB) in melanoma. This may have been secondary to inadequate statistical power. This study was designed to determine the impact of SNB on melanoma-specific survival (MSS) in a larger patient cohort.

METHODS

From 2003-2008, patients with tumors 1-4 mm in thickness and clinically negative nodes were identified within the SEER registry. Propensity score was used to create two matched cohorts: those who underwent a wide excision with SNB or wide excision alone.

RESULT

A total of 15,274 met inclusion criteria and 7,910 comprised the match cohort. Average age was 67.4 years. The majority were male (62.3 %) and white (97.2 %). Primary tumors were most frequently nonulcerated (77.1 %), located on the extremity (42.3 %), and T2 (64.1 %). There were 3,955 patients in both the SNB and observation groups. There was no significant difference in gender, ethnicity, ulceration status, primary site, or T-classification between the groups. Improved 5-year MSS was associated with SNB (85.7 vs. 84.0 %), female gender (88.3 vs. 82.7 %), absence of ulceration (87.5 vs. 75.7 %), extremity location (87.4 %), T2 disease (88.6 vs. 77.9 %), and a negative SNB (88.9 vs. 64.8 %). The relationships between observation [hazard ratio (HR) 1.18], male gender (HR 1.33), ulceration (HR 1.77), head-and-neck location (HR 1.34), and T3 disease (HR 1.82) persisted on multivariate analysis.

CONCLUSIONS

Status of the sentinel node is the strongest predictor of survival in patients with intermediate thickness melanoma. SNB compared with observation was associated with a modest survival advantage.

Regional disparities in breast cancer outcomes and the process of care

Mortality from breast cancer in eastern North Carolina (ENC) surpasses the rest of North Carolina (RNC). We sought to identify modifiable factors associated with the increased mortality of women diagnosed with breast cancer in ENC. A retrospective cohort study of women diagnosed with breast cancer in North Carolina between January 1, 2004, and December 31, 2007 (n = 27,631) was studied. There was no difference in the pathologic T (P = 0.62), N (P = 0.26), or stage grouping (P = 0.25) at diagnosis. Women in ENC were less likely to be white (P < 0.001), estrogen receptor (ER)-positive (P < 0.001), progesterone receptor (PR)-positive (P < 0.001), or to receive adjuvant chemotherapy (P = 0.02). The median survival of ENC patients was worse than RNC patients (39 vs. 43 months, P = 0.003). Improved median survival was associated with ER status (P < 0.001), PR status (P < 0.001), race/ethnicity (P < 0.001), and delivery of timely chemotherapy (P < 0.0001). ER-negative status (P = 0.01), black race (P = 0.03), and adjuvant chemotherapy within 90 days of surgery (P < 0.001) remained significant predictors of survival. The poor outcomes observed in ENC can be attributed to recognized prognostic primary patient and tumor characteristics. However, a failure in process of care remains significantly associated with poorer outcomes. Improved timing of delivery of chemotherapy could affect breast cancer mortality.

Abstract P1-09-12: The interplay of biologic factors, race, and delivery of care in improving breast cancer outcomes

Importance: A marked disparity exists in the breast cancer mortality of women diagnosed in Eastern North Carolina (ENC) when compared to women diagnosed in the rest of North Carolina (RNC).

Objective: To identify modifiable factors associated with the increased mortality of women diagnosed with breast cancer in ENC.

Design: Retrospective cohort study of women diagnosed with breast cancer in North Carolina between January 1, 2004 and December 31, 2007.

Setting: North Carolina Central Cancer Registry.

Participants: Females diagnosed with either invasive or non-invasive breast cancer in North Carolina during the designated time period.

Main Outcome Measures: Race/ethnicity, hormone receptor status, pathologic T, N and stage grouping at the time of diagnosis, delivery of adjuvant chemotherapy, and survival.

Results: A total of 27,631 women were diagnosed with breast cancer during the study period. Women in ENC were slightly older than in RNC (59.2 y v. 58.5 y, p&lt;0.001). There was no difference in the pathologic T (p = 0.62), N (p = 0.26) or Stage Grouping (p = 0.25) at diagnosis between ENC and RNC patients. Women in ENC were less likely to be White (68.9% v. 80.0%, &lt;0.001)), ER positive (53.4% v. 59.4%, p&lt;0.001), PR positive (44.8% v. 49.4%, p&lt;0.001), or to receive adjuvant chemotherapy (78.7% v. 81.3%, p = 0.02). The median survival of ENC patients was significantly worse than RNC patients (39 months v. 43 months, p = 0.003). By univariate analysis, improved median survival was associated with ER status (p&lt;0.001), PR status (p&lt;0.001), Race/ethnicity (p&lt;0.001) and delivery of timely chemotherapy (p&lt;0.0001). By Cox Regression analysis, ER negative status (RR 1.03; 95% CI 0.85 to 0.98, p = 0.01), African American (RR 0.94; 95% CI 0.89 to 0.99, p = 0.03), and adjuvant chemotherapy within 90 days of surgery (RR 1.40; 95% CI 1.30 to 1.50, p&lt;0.001) remained significant predictors of survival.

Conclusions: The poor outcomes observed in ENC can be attributed to recognized prognostic primary patient and tumor characteristics. However a failure in process of care remains significantly associated with poorer outcomes. Improved timing of delivery of chemotherapy could affect breast cancer mortality.

Citation Information: Cancer Res 2013;73(24 Suppl): Abstract nr P1-09-12.

Mechanical thrombectomy with the Solitaire stent: is there a learning curve in achieving rapid recanalization times?

METHODS

In acute ischemic stroke, good outcome following successful recanalization is time dependent. In patients undergoing endovascular therapy at our institution, recanalization times with the Solitaire stent were retrospectively evaluated to assess for the presence of a learning curve in achieving rapid recanalization.

METHODS

We reviewed patients who presented to our stroke center and achieved successful recanalization with the Solitaire stent exclusively. Time intervals were calculated (CT to angiography arrival, angiography arrival to groin puncture, groin puncture to first deployment, and deployment to recanalization) from time stamped images and angiography records. Patients were divided into three sequential groups, with overall CT to recanalization time and subdivided time intervals compared.

RESULTS

83 patients were treated with the Solitaire stent from May 2009 to February 2012. Recanalization (Thrombolyis in Cerebral Infarction score 2A) occurred in 75 (90.4%) patients. CT to recanalization demonstrated significant improvement over time, which was greatest between the first 25 and the most recent 25 cases (161-94 min; p<0.01). The maximal contribution to this was from improvements in first stent deployment to recanalization time (p=0.001 between the first and third groups), with modest contributions from moving patients from CT to the angiography suite faster (p=0.02 between the first and third groups) and from groin puncture to first stent deployment (p=0.02 between the first and third groups).

CONCLUSIONS

There is a learning curve involved in the efficient use of the Solitaire stent in endovascular acute stroke therapy. Along with improvements in patient transfer to angiography and improved efficiency with intracranial access, mastering this device contributed significantly towards reducing recanalization times.

When is carotid angioplasty and stenting the cost-effective alternative for revascularization of symptomatic carotid stenosis? A Canadian health system perspective

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Carotid revascularization procedures can be complicated by stroke. Additional disability adds to the already high costs of the procedure. To weigh the cost and benefit, we estimated the cost-utility of carotid angioplasty and stenting compared with carotid endarterectomy among patients with symptomatic carotid stenosis, with special emphasis on scenario analyses that would yield carotid angioplasty and stenting as the cost-effective alternative relative to carotid endarterectomy.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A cost-utility analysis from the perspective of the health system payer was performed by using a Markov analytic model. Clinical estimates were based on a meta-analysis. The procedural costs were derived from a microcosting data base. The costs for hospitalization and rehabilitation of patients with stroke were based on a Canadian multicenter study. Utilities were based on a randomized controlled trial.

RESULTS

In the base case analysis, carotid angioplasty and stenting were more expensive (incremental cost of $6107) and had a lower utility (-0.12 quality-adjusted life years) than carotid endarterectomy. The results are sensitive to changes in the risk of clinical events and the relative risk of death and stroke. Carotid angioplasty and stenting were more economically attractive among high-risk surgical patients. For carotid angioplasty and stenting to become the preferred option, their costs would need to fall from more than $7300 to $4350 or less and the risks of the periprocedural and annual minor strokes would have to be equivalent to that of carotid endarterectomy.

CONCLUSIONS

In the base case analysis, carotid angioplasty and stenting were associated with higher costs and lower utility compared with carotid endarterectomy for patients with symptomatic carotid stenosis. Carotid angioplasty and stenting were cost-effective for patients with high surgical risk.

Measuring the impact of multidisciplinary care on quality for pancreatic surgery: transition to a focused, very high-volume program

Outcomes are superior for pancreatic resection at high-volume centers. To assess the impact of focused high-volume multidisciplinary care, a quality index (QI) was used to review our experience. Data from 1996 to July 2012 were analyzed in three groups: 1) early (1996 to 2007); 2) transition (2008 to 2009); and 3) mature (2010 to July 2012). A total of 239 patients were included with a mean age of 63.4 years and the majority were white (65.7%). The number of patients with Charlson comorbidity index greater than 2 and age older than 80 years increased comparing Group 1 with latter groups. Volume increased over time: Group 1 (n = 93) 7.75/year, Group 2 (n = 51) 25.5/year, and Group 3 (n = 95) 39/year. Overall mortality was 5.9 per cent: Group 1, 4.3 per cent; Group 2, 11.5 per cent; and Group 3, 3.9 per cent (P = 0.0454). The QI score incorporates documentation, chemotherapy, resection for Stage I/II, time to treatment, margins, lymph nodes, mortality, and surgical volume with a maximum possible score 10. The QI increased over time: 3 in Group 1; 4 in Group 2; and 6 in Group 3. An improvement was noted for the quality indicators: surgical resection (P = 0.0125) and use of palliative and adjuvant therapy (P = 0.0144 and < 0.0001). Implementation of a focused multidisciplinary pancreatic surgery program increases quality.

Malignant blue nevus: clinicopathologically similar to melanoma

Malignant blue nevus (MBN) is a rare melanocytic lesion and controversy exists whether it is a melanoma or a unique entity. We sought to establish clinical behavior using a large national registry. All patients with MBN and melanoma from 1973 to 2008 were identified in the Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results tumor registry. We performed comparative and survival analysis among the two tumor types. A total of 228,038 patients were identified (227,986 with melanoma and 52 with MBN). The mean age was 57.7 years. Both lesions had similar age of presentation (55.8 vs 55.7 years, P = 0.527), sex (male 50 vs 55%, P = 0.44), and nodal positivity rate (9.6 vs 5.4%, P = 0.22). MBNs were more likely to be nonwhite (11.8 vs 1.6%, P < 0.0001) and present with metastatic disease (15.2 vs 4%, P = 0.0028). MBN and melanoma had a similar survival (264 vs 240 months, P = 0.78) and remained similar when stratified by race (264 vs 242 months, P = 0.99) and stage (264 vs 256 months, P = 0.83). This is the largest study to date demonstrating similar clinical behavior and survival between patients with MBN and those with melanoma. We believe MBN is a variant of melanoma and suggest using a similar treatment algorithm as that of melanoma.