Effect of marital status on survival in glioblastoma multiforme by demographics, education, economic factors, and insurance status

Early death in supraglottic laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma: A population-based study

BACKGROUND

Supraglottic laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) is the second most common type of laryngeal cancer with a poor prognosis. Current population-based estimates of the early death rate and associated factors for early death of supraglottic LSCC are lacking. The purpose of this study was to assess the early death rate and related factors for early death in patients with supraglottic LSCC.

METHODS

We identified 3733 adult patients diagnosed with supraglottic LSCC between 2010 and 2017 for whom the vital status at 3 months was known from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. Patients were staged according to the seventh edition of the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) staging system. The early death (survival time ≤ 3 months) rate was calculated. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to identify the risk factors associated with the early death rate.

RESULTS

313 (8.38%) of the 3733 patients died within 3 months of diagnosis of supraglottic LSCC. Of these, 225 patients died from cancer-specific causes. Multivariate logistic regression analyses confirmed that advanced age, male sex, advanced T stage, advanced N stage, advanced M stage, and not undergoing treatment (surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy) had significant correlations with all-cause early death in supraglottic LSCC. In addition, advanced age, advanced T stage, advanced N stage, advanced M stage, and not undergoing treatment (surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy) were significantly correlated with cancer specificity in supraglottic LSCC.

CONCLUSION

When a tumor is newly diagnosed, we should pay close attention to sex, age, unmarried status and AJCC TNM staging to quickly detect supraglottic LSCC patients with a tendency toward early death. These findings have implications for precise prognosis prediction and individualized and personalized patient counseling and therapy.

Economic income and survival in patients affected by glioblastoma: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Background

Within socioeconomic variables, economic income has been associated with the prognosis of patients with glioblastoma. However, studies investigating this issue provided conflicting results.

Methods

We carried out a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies investigating the correlation between economic income and survival in patients with glioblastoma. The inverse variance technique for hazard ratio (HR) assessment has been employed in reporting the random effect model.

Results

We included 12 studies for a total of 143 303 GBM patients (67 463 with high economic income, and 25 679 with low economic income). In the overall analysis, lower economic income resulted in poorer survival (pooled HR 1.09, 95% CI: 1.02-1.17, I2 = 64%). Variables like the type of Health Care System (public, private, or mixed) and the time in which patients have been treated (pre or post-EORTC-NCIC trial 22981/26981, CE.3 protocol advent) did not modify survival on pooled analysis.

Conclusions

Economic conditions and income influence the prognosis of patients with glioblastoma. A better understanding of the modifiable barriers leading to treatment disparities in more disadvantaged patients is warranted to make equal oncological care.

Gender differences in gliomas: From epidemiological trends to changes at the hormonal and molecular levels

Gender plays a crucial role in the occurrence and development of cancer, as well as in the metabolism of nutrients and energy. Men and women display significant differences in the incidence, prognosis, and treatment response across various types of cancer, including certain sex-specific tumors. It has been observed that male glioma patients have a higher incidence and worse prognosis than female patients, but there is currently a limited systematic evaluation of sex differences in gliomas. The purpose of this study is to provide an overview of the association between fluctuations in sex hormone levels and changes in their receptor expression with the incidence, progression, treatment, and prognosis of gliomas. Estrogen may have a protective effect on glioma patients, while exposure to androgens increases the risk of glioma. We also discussed the specific genetic and molecular differences between genders in terms of the malignant nature and prognosis of gliomas. Factors such as TP53, MGMT methylation status may play a crucial role. Therefore, it is essential to consider the gender of patients while treating glioma, particularly the differences at the hormonal and molecular levels. This approach can help in the adoption of an individualized treatment strategy.

Racial and social-economic inequalities in systemic chemotherapy use among adult glioblastoma patients following surgery and radiotherapy

Not all patients with glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) eligible for systemic chemotherapy after upfront surgery and radiotherapy finally receive it. The information on patients with GBM was retrieved from the surveillance, epidemiology, and end results database. Patients who underwent upfront surgery or biopsy and external beam radiotherapy between 2010 and 2019 were eligible for systemic chemotherapy. The available patient and tumor characteristics were assessed using multivariable logistic regression and chi-squared test. Out of the 16,682 patients eligible, 92.1% underwent systemic chemotherapy. The characteristics linked to the lowest systemic chemotherapy utilization included tumors of the brain stem/cerebellum (P = 0.01), former years of diagnosis (P = 0.001), ≥ 80 years of age (P < 0.001), Hispanic, Non-Hispanic Asian, Pacific Islander, or Black race (P < 0.001), non-partnered status (P < 0.001), and low median household income (P = 0.006). Primary tumor site, year of diagnosis, age, race, partnered status, and median household income correlated with the omission of systemic chemotherapy in GBM in adult patients.

Competing Risk Model to Determine the Prognostic Factors for Patients with Gliosarcoma

BACKGROUND

Gliosarcoma (GSM) is a highly aggressive variant of brain cancer with an extremely unfavorable prognosis. Prognosis is not feasible by traditional methods because of a lack of staging criteria, and the present study aims to screen more detailed demographic factors to predict the prognostic factors of the tumors.

METHODS

For this study, we extracted data of patients diagnosed with GSM from the SEER (Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results) database between 2000 and 2019. To account for the influence of competing risks, we used a Cumulative Incidence Function. Subsequently, univariate analysis was conducted to evaluate the individual variables under investigation. Specifically for patients with GSM, we generated cumulative risk curves for specific mortality outcomes and events related to competing risks. In addition, we used both univariate and multivariate Cox analysis to account for non-GSM-related deaths that may confound our research.

RESULTS

The competing risk model showed that age, marital status, tumor size, and adjuvant therapy were prognostic factors in GSM-related death. The analysis results showed that older age (60-70 years, ≥71 years) and larger tumor size (≥5.3 cm) significantly increased the risk of GSM-related death. Conversely, surgical intervention, chemotherapy, and being single were identified as protective factors against GSM-related death.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study using a competing risk model provided valuable insights into the prognostic factors associated with GSM-related death. Further research and clinical interventions targeted at minimizing these risk factors and promoting the use of protective measures may contribute to improved outcomes and reduced mortality for patients with GSM.

Clinical features and demographic characteristics of gestational trophoblastic neoplasia: Single center experience and the SEER database

The aim of this study was to analyze the clinical features and demographic characteristics of gestational trophoblastic neoplasia (GTN) patients, specifically choriocarcinoma (CC), placental site trophoblastic tumour (PSTT), and epithelioid trophoblastic tumor (ETT). We utilized data from a local hospital and the SEER database, as well as survival outcomes of CC in SEER database. Additionally, we used multiple risk factors to create a prognostic nomogram model for CC patients. The study included GTN patients from the SEER database between 1975 and 2016 as well as those from the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi 'an Jiaotong University between January 2005 and May 2022. Related factors of patients were compared using the chi-square (χ2) or Fisher's exact test. For assessing overall survival we employed the Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test. To construct the nomogram, we used Cox regression. Statistically significant differences were found between CC and PSTT/ETT patients in terms of surgery in local hospital, as well as age and year of diagnosis in the SEER database. Moreover, significant differences were observed between low and high (HR) /ultra-high risk (UHR) groups regarding FIGO stage, surgery and chief complaint at the local hospital, and FIGO stage, surgery and unemployment in the SEER database. The Cox regression analysis confirmed that age, race, surgery, marital status, FIGO stage, and unemployment were correlated with CC prognosis. Furthermore, the analysis showed that patients aged 40 years or older and those with FIGO Ⅲ/Ⅳ were independent prognostic factors of CC. The study indicates that atypical symptoms or signs may be the main reasons for HR /UHR patients to seek medical treatment. Therefore, providing multidisciplinary care is recommended for CC patients experiencing psychological distress due to unfavorable marital status or unemployment.

Outcomes of Patients with Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors in the Past Decade

BACKGROUND

Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are rare mesenchymal neoplasms of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) that represent approximately 1 to 2 percent of primary gastrointestinal (GI) cancers. Owing to their rarity, very little is known about their overall epidemiology, and the prognostic factors of their pathology. The current study aimed to evaluate the independent determinants of mortality in patients diagnosed with GISTs over the past decade.

METHODS

Our study comprised 2374 patients diagnosed with GISTs from 2000 to 2017 from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. We analyzed the baseline characteristics, and overall mortality (OM), as well as the cancer-specific mortality (CSM) of GISTs. Variables with a p value < 0.01 in the univariate Cox regression were incorporated into the multivariate Cox model, to determine the independent prognostic factors.

RESULTS

Multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression analyses of factors affecting the all-cause mortality and GIST-related mortality among US patients between 2010 and 2017 revealed a higher overall mortality in non-Hispanic Black patients (HR = 1.516, 95% CI 1.172-1.961, p = 0.002), patients aged 80+ (HR = 9.783, 95% CI 4.185-22.868, p = 0), followed by those aged 60-79 (HR = 3.408, 95% CI 1.488-7.807, p = 0.004); male patients (HR = 1.795, 95% CI 1.461-2.206, p < 0.001); patients with advanced disease with distant metastasis (HR = 3.865, 95% CI 2.977-5.019, p < 0.001), followed by cases with regional involvement via both direct extension and lymph node involvement (HR = 3.853, 95% CI 1.551-9.57, p = 0.004); and widowed patients (HR = 1.975, 95% CI 1.494-2.61, p < 0.001), followed by single patients (HR = 1.53, 95% CI 1.154-2.028, p = 0.003). The highest CSM was observed in the same groups, except widowed patients and patients aged 60-79. The highest CSM was also observed among patients that underwent chemotherapy (HR = 1.687, 95% CI 1.19-2.392, p = 0.003).

CONCLUSION

In this updated study on the outcomes of patients with GISTs, we found that non-Hispanic Black patients, male patients, and patients older than 60 years have a higher mortality with GISTs. Furthermore, patients who have received chemotherapy have a higher GIST-specific mortality, and married patients have a lower mortality. However, we do not know to what extent these independent prognostic factors interact with each other to influence mortality. This study paves the way for future studies addressing these interactions. The results of this study may help treating clinicians to identify patient populations associated with a dismal prognosis, as those may require closer follow-up and more intensive therapy; furthermore, with married patients having a better survival rate, we hope to encourage clinicians to involve family members of the affected patients early in the disease course, as the social support might impact the prognosis.

Marital Status Independently Predicts Mortality in Adult Patients with Craniopharyngioma: A SEER-Based Study

BACKGROUND

The relationship between marital status and overall survival (OS) in adult patients with craniopharyngioma has not been explored in depth. We aimed to elucidate the impact of marital status on the prognosis of craniopharyngioma patients excluding bias from baseline demographics and treatment.

METHODS

We extracted 1539 patients diagnosed with craniopharyngioma between 2000 and 2019 from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database and divided patients into 4 marital subgroups: married, single, divorced/separated, and widowed. Kaplan-Meier curves with a log-rank test were used to discern differences in OS between marital subgroups. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression were used to identify independent prognostic factors of mortality.

RESULTS

There were 1539 eligible patients: 863 (56.1%) were married, 466 (30.3%) were single, 135 (8.8%) were divorced/separated, and 75 (4.9%) were widowed. Widowed patients had the worst mean OS, 5-year OS and 10-year OS at 84.2 months, 58.0% and 26.9%, respectively. After stratifying patients by age, our multivariate analysis showed that marital status was an independent predictor of mortality in middle-aged craniopharyngioma patients (40-60 years, P < 0.001), but not in young adults (18-39 years, P = 0.646) or elderly patients (>60 years, P = 0.076). Among middle-aged patients, single (hazard ratio 1.72, confidence interval 1.19-2.47, P = 0.004) and divorced/separated patients (hazard ratio = 2.29, confidence interval = 1.49-3.54, P < 0.001) showed a higher risk of mortality compared to married patients (reference).

CONCLUSIONS

Marital status is an independent prognostic factor predicting OS for middle-aged patients with craniopharyngioma. Providing additional social and psychological support for single and divorced/separated patients may improve outcomes for this vulnerable population.

Primary Cardiac Sarcoma: Clinical Characteristics and Prognostic Factors over the Past 2 Decades

BACKGROUND

Primary cardiac sarcomas (PCS) are extremely rare malignant tumors involving the heart. Only isolated case reports have been described in the literature over different periods of time. This pathology has been associated with a dismal prognosis and given its rarity; treatment options are very limited. Furthermore, there are contrasting data about the effectiveness of current treatment modalities in improving the survival of patients with PCS, including surgical resection which is the mainstay of therapy. There is a paucity of data on the epidemiological characteristics of PCS. This study has the objective of investigating the epidemiologic characteristics, survival outcomes, and independent prognostic factors of PCS.

METHODS

A total of 362 patients were ultimately registered in our study from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. The study period was from 2000 to 2017. Demographics such as clinical characteristics, overall mortality (OM), and PCS-specific mortality (CSM) were taken into account. A p value of <0.1 in the univariate analysis leads to the incorporation of the variable into multivariate analysis adjusting for covariates. Adverse prognostic factors were represented by a Hazard Ratio (HR) greater than one. The five-year survival analysis was carried out using the Kaplan-Meier method and the log-rank test was used to compare survival curves.

RESULTS

Crude analysis revealed a high OM in age 80+ (HR = 5.958, 95% CI 3.357-10.575, p < 0.001), followed by age 60-79 (HR = 1.429, 95% CI 1.028-1.986, p = 0.033); and PCS with distant metastases (HR = 1.888, 95% CI 1.389-2.566, p < 0.001). Patients that underwent surgical resection of the primary tumor and patients with malignant fibrous histiocytomas (HR = 0.657, 95% CI 0.455-0.95, p = 0.025) had a better OM (HR = 0.606, 95% CI 0.465-0.791, p < 0.001). The highest cancer-specific mortality was observed in age 80+ (HR = 5.037, 95% CI 2.606-9.736, p < 0.001) and patients with distant metastases (HR = 1.953, 95% CI 1.396-2.733, p < 0.001). Patients with malignant fibrous histiocytomas (HR = 0.572, 95% CI 0.378-0.865, p = 0.008) and those who underwent surgery (HR = 0.581, 95% CI 0.436-0.774, p < 0.001) had a lower CSM. Patients in the age range 80+ (HR = 13.261, 95% CI 5.839-30.119, p < 0.001) and advanced disease with distant metastases (HR = 2.013, 95% CI 1.355-2.99, p = 0.001) were found to have a higher OM in the multivariate analyses adjusting for covariates). Lower OM was found in patients with rhabdomyosarcoma (HR = 0.364, 95% CI 0.154-0.86, p = 0.021) and widowed patients (HR = 0.506, 95% CI 0.263-0.977, p = 0.042). Multivariate cox proportional hazard regression analyses of CSM also revealed higher mortality of the same groups, and lower mortality in patients with Rhabdomyosarcoma.

CONCLUSION

In this United States population-based retrospective cohort study using the SEER database, we found that cardiac rhabdomyosarcoma was associated with the lowest CSM and OM. Furthermore, as expected, age and advanced disease at diagnosis were independent factors predicting poor prognosis. Surgical resection of the primary tumor showed lower CSM and OM in the crude analysis but when adjusted for covariates in the multivariate analysis, it did not significantly impact the overall mortality or the cancer-specific mortality. These findings allow for treating clinicians to recognize patients that should be referred to palliative/hospice care at the time of diagnosis and avoid any surgical interventions as they did not show any differences in mortality. Surgical resection, adjuvant chemotherapy, and/or radiation in patients with poor prognoses should be reserved as palliative measures rather than an attempt to cure the disease.

Interaction between Age and Primary Site on Survival Outcomes in Primary GI Melanoma over the Past Decade

BACKGROUND

Primary malignant melanomas of the Gastrointestinal mucosa are uncommon. Most cases of gastrointestinal (GI) melanomas are secondary, arising from metastasis at distant sites. The purpose of this study is to assess to what extent the interaction between independent prognostic factors (age and tumor site) of primary GI melanoma influence survival. Furthermore, we also aimed to investigate the clinical characteristics, survival outcomes, and independent prognostic factors of patients with primary GI melanoma in the past decade.

METHODS

A total of 399 patients diagnosed with primary GI melanoma, between 2008 and 2017, were enrolled in our study by retrieving data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. We analyzed demographics, clinical characteristics, and overall mortality (OM) as well as cancer-specific mortality (CSM) of primary GI melanoma. Variables with a p value < 0.1 in the univariate Cox regression were incorporated into the multivariate Cox model (model 1) to determine the independent prognostic factors, with a hazard ratio (HR) of greater than 1 representing adverse prognostic factors. Furthermore, we analyzed the effect of the interaction between age and primary location on mortality (model 2).

RESULTS

Multivariate cox proportional hazard regression analyses revealed higher OM in age group 80+ (HR = 5.653, 95% CI 2.212-14.445, p = 0), stomach location of the tumor (HR = 2.821, 95% CI 1.265-6.292, p = 0.011), regional lymph node involvement only (HR = 1.664, 95% CI 1.051-2.635, p < 0.05), regional involvement by both direct extension and lymph node involvement (HR = 1.755, 95% CI 1.047-2.943, p < 0.05) and distant metastases (HR = 4.491, 95% CI 3.115-6.476, p = 0), whereas the lowest OM was observed in patients with small intestine melanoma (HR = 0.383, 95% CI 0.173-0.846, p < 0.05). Multivariate cox proportional hazard regression analyses of CSM also revealed higher mortality of the same groups and lower CSM in small intestine and colon melanoma excluding the rectum. For model 2, considering the interaction between age and primary site on mortality, higher OM was found in age group 80+, followed by age group 40-59 then age group 60-79, regional lymph node involvement only, regional involvement by both direct extension and lymph node involvement and distant metastases. The small intestine had a lower OM. The rectum as primary location and the age range 40-59 interacted to lower the OM (HR = 0.14, 95% CI 0.02-0.89, p = 0.038). Age and primary gastric location did not interact to affect the OM. For the CSM, taking into account the interaction between age and the primary location, higher mortality was found in the same groups and the colon location. The primary colon location also interacted with the age group 40-59 to increase the CSM (HR = 1.38 × 10⁹, 95% CI 7.80 × 10⁷-2.45 × 10¹⁰, p = 0).

CONCLUSIONS

In this United States population-based retrospective cohort study using the SEER database, we found that only the age range 40-59 interacted with the rectum and colon to lower and increase mortality respectively. Primary gastric location, which was the single most important location to affect mortality, did not interact with any age range to influence mortality. With those results, we hope to shed some light on this rare pathology with a very dismal prognosis.

Interaction between age and gender on survival outcomes in extramedullary multiple myeloma over the past two decades

BACKGROUND

Extramedullary multiple myeloma (MM) (EMM) is a rare and aggressive subentity of MM that can be present at diagnosis or develop anytime during the disease course. There is a paucity of data on the clinical characteristics and overall epidemiology of EMM. Furthermore, there is a scarcity of data on how the interaction of age and gender influences the survival of EMM.

AIM

To evaluate the clinical characteristics of patients with EMM over the past 2 decades and to identify epidemiologic characteristics that may impact overall prognosis.

METHODS

A total of 858 patients diagnosed with EMM, between 2000 and 2017, were ultimately enrolled in our study by retrieving the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database. We analyzed demographics, clinical characteristics, and overall mortality (OM) as well as cancer-specific mortality (CSM) of EMM. Variables with a P value < 0.1 in the univariate Cox regression were incorporated into the multivariate Cox model to determine the independent prognostic factors, with a hazard ratio (HR) of greater than 1 representing adverse prognostic factors.

RESULTS

From a sample of 858 EMM, the male gender (63.25%), age range 60-79 years (51.05%), and non-Hispanic whites (66.78%) were the most represented. Central Nervous System and the vertebral column was the most affected site (33.10%). Crude analysis revealed higher OM in the age group 80+ [HR = 6.951, 95% confidence interval (95%CI): 3.299-14.647, P = 0], Non-Hispanic Black population (HR = 1.339, 95%CI: 1.02-1.759, P = 0.036), Bones not otherwise specified (NOS) (HR = 1.74, 95%CI: 1.043-2.902, P = 0.034), and widowed individuals (HR = 2.107, 95%CI: 1.511-2.938, P = 0). Skin involvement (HR = 0.241, 95%CI: 0.06-0.974, P = 0.046) and a yearly income of $75000+ (HR = 0.259, 95%CI: 0.125-0.538, P = 0) had the lowest OM in the crude analysis. Crude analysis revealed higher CSM in the age group 80+, Non-Hispanic Black, Bones NOS, and widowed. Multivariate cox proportional hazard regression analyses only revealed higher OM in the age group 80+ (HR = 9.792, 95%CI: 4.403-21.774, P = 0) and widowed individuals (HR = 1.609, 95%CI: 1.101-2.35, P = 0.014). Multivariate cox proportional hazard regression analyses of CSM also revealed higher mortality of the same groups. Eyes, mouth, and ENT involvement had the lowest CSM in the multivariate analysis. There was no interaction between age and gender in the adjusted analysis for OM and CSM.

CONCLUSION

EMM is a rare entity. To our knowledge, there is a scarcity of data on the clinical characteristics and prognosis factors of patients with extramedullary multiple myeloma. In this retrospective cohort, using a United States-based population, we found that age, marital status, and tumor site were independent prognostic factors. Furthermore, we found that age and gender did not interact to influence the mortality of patients with EMM.

Prognostic Assessment and Risk Stratification in Patients With Postoperative Major Salivary Acinar Cell Carcinoma

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the clinicopathological features and prognosis of postoperative major salivary acinar cell carcinoma (MSACC) and develop a prognostic model.

STUDY DESIGN

Retrospective cohort analysis of a public database.

SETTING

Patients with MSACC were identified from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database (1975-2019).

METHODS

Overall survival (OS) was evaluated using Kaplan-Meier curves and a log-rank test. Univariate and multivariate Cox analyses were performed to explore independent prognostic factors. The prognostic model was constructed using screened variables and further visualized with a nomogram and web calculator, and assessed by concordance index, the area under the curve, calibration curve, and decision-making curve analysis.

RESULTS

An upward trend in the incidence of MSACC was observed throughout the study period. A total of 1398 patients were enrolled (training cohort: 978; validation cohort: 420), and the 5- and 10-year OS rates were 97.7% and 81.6%, respectively. Age, marital status, sex, histological grade, T stage, and lymph node status were identified as prognostic factors for OS. A novel nomogram was developed and showed excellent discrimination and clinical applicability. Additionally, a web calculator was designed to dynamically predict patient survival. Based on the nomogram-based score, a risk stratification system was constructed to distinguish patients with different risks. The OS of high-risk patients was significantly lower than that of the low-risk subgroup.

CONCLUSION

Long-term survival in postoperative MSACC was influenced by 6 prognostic factors. The proposed model enables individualized survival prediction and risk stratification, prompting us to be vigilant in high-risk subgroups and consider timely adjustment of subsequent treatment.

Construction and validation of a nomogram model to predict the overall survival rate of esophageal cancer patients receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy: A population-based study

Introduction

The development of neoadjuvant chemotherapy(nCT) improves the overall survival (OS) of patients with esophageal cancer(EC). The aim of this study was to determine the independent prognostic factors of EC patients receiving nCT, and to construct a nomogram model for predicting OS.

Method

This retrospective analysis was conducted from the National Cancer Institute's Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results, Clinicopathological data of patients with EC who received nCT from 2004 to 2015. The included patients were randomly divided into the training cohort and the validation cohort. Univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards models were used to analyze the patients in the training cohort to determine the independent prognostic factors. Based on the independent prognostic variables, nomogram models for 1-year, 2-year and 3-year OS were constructed. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) and area under curve (AUC) were used to evaluate the discriminative ability. The calibration curves, decision curve analysis (DCA) and Kaplan-Meier (K-M) survival analysis were used to evaluate the predictive accuracy and clinical application value.

Results

A total of 2,493 patients were enrolled, with 1,748 patients in the training cohort and 745 patients in the validation cohort. Gender, marital status, tumor pathological grade, T stage, N stage, and M stage were identified as independent prognostic factor (P < 0.05). A novel nomogram model was constructed. ROC curve analysis revealed that the model had moderate predictive performance, which was better than that of the AJCC TNM staging system.The calibration curves showed a high agreement between the actual observed values and the predicted values. The DCA suggested that the newly constructed prediction model had good clinical application value. K-M survival analysis showed that the model was helpful to accurately distinguish the prognosis of patients with different risk levels.

Conclusions

Gender, tumor pathological grade, marital status, T stage, N stage and M stage were identified as independent prognostic factors for overall survival of patients with esophageal cancer who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy. A nomogram prediction model was established, which was helpful to accurately and reliably predict the overall survival rate of patients with esophageal cancer who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy at 1, 2 and 3 years.

Marital status and survival in cancer patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

In recent years, authors have repeatedly reported on the significance of social support in cancer survival. Although overall the studies appear to be convincing, little is known about which types of social support promote better survival rates, and which subgroups of cancer patients are more susceptible to the benefits of it. The aim of this study was to identify, organize, and examine studies reporting on the significance of social support in cancer survival.

METHODS

The PubMed, CINAHL and EBSCO databases were searched using the keywords social support/marital status, cancer, and survival/mortality. Where possible we used a meta-analytical approach, specifically a random effect model, in order to combine the results of the hazard ratios in studies from which this information could be obtained. When interpreting clinical relevance, we used the number needed to treat (NNT).

RESULTS

Better survival was observed in married patients when compared to unmarried (single, never-married, divorced/separated, and widowed) in overall and cancer-specific survival. Gender group differences showed that the association was statistically significant only in cancer-specific survival when comparing divorced/separated male and female cancer patients (p < 0.001), thus confirming results from the previous meta-analysis.

CONCLUSIONS

Being unmarried is associated with significantly worse overall and cancer-specific survival. The most vulnerable group found in our study were divorced/separated men. The results of this review can motivate physicians, oncologists, and other healthcare professionals to be aware of the importance of patients' social support, especially in the identified sub-group.

Does Examined Lymph Node Count Influence Survival in Surgically Resected Early‑stage Pulmonary Typical Carcinoid Tumors?

OBJECTIVES

We aimed to evaluate the prognostic impact of the number of examined lymph nodes (ELNs) in resected early‑stage pulmonary typical carcinoid tumors (TC).

METHODS

Patients who underwent sublobar resection and lobectomy for stage T1N0M0 TC between 2004 and 2016 were identified from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database and enrolled in the ELNs≥4 or ELNs<4 groups (optimal cutoff using X-tile). Propensity score matching balanced baseline intergroup characteristics. Kaplan-Meier curve and log-rank test were used to calculate and compare overall survival (OS) rates. Cox proportional hazard model analysis was used to identify independent prognostic factors.

RESULTS

Among 2234 participants, 961 (43.02%) and 1273 (56.98%) had ELNs <4 and ≥4, respectively. The 5-year OS was significantly higher in the ELNs≥4, compared with ELNs<4, group, both before and after propensity score matching (95.41% vs. 89.71%, P<0.001 and 95.24% vs. 90.28%, P=0.004), respectively. Surgical subgroup analysis confirmed this survival trend in the lobectomy and sublobar resection groups. Tumor size-based subgroup analysis revealed superior OS with ELNs≥4 than ELNs<4 for tumors measuring 1.1-3.0 cm but not for tumors <1.0 cm. Multivariate Cox analysis showed that ELN≥4 contributed to improved OS.

CONCLUSIONS

The higher the ELNs, the greater the long-term survival rate in patients with early‑stage TC. Therefore, we recommend at least 4 ELNs as the cutoff value for evaluating the prognosis of early‑stage TCs, especially for patients with a tumor size of 1.1 to 3.0 cm.

Socioeconomic and demographic determinants of radiation treatment and outcomes in glioblastoma patients

Introduction

Poor outcomes in glioblastoma patients, despite advancing treatment paradigms, indicate a need to determine non-physiologic prognostic indicators of patient outcome. The impact of specific socioeconomic and demographic patient factors on outcomes is unclear. We sought to identify socioeconomic and demographic patient characteristics associated with patient survival and tumor progression, and to characterize treatment options and healthcare utilization.

Methods

A cohort of 169 patients with pathologically confirmed glioblastomas treated at our institution was retrospectively reviewed. Multivariable cox proportional hazards analysis for overall survival (OS) and cumulative incidence of progression was performed. Differences in treatment regimen, patient characteristics, and neuro-oncology office use between different age and depressive disorder history patient subgroups were calculated two-sample t-tests, Fisher's exact tests, or linear regression analysis.

Results

The median age of all patients at the time of initiation of radiation therapy was 60.5 years. The median OS of the cohort was 13.1 months. Multivariable analysis identified age (Hazard Ratio 1.02, 95% CI 1.00–1.04) and total resection (Hazard Ratio 0.52, 95% CI 0.33–0.82) as significant predictors of OS. Increased number of radiation fractions (Hazard Ratio 0.90, 95% CI 0.82–0.98), depressive disorder history (Hazard Ratio 0.59, 95% CI 0.37–0.95), and total resection (Hazard Ratio 0.52, 95% CI 0.31–0.88) were associated with decreased incidence of progression. Notably, patients with depressive disorder history were observed to have more neuro-oncology physician office visits over time (median 12 vs. 16 visits, p = 0.0121). Patients older than 60 years and those with Medicare (vs. private) insurance were less likely to receive as many radiation fractions (p = 0.0014) or receive temozolomide concurrently with radiation (Odds Ratio 0.46, p = 0.0139).

Conclusion

Older glioblastoma patients were less likely to receive as diverse of a treatment regimen as their younger counterparts, which may be partially driven by insurance type. Patients with depressive disorder history exhibited reduced incidence of progression, which may be due to more frequent health care contact during neuro-oncology physician office visits.

Impact of marital status at diagnosis on the survival of patients with anal canal squamous cell carcinoma: a propensity score-matched analysis

PURPOSE

Marital status has been shown to be an important psychosocial factor that plays an important role in the prognosis of various cancers. The effect of marital status on survival outcomes in anal canal squamous cell carcinoma has not been studied. The purpose of this study was to address this issue.

METHODS

According to the established screening criteria, we obtained 2429 patients with anal canal squamous cell carcinoma from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. Kaplan-Meier analysis and multivariate Cox regression analysis were used to analyze the survival of anal canal squamous cell carcinoma patients with different marital status. 1:1 propensity score matching (PSM) was used to match 979 unmarried patients with 979 married patients to further demonstrate the effect of marital status on the survival of patients with anal canal squamous cell carcinoma.

RESULTS

The 5-year overall survival (OS) rates of married, divorced/separated, single, and widowed patients with anal canal squamous cell carcinoma were 75.6%, 69.7%, 62.2%, and 51.3%, respectively and the corresponding 5-year cancer-specific survival (CSS) rates were 80.7%, 79.6%, 70.1%, and 68.9%, respectively. Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that marital status, sex, race, SEER stage, tumor size, regional nodes positive, primary site surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy were independent prognostic factors for OS and CSS, and also demonstrated that the widowed patients suffered the highest risk mortality. Furthermore, married patients were found to have better OS and CSS than unmarried patients both before and after propensity score matching.

CONCLUSION

This study found that married patients with anal canal squamous cell carcinoma had better survival outcomes, while widowed patients had the worst OS and CSS.

Comparative analysis of the prognosis of external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) and EBRT plus brachytherapy for glioblastoma multiforme: a SEER population-based study

Objective

Radiotherapy is one of the effective ways to treat glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). We aimed to explore the prognostic difference between external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) and EBRT combined with brachytherapy (EBRT + BT).

Methods

The GBM patients from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database were divided into two cohorts: the EBRT cohort and the EBRT + BT cohort. Kaplan–Meier (KM) analysis and Cox proportional hazards regression were used to determine the underlying risk factors for overall survival (OS) and disease-specific survival (DSS). And the competing risk model and propensity score matching (PSM) was adopted to eliminate potential biases. We also conducted subgroup analyses and interaction tests as well.

Results

There was a total of 41,010 eligible GBM patients. The median OS (15 months) and DSS (17 months) of the EBRT + BT cohort were significantly longer than that of the EBRT cohort (OS = 11 months, DSS = 12 months). After using the competing risk model and PSM, we found that only advanced age was the independent risk factor, while only EBRT + BT was the independent protective factor (HR = 0.84, 95%CI [0.74,0.96], p = 0.01). EBRT had universal effects in the treatment of GBM, and EBRT + BT had a more pronounced protective effect in the subgroups of males (HR = 0.81, 95%CI [0.68,0.97], p = 0.02) and local excision (HR = 0.82, 95%CI [0.34,0.95], p = 0.01).

Conclusions

The therapeutical effect of EBRT + BT treatment is better than that of EBRT alone, especially in male patients or patients who have undergone local resection. Our findings may provide novel evidence to develop a better radiotherapy strategy for GBM patients.

Cardiovascular Outcomes in the Patients With Colorectal Cancer: A Multi-Registry-Based Cohort Study of 197,699 Cases in the Real World

Purpose

We aimed to investigate the mortality patterns and quantitatively assess the risks of cardiovascular death (CVD) in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC). We also established a competing-risk model to predict the probability of CVD for patients with CRC.

Patients and Methods

Patients with CRC who diagnosed between 2007 and 2015 in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database were included in the present study. The cumulative incidence function (CIF) was used for CVD and other causes of death, and Gray’s test was used to determine the subgroup difference in CIF. The Fine-Gray proportional subdistribution hazards model was used for identifying independent risk factors for CVD. A novel competing-risk model was established to evaluate the probability of CVD for patients with CRC. The performance of the nomogram was measured by concordance index (C-index), calibration curve, decision curve analysis (DCA), and risk stratification.

Results

After a median follow-up of 37.00 months, 79,455 deaths occurred, of whom 56,185 (70.71%) succumbed to CRC and 23,270 (29.29%) patients died due to non-CRC, among which CVD accounted for 9,702 (41.69%), being the major cause of non-cancer deaths. The 1-, 3-, and 5-year cumulative rates for CVD were 12.20, 24.25, and 30.51%, respectively. In multivariate analysis, age, race, marital status, tumor size, tumor stage, advanced stage, surgery, and chemotherapy were independent risk factors of CVD among patients with CRC. The nomogram was well calibrated and had good discriminative ability, with a c-index of 0.719 (95% CI, 0.738–0.742) in the training cohort and 0.719 (95% CI, 0.622–0.668) in the validation cohort. DCA demonstrated that nomogram produced more benefit within wide ranges of threshold probabilities for 1-, 3-, and 5-year CVD, respectively.

Conclusion

This study was the first to analyze the CIF and risk factors for CVD among CRC based on a competing-risk model. We have also built the first 1-, 3-, and 5-year competing nomogram for predicting CVD. This nomogram had excellent performance and could help clinicians to provide individualized management in clinical practice.

Epidemiology of Glioblastoma Multiforme-Literature Review

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is one of the most aggressive malignancies, with a median overall survival of approximately 15 months. In this review, we analyze the pathogenesis of GBM, as well as epidemiological data, by age, gender, and tumor location. The data indicate that GBM is the higher-grade primary brain tumor and is significantly more common in men. The risk of being diagnosed with glioma increases with age, and median survival remains low, despite medical advances. In addition, it is difficult to determine clearly how GBM is influenced by stimulants, certain medications (e.g., NSAIDs), cell phone use, and exposure to heavy metals.

Socioeconomic factors affecting survivorship of glioblastoma patients in the Philippines

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common malignant primary brain tumor in adults worldwide. However, data on the survivorship of GBM patients in low- and middle-income countries is sparse. We determined whether socioeconomic factors such as marital status, place of residence, educational attainment, employment status, and income affected survival. A retrospective cohort study of surgically managed GBM patients (n = 48) in a single center over a five-year period was conducted using chart review and telephone interview. The mean age was 41 years, with a male predilection (62%). Most patients were married (73%), employed full time (79%), resided in a rural location (56%), completed secondary education (44%), and had a low income (83%). Most of the tumors were > 5 cm at the time of diagnosis (90%) and involved more than one lobe (40%). Majority underwent subtotal resection (56%). Only 15% (n = 7) had adjuvant chemoradiation while 23% (n = 11) had radiotherapy alone. Median overall survival was 7.6 months. Multivariate analysis showed that extent of resection (gross total resection, p = 0.0033; subtotal resection, p = 0.0069) and adjuvant treatment (p = 0.0254) were associated with improved survival, while low income (p = 0.0178) and educational (p = 0.0206) levels and part-time employment (p = 0.0063) were associated with decreased survival. Many GBM patients at our center presented at an advanced stage in their natural history, and majority (62%) did not receive adjuvant treatment after surgery. As such, the median overall survival was less than that reported in developed countries. Of the socioeconomic factors analyzed, low income and educational levels and part-time employment were negatively associated with survivorship.

Utility of Administrative Databases and Big Data on Understanding Glioma Treatment—A Systematic Review

Background Gliomas are a heterogeneous group of tumors where large multicenter clinical and genetic studies have become increasingly popular in their understanding. We reviewed and analyzed the findings from large databases in gliomas, seeking to understand clinically relevant information.

Methods A systematic review was performed for gliomas studied using large administrative databases up to January 2020 (e.g., National Inpatient Sample [NIS], National Surgical Quality Improvement Program [NSQIP], and Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program [SEER], National Cancer Database [NCDB], and others).

Results Out of 390 screened studies, 122 were analyzed. Studies included a wide range of gliomas including low- and high-grade gliomas. The SEER database (n = 83) was the most used database followed by NCDB (n = 28). The most common pathologies included glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) (n = 67), with the next category including mixes of grades II to IV glioma (n = 31). Common study themes involved evaluation of descriptive epidemiological trends, prognostic factors, comparison of different pathologies, and evaluation of outcome trends over time. Persistent health care disparities in patient outcomes were frequently seen depending on race, marital status, insurance status, hospital volume, and location, which did not change over time. Most studies showed improvement in survival because of advances in surgical and adjuvant treatments.

Conclusions This study helps summarize the use of clinical administrative databases in gliomas research, informing on socioeconomic issues, surgical outcomes, and adjuvant treatments over time on a national level. Large databases allow for some study questions that would not be possible with single institution data; however, limitations remain in data curation, analysis, and reporting methods.

Red blood cell distribution width in glioblastoma

INTRODUCTION

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common and deadly adult brain tumor. Red blood cell distribution width (RDW) has been found in non-central nervous system neoplasms to be associated with survival. This study aims to assess the prognostic value of pre-operative RDW and trends in RDW over time during the disease course.

METHODS

This single-institution retrospective cohort study identified patients ≥ 18 years old with pathology-proved glioblastoma treated between April 2003-May 2017 from an institutional database. A Cox proportional hazards model was developed using known prognostic clinical variables to predict overall survival time; a second model incorporating continuously valued RDW was then created. The additional prognostic value of RDW was assessed with a joint model F-test. The variation of RDW-CV over time was evaluated with linear mixed model of RDW. A post-hoc exploratory analysis was performed to assess the trend in RDW lab value leading up to time of death.

RESULTS

346 adult GBM patients were identified; complete survival data was available for all patients. The addition of RDW to the multivariable Cox proportional hazards model did not increase prognostic value. There was an upward trend in RDW throughout the post-operative disease course. In a post-hoc analysis, there was an upward trend in RDW leading up to the time of death.

CONCLUSION

Although RDW has been prognostic of survival for many inflammatory, prothrombotic, and neoplastic diseases, pre-operative RDW was not associated with overall survival in GBM patients. RDW trended upwards throughout the disease course, suggesting possible systemic inflammatory effects of either glioblastoma or treatment.

Effect of Marital Status on Depression and Mortality among Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2005-2014

BACKGROUND

The relationship between marital status and CKD is rarely studied. We aimed to explore the effect of marital status on the depression and mortality of patients with CKD.

METHODS

The data sources came from the NHANES database during 2005-2014 and 3,865 participants were included in this study. We used logistic regression models to examine the relationship between marital status and depression of CKD patients. The Cox proportional hazard models were used to evaluate the association between marital status and mortality of CKD patients.

RESULTS

In terms of depression in CKD patients, unmarried patients had a worse situation than married patients. Meanwhile, after adjusting the covariables, unmarried patients had increased risk of depression (OR = 1.26, 95% CI: 1.01-1.57) compared with married CKD patients, especially in males (OR = 1.45, 95% CI: 1.02-2.06) and patients with more than college education level (OR = 12.4, 95% CI: 3.75-41.02). There was a significant relationship between marital status and mortality of general CKD patients (HR = 1.36, 95% CI: 1.17-1.58). Moreover, marriage showed a protective effect against death among male patients, patients with school graduate or less and more than college educational level, patients with high income, and patients in different estimated glomerular filtration rate groups.

CONCLUSIONS

The use of large numbers of participants has revealed the effect of marital status on CKD patients. Unmarried ones had a higher risk of depression than married ones among CKD patients. Meanwhile, the risk of death was higher in unmarried ones than married ones among CKD patients in this study.

Social determinants of health and survival on Brazilian patients with glioblastoma: a retrospective analysis of a large populational database

Background

The majority of patients diagnosed with glioblastoma develop recurrent disease resulting in poor prognoses. The current study aimed to determine the survival rates of patients diagnosed with glioblastoma in Brazil accounting for the influence of age, treatment modalities, public and private practices, and educational level using a population-based national database.

Methods

Patients diagnosed with glioblastoma from 1999-2020 were identified from The Fundação Oncocentro de São Paulo database to create a retrospective cohort. Patients were described according to age, education level treatment modalities and medical practice. In a Cox proportional hazards model, controlled for confounding factors for overall survival, the hazard ratio and 95% CI of overall survival in adults was evaluated.

Findings

A total of 4,511 patients were included. The median lengths of survival for patients treated in the public and private settings were 8 and 17 months (p<0.001), respectively. Young patients had longer median overall survival (OS: 18 to 40 years, 41 to 60 years, 61 to 65 years, 66 to 70 years and over than 70 years was 22 months, 10 months, 6 months, 5 months, 4 months, respectively (p<0.001). In general, combined treatments were associated with higher median survival compared to monotherapy. The higher educational level, the higher median survival was observed (4 months for illiterate versus 14 months for university degree). In the multivariable analyses, the significant independent predictors for overall survival were practice setting, educational level, age and treatment modalities.

Interpretation

Public practice, older patients, less intensive treatment, and lower educational level were associated with worse survival outcomes in Brazilian glioblastoma patients.

Marital Status Independently Predicts Glioma Patient Mortality: A Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Analysis

OBJECTIVE

To examine the impact of marital status on the mortality of patients with primary malignant brain tumors excluding bias from basic characteristics and treatment.

METHODS

We used the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results program to identify 81,277 patients diagnosed from 2000 through 2016 with the most common primary malignant brain tumors, including glioma, ependymoma, and medulloblastoma. To avoid bias, we used the propensity score matching method to match 44,854 patients with complete clinical and follow-up information. Then, we used Cox regression and Kaplan-Meier survival analysis to investigate the impact of marital status on cancer patient mortality.

RESULTS

Married patients were more likely to receive surgery and adjuvant chemo- or radiotherapy than single and divorced, separated, and widowed (DSW) patients (all P < 0.001). Married patients with high grade glioma were more likely to survive longer and less likely to die of their malignance compared with single (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 1.120; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.069 to 1.174; P < 0.001; OR 1.078; 95% CI, 1.025 to 1.133; P = 0.003; respectively), and DSW patients (OR 1.117; 95% CI, 1.074 to 1.161; P <0.001; OR 1.090; 95% CI, 1.046 to 1.136; P<0.001; respectively) (all adjusted to the married group). Similar results were identified in patients with low-grade glioma but not ependymoma and medulloblastoma.

CONCLUSIONS

Even after adjusting for known confounders, married patients with high-grade glioma and low-grade glioma are at higher possibility to have a better outcome. This study highlights the potential significance that intimate support from spouse can improve glioma patient survival.

Competing risk model to determine the prognostic factors and treatment strategies for elderly patients with glioblastoma

The prognostic factors and optimal treatment for the elderly patient with glioblastoma (GBM) were poorly understood. This study extracted 4975 elderly patients (≥ 65 years old) with histologically confirmed GBM from Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database. Firstly, Cumulative incidence function and cox proportional model were utilized to illustrate the interference of non-GBM related mortality in our cohort. Then, the Fine-Gray competing risk model was applied to determine the prognostic factors for GBM related mortality. Age ≥ 75 years old, white race, size > 5.4 cm, frontal lobe tumor, and overlapping lesion were independently associated with more GBM related death, while Gross total resection (GTR) (HR 0.87, 95%CI 0.80-0.94, P = 0.010), radiotherapy (HR 0.64, 95%CI 0.55-0.74, P < 0.001), chemotherapy (HR 0.72, 95%CI 0.59-0.90, P = 0.003), and chemoRT (HR 0.43, 95%CI 0.38-0.48, P < 0.001) were identified as independently protective factors of GBM related death. Based on this, a corresponding nomogram was conducted to predict 3-, 6- and 12-month GBM related mortality, the C-index of which were 0.763, 0.718, and 0.694 respectively. The calibration curve showed that there was a good consistency between the predicted and the actual mortality probability. Concerning treatment options, GTR followed by chemoRT is suggested as optimal treatment. Radiotherapy and chemotherapy alone also provide moderate clinical benefits.

Daily Lifestyle Modifications to Improve Quality of Life and Survival in Glioblastoma: A Review

Survival in glioblastoma remains poor despite advancements in standard-of-care treatment. Some patients wish to take a more active role in their cancer treatment by adopting daily lifestyle changes to improve their quality of life or overall survival. We review the available literature through PubMed and Google Scholar to identify laboratory animal studies, human studies, and ongoing clinical trials. We discuss which health habits patients adopt and which have the most promise in glioblastoma. While results of clinical trials available on these topics are limited, dietary restrictions, exercise, use of supplements and cannabis, and smoking cessation all show some benefit in the comprehensive treatment of glioblastoma. Marital status also has an impact on survival. Further clinical trials combining standard treatments with lifestyle modifications are necessary to quantify their survival advantages.

Epidemiology of Anthropometric Factors in Glioblastoma Multiforme-Literature Review

Although glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is a widely researched cancer of the central nervous system, we still do not know its full pathophysiological mechanism and we still lack effective treatment methods as the current combination of surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy does not bring about satisfactory results. The median survival time for GBM patients is only about 15 months. In this paper, we present the epidemiology of central nervous system (CNS) tumors and review the epidemiological data on GBM regarding gender, age, weight, height, and tumor location. The data indicate the possible influence of some anthropometric factors on the occurrence of GBM, especially in those who are male, elderly, overweight, and/or are taller. However, this review of single and small-size epidemiological studies should not be treated as definitive due to differences in the survey methods used. Detailed epidemiological registers could help identify the main at-risk groups which could then be used as homogenous study groups in research worldwide. Such research, with less distortion from various factors, could help identify the pathomechanisms that lead to the development of GBM.

Effects of marital status on overall and cancer-specific survival in laryngeal cancer patients: a population-based study

Marital status has long been recognized as an important prognostic factor for many cancers, however its' prognostic effect for patients with laryngeal cancer has not been fully examined. We retrospectively analyzed 8834 laryngeal cancer patients in the Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results database from 2004 to 2010. Patients were divided into four groups: married, widowed, single, and divorced/separated. The difference in overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) of the various marital subgroups were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier curve. Multivariate Cox regression analysis screened for independent prognostic factors. Propensity score matching (PSM) was also conducted to minimize selection bias. We included 8834 eligible patients (4817 married, 894 widowed, 1732 single and 1391 divorced/separated) with laryngeal cancer. The 5-year OS and CSS of married, widowed, single, and separated/divorced patients were examined. Univariate and multivariate analyses found marital status to be an independent predictor of survival. Subgroup survival analysis showed that the OS and CSS rates in widowed patients were always the lowest in the various American Joint Committee on Cancer stages, irrespective of sex. Widowed patients demonstrated worse OS and CSS in the 1:1 matched group analysis. Among patients with laryngeal cancer, widowed patients represented the highest-risk group, with the lowest OS and CSS.

Extent of resection and survival outcomes of geriatric patients with glioblastoma: Is there benefit from aggressive surgery?

OBJECTIVE

We examine the impact of age and extent of resection (EOR) on overall survival (OS) in geriatric patients with Glioblastoma (GBM).

METHODS

The SEER 18 Registries was used to identify patients aged 65 and above with GBM from 2000-2016. Patients were categorized into 4 groups based on EOR: Biopsy/Local Excision (B/LE), Subtotal Resection (STR), Gross Total Resection (GTR), and Supratotal Resection (SpTR). Primary endpoint was OS, which was calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method and analyzed by the Log-rank and Wilcoxon-Breslow-Gehan test. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression model was utilized to identify factors associated with OS. Likelihood of undergoing SpTR was explored using a multivariable logistic regression model. Results are given as median [IQR] and HR [95 % CI].

RESULTS

Among 17,820 geriatric patients with GBM, median age was 73 years [68-78], 44 % were female, 91 % White, and 8% Hispanic. SpTR was performed in 2907 (16 %), GTR was performed in 2451 (14 %) patients, STR in 4879 (28 %), and B/LE in 7396 (42 %). There was a decline in the proportion of patients treated with SpTR with advancing age (65-69 years, 17 % vs 95+ years, 0%; p < 0.0001), and older age corresponded with a decrease in the odds of undergoing SpTR. In survival analysis, GTR (HR 0.61 [0.58-0.65]) and SpTR (HR 0.65 [0.62-0.68]) were associated with improved survival, even in octogenarian patients.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings suggest that aggressive surgical resection is associated with improvement in OS in geriatric patients. These results emphasize that age should not influence surgical strategy, as there is a survival benefit from maximal resection in geriatric patients.

Development and Validation of the Nomograms for Predicting Overall Survival and Cancer-Specific Survival in Patients With Synovial Sarcoma

BACKGROUND

The study aimed to build and validate practical nomograms to predict overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) for patients with synovial sarcoma (SyS).

METHODS

A total of 893 eligible patients confirmed to have SyS between 2007 and 2015 were selected from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. Patients were randomly divided into the training cohort (n = 448) and validation cohort (n = 445). Clinically independent prognostic and important factors were determined according to the Akaike information criterion in multivariate Cox regression models when developing the nomograms with the training cohort. The predictive accuracy of nomograms was bootstrapped validated internally and externally with the concordance index (C-index) and calibration curve. Decision curve analysis (DCA) was performed to compare the clinical usefulness between nomograms and American Joint Commission on Cancer (AJCC) staging system.

RESULTS

Two nomograms shared common indicators including age, insurance status, tumor site, tumor size, SEER stage, surgery, and radiation, while marital status and tumor site were only included into the OS nomogram. The C-index of nomograms for predicting OS and CSS was 0.819 (0.873-0.764) and 0.821 (0.876-0.766), respectively, suggesting satisfactory predictive performance. Internal and external calibration curves exhibited optimal agreement between the nomogram prediction and the actual survival. Additionally, DCA demonstrated that our nomograms had obvious superiority over the AJCC staging system with more clinical net benefits.

CONCLUSIONS

Two nomograms predicting 3- and 5-year OS and CSS of SyS patients were successfully constructed and validated for the first time, with higher predictive accuracy and clinical values than the AJCC staging system regarding OS and CSS.

Community economic factors influence outcomes for patients with primary malignant glioma

Background

Community economics and other social health determinants influence outcomes in oncologic patient populations. We sought to explore their impact on presentation, treatment, and survival in glioma patients.

Methods

A retrospective cohort of patients with glioma (World Health Organization grades III-IV) diagnosed between 1999 and 2017 was assembled with data abstracted from medical record review. Patient factors included race, primary care provider (PCP) identified, marital status, insurance status, and employment status. Median household income based on zip code was used to classify patients as residing in high-income communities (HICs; ie, above the median state income) or low-income communities (LICs; ie, below the median state income). The Kaplan-Meier method was used to assess overall survival (OS); Cox proportional hazards regression was used to explore associations with OS.

Results

Included were 312 patients, 73% from LICs. Survivors residing in LICs and HICs did not differ by age, sex, race, tumor grade, having a PCP, employment status, insurance, time to presentation, or baseline performance status. Median OS was 4.1 months shorter for LIC patients (19.7 vs 15.6 mo; hazard ratio [HR], 0.75; 95% CI: 0.56-0.98, P = 0.04); this difference persisted with 1-year survival of 66% for HICs versus 61% for LICs at 1 year, 34% versus 24% at 3 years, and 29% versus 17% at 5 years. Multivariable analysis controlling for age, grade, and chemotherapy treatment showed a 25% lower risk of death for HIC patients (HR, 0.75; 95% CI: 0.57-0.99, P < 0.05).

Conclusions

The economic status of a glioma patient's community may influence survival. Future efforts should investigate potential mechanisms such as health care access, stress, treatment adherence, and social support.

Marital status, an independent predictor for survival of gastric neuroendocrine neoplasm patients: a SEER database analysis

BACKGROUND

Marital status proves to be an independent prognostic factor in a variety of cancers. However, its prognostic impact on gastric neuroendocrine neoplasms (G-NEN) has not been investigated.

METHODS

We identified 3947 G-NEN patients from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. Meanwhile, propensity scores for marital status were used to match 506 unmarried patients with 506 married patients. We used Kaplan-Meier method and multivariate Cox regression to analyse the association between marital status and the overall survival (OS) and G-NEN cause-specific survival (CSS) before matching and after matching.

RESULTS

Married patients enjoyed better OS and CSS, compared with divorced/separated, single, and widowed patients. Multivariate Cox regression analysis indicated that unmarried status was associated with higher mortality hazards for both OS and CSS among G-NEN patients. Additionally, widowed individuals had the highest risks of overall (adjusted hazard ratio (HR): 1.56, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.35-1.81, P < 0.001) and cancer-specific mortality (adjusted HR: 1.33, 95% CI: 1.05-1.68, P = 0.02) compared to other unmarried groups in both males and females. Furthermore, unmarried status remained an independent prognostic and risk factor for both OS (HR 1.51, 95% CI 1.19-1.90, P = 0.001) and CSS (HR 1.50, 95% CI 1.10-2.05, P = 0.01) in 1:1 propensity score-matched analysis.

CONCLUSION

Marital status was an independent prognostic factor for G-NEN. Meanwhile, widowed patients with G-NEN had the highest risk of death compared with single, married, and divorced/separated patients.

Comparative epidemiology of gliosarcoma and glioblastoma and the impact of Race on overall survival: A systematic literature review

OBJECTIVE

Gliosarcoma (GSM) is a rare subtype of glioblastoma (GBM) that accounts for approximately four percent of high-grade gliomas. There is scarce epidemiological data on patients with GSM as a distinct subgroup of GBM.

METHODS

A systematic literature review was performed of peer-reviewed databases using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines to evaluate the impact of race and ethnicity on survival in patients with GSM compared to patients with GBM.

RESULTS

Following initial abstract screening, a total of 138 articles pertaining to GSM and 275 pertaining to GBM met criteria for full-text review, with 5 and 27 articles included in the final analysis for GSM and GBM, respectively. The majority of patients in both cohorts were non-Hispanic Whites, representing 85.6 % of total GSM patients and 87.7 % of GBM patients analyzed. Two GSM studies stratified survival by race, with one reporting the longest median survival for the Hispanic population of 10.6 months and the shortest median survival for the Asian population of 9 months. Among the GBM studies analyzed, the majority of studies reported shorter survival and higher risk of mortality among White Non-Hispanics compared to non-White patients; and of the 15 studies which reported data for the Asian population, 12 studies reported this race category to have the longest survival compared to all other races studied. Younger age, female sex, MGMT promoter methylation status, and adjuvant chemoradiation therapy were associated with improved survival in both GSM and GBM cohorts, although these were not further stratified by race.

CONCLUSION

GSM portends a similarly poor prognosis to other GBM subtypes; however, few studies exist which have examined factors associated with differences in survival between these histologic variants. This review of the literature suggests there is a possible association between race and survival for patients with GBM, however data supporting this conclusion for patients with GSM is lacking. These findings suggest that GSM is a distinct disease from other GBM subtypes, with epidemiologic differences that should be further explored.

Effects of Marital Status on Prognosis in Women with Infiltrating Ductal Carcinoma of the Breast: A Real-World 1: 1 Propensity-Matched Study

Background

The effects of marital status on infiltrating ductal carcinoma of breast cancer (IDC) have not been studied in detail. This study investigated the impact of marital status on IDC patients.

Material/Methods

SEER databases were searched from 2010 to 2015 for subjects who were married, divorced, single, and widowed. The influence of marital status on breast cancer-specific survival (BCSS) and overall survival (OS) of IDC patients was investigated through multivariate Cox regression analysis and Kaplan-Meier analysis. To prevent bias, propensity score matching (PSM) analysis was performed.

Results

The 5-year OS was 89.6%in married patients, 84.9% in divorced patients, 83.5% in single patients, and 71.3% in widowed patients (p<0.001). The 5-year BCSS were 92.9%, 90.2%, 87.6%, and 86.4%, respectively (p<0.001). Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that marriage was a protective factor for patients with IDC in terms of OS (divorced: HR, 1.27; 95% CI, 1.21–1.32; p<0.001; single: HR, 1.36; 95% CI, 1.31–1.42; p<0.001; widowed: HR, 1.42; 95% CI, 1.36–1.48; p<0.001) and BCSS (divorced: HR, 1.15; 95% CI, 1.09–1.21; p<0.001; single: HR, 1.27; 95% CI, 1.21–1.33; p<0.001; widowed: HR, 1.32; 95% CI, 1.25–1.40; p<0.001). Following subgroup and PSM analysis, married patients were shown to have better OS and BCSS as opposed to divorced, single, or widowed patients.

Conclusions

We identify marital status as a predictor of survival in those with IDC. Widowed patients showed the highest mortality risk.

Clinicopathological characteristics and prediction of cancer-specific survival in large cell lung cancer: a population-based study

Background

To describe the demographic and clinical characteristics of large cell lung cancer (LCLC) with a population-based database and to find the prognosis factors of cancer-specific survival (CSS) for these patients; also, to develop a nomogram to independently validate and predict the CSS for LCLC based on the identified prognosis factors.

Methods

We extracted the LCLC patient’s information from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database [2005–2014] and summarized the characteristics of the extracted factors. We used Cox proportional hazards regression to find the prognosis factors for LCLC patients and to develop the nomogram based on these in a split train cohort from the extracted data. The validation of the developed nomograms was performed in an independent validation cohort from the extracted data, in which the C-index and the average of the time-dependent area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (time-dependent AUC) for CSS in 1-year, 3-year, and 5-year CSS was calculated. The calibration curves were drawn to visualize the performance of the established nomogram.

Results

As a result, 4,936 patients with LCLC were identified from the SEER database. Nearly half of LCLC patients were diagnosed with stage IV; only approximately 20% of patients underwent surgery. The prognosis factors that influenced the LCLC patients included age, sex, American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) stage, race, surgery, tumor size, and marital status. The calculated C-index was 0.701±0.01, and the mean time-dependent AUC for in 1-year, 3-year, and 5-year CSS was 0.88. The calibrated curve showed that the gap between the predicted and observed values for 1-year, 3-year, and 5-year CSS was small.

Conclusions

Sex, age, race, marital status, AJCC stage, surgery, and tumor size were shown to all be the independent prognostic factors of CSS in LCLC. The established nomogram can provide more precise evaluation for the survival of LCLC patients and help the clinicians in the individual management of patients.

Therapeutic Potential of Curcumin in the Treatment of Glioblastoma Multiforme

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most common primary malignant brain tumor. Despite standard multimodality treatment, the highly aggressive nature of GBM makes it one of the deadliest human malignancies. The anti-cancer effects of dietary phytochemicals like curcumin provide new insights to cancer treatment. Evaluation of curcumin's efficacy against different malignancies including glioblastoma has been a motivational research topic and widely studied during the recent decade. In this review, we discuss the recent observations on the potential therapeutic effects of curcumin against glioblastoma. Curcumin can target multiple signaling pathways involved in developing aggressive and drug-resistant features of glioblastoma, including pathways associated with glioma stem cell activity. Notably, combination therapy with curcumin and chemotherapeutics like temozolomide, the GBM standard therapy, as well as radiotherapy has shown synergistic response, highlighting curcumin's chemo- and radio-sensitizing effect. There are also multiple reports for curcumin nanoformulations and targeted forms showing enhanced therapeutic efficacy and passage through blood-brain barrier, as compared with natural curcumin. Furthermore, in vivo studies have revealed significant anti-tumor effects, decreased tumor size and increased survival with no notable evidence of systemic toxicity in treated animals. Finally, a pharmacokinetic study in patients with GBM has shown a detectable intratumoral concentration, thereby suggesting a potential for curcumin to exert its therapeutic effects in the brain. Despite all the evidence in support of curcumin's potential therapeutic efficacy in GBM, clinical reports are still scarce. More studies are needed to determine the effects of combination therapies with curcumin and importantly to investigate the potential for alleviating chemotherapy- and radiotherapy-induced adverse effects.

Marital Status and Survival in Patients with Penile Cancer

Purpose: We aimed to reveal the effects of marital status on survival outcomes in patients with penile cancer.

Methods: Patients with penile cancer who were diagnosed between 2004 and 2015 were identified by using the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database. Kaplan-Meier and Cox regressions were used to analyse the effects of marital status on overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS).

Results: Among 3,195 eligible patients with penile cancer, 1,951 (61.1%) patients were married, 365 (11.4%) were divorced or separated, 327 (10.2%) were widowed and 552 (17.3%) were single. The widowed patients had the worst OS median survival time (22 months) and CSS median survival time (23.5 months). Marital status was an independent prognostic factor for OS and CSS of penile cancer patients. The multivariate Cox regression showed that widowed patients exhibited the poorest OS (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.73; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.48-2.03, p < 0.001) and the poorest CSS (HR: 1.64; 95% CI: 1.144-1.279, p < 0.001) compared with married patients. Similar results were observed in our centre database and the subgroup analyses based on the SEER stage and grade.

Conclusions: In our study, we found that marital status was an independent prognostic factor for survival in patients with penile cancer. Additionally, widowed patients had the lowest OS and CSS compared with married patients.

Novel nomograms individually predict the survival of patients with soft tissue sarcomas after surgery

Background: The aim of the study was to build and validate practical nomograms to better predict the overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) of the patients with soft tissue sarcomas (STS) who underwent surgery.

Methods: Patient data were extracted from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. We identified 8804 patients who underwent surgery with STS between 2007 and 2015, and randomly divided them into the training (n=6164) and validation (n=2640) cohorts. The Cox regression analysis and cumulative incidence function were performed to identify the independent prognostic factors associated with OS and CSS, respectively. The performance of the nomograms was evaluated using Harrell’s concordance index (C-index) and the calibration curves. Decision curve analysis (DCA) was introduced to compare the clinical practicality between the nomograms and the AJCC staging system.

Results: Eight independent prognostic factors for OS and seven for CSS were determined and then used to build the nomograms for 3- and 5-year OS and CSS, respectively. The C-indexes of the nomograms for predicting OS were 0.788 in the internal validation and 0.823 in external validation, significantly higher than C-index of the AJCC staging system (P<0.001). The similar results were obtained in the validation cohort. Internal and external calibration curves for the predicting 3- and 5-year OS and CSS showed excellent agreement between the prediction and the actual survival outcomes. In addition, DCA demonstrated that our nomograms were superior over the AJCC staging system with obtaining more clinical net benefits.

Conclusions: We established and validated the nomograms that could accurately predict the 3- and 5-year OS and CSS for STS patients who underwent surgery. The nomograms showed more robust and applicable performance than the AJCC staging system for predicting OS and CSS.

Tumor-induced mortality in adult primary supratentorial glioblastoma multiforme with different age subgroups

AIM

To assess the independent determinants of tumor-induced mortality in different age subgroups after considering competing risk (CR).

METHODS

Data were extracted from the SEER database. The independent determinants of tumor-induced mortality were defined by CR analysis and validated by conditional inference trees. A CR nomogram was created based on the proportional subdistribution hazard model.

RESULTS

The different age subgroups had their own independent determinants of tumor-induced mortality. Using these variables, a CR nomogram was built with good discrimination and calibration.

CONCLUSION

When conducting population-based cohort studies, a CR analysis is recommended for cancers with short survival and high mortality. A CR nomogram represents the first attempt at a predictive model for quantifying tumor-induced mortality.

The interplay among psychological distress, the immune system, and brain tumor patient outcomes

A malignant brain tumor diagnosis is often accompanied with intense feelings and can be associated with psychosocial conditions including depression, anxiety, and/or increased distress levels. Previous work has highlighted the impact of uncontrolled psychological distress among brain tumor patients. Given the negative impact of maladaptive psychosocial and biobehavioral factors on normal immune system functions, the question remains as to how psychological conditions potentially affect the brain tumor patient anti-tumor immune response. Since immunotherapy has yet to show efficacy at increasing malignant glioma patient survival in all randomized, phase III clinical trials to-date, this review provides new insights into the potential negative effects of chronic distress on brain tumor patient immune functions and outcomes.

Marital status and survival in patients with soft tissue sarcoma: A population-based, propensity-matched study

Background

Marital status serves as an independent prognostic factor for survival in a variety of cancers. However, its prognostic impact on soft tissue sarcoma (STS) has not yet been established.

Objective

To investigate the impact of marital status on survival outcomes among STS patients.

Methods

A total of 18 013 STS patients diagnosed between 2004 and 2015 were extracted from Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. The marital status was classified into married, divorced, widowed, and single. Kaplan‐Meier analysis and multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression analysis were conducted to establish the impact of marital status on the overall survival (OS) and cancer‐specific survival (CSS). Subgroup analyses were conducted based on age, SEER historic stage and surgery condition. Propensity score matching (PSM) was used to perform a 1:1 matched‐pair analysis to minimize the group differences caused by covariates.

Results

Married patients enjoyed better 5‐year overall survival (OS) and 5‐year cancer‐specific survival (CSS), compared with patients who were divorced, widowed, and single, respectively. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression analysis revealed that marital status was an independent prognostic and protective factor for survival among STS patients, and unmarried status was associated with higher mortality hazards for both OS and CSS. Additionally, widowed individuals had the highest risks of overall and cancer‐specific mortality compared to other unmarried groups. In the subgroup analyses, similar associations were also found. Furthermore, marital status still remained an independent prognostic and protective factor for both OS and CSS even in 1:1 matched‐pair analysis.

Conclusions

Marital status was an independent prognostic and protective factor for survival for STS patients. Widowed patients suffered the highest death risks among the unmarried groups.

The effect of marital status on glioma patient survival: analysis of 617 cases: A SEER-based study

To study the effect of marital status on survival outcome in people diagnosed with glioma, not otherwise specified using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database.We chose patients diagnosed with glioma between 2000 and 2014 from the SEER database and recorded their disease-related data. We then analyzed overall 5-year cause-specific survival with respect to different marital statuses. There were 617 patients (262 women and 355 men). Of these, 54.0% (n = 333), 24.6% (n = 152), 8.6% (n = 53), and 12.8% (n = 79) were married, single, divorced (or separated), and widowed, respectively. The 5-year cause-specific survival was 39.30%, 64.50%, 60.40%, and 10.10% in the married, single, divorce (or separated), and widowed groups, respectively. The widowed group had substantially higher risk of glioma-related death than did the married group (hazard ratio 1.77, 95% confidence interval 1.337-2.344, P < .001). Being widowed provided higher risk of glioma mortality compared than did marital statuses. Widowed people should be given more support and psychological intervention by society.

Effect of marital status on survival in glioblastoma multiforme by demographics, education, economic factors, and insurance status

The relationship between marital status and glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) has not been addressed in depth. Here, we aimed to investigate the association between marital status and survival in GBM. We searched the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database and extracted the data of eligible patients diagnosed with GBM after 2004. Marital status was classified as married, divorced/separated, widowed, and single. A Kaplan-Meier test was conducted to compare the survival curves of different groups. Multivariate Cox regression was performed to evaluate overall survival (OS) and cause-specific survival (CSS) in different groups. Subgroup analysis was applied according to demographics, typical education and income levels in the locale, and insurance status. A total of 30 767 eligible patients were included. The median OS values were 9, 7, 3, 9 months in married, divorced/separated, widowed, and single patients, respectively. After adjustment for other covariates, married patients had better OS and CSS than other patients had. In addition to marital status, demographic factors, disease progression factors, local educational level, and insurance status were also associated with survival in GBM. Furthermore, subgroup analyses revealed the protective effect of marriage in most of the comparisons. Notably, the protective effect of marriage becomes more and more apparent as time goes on. The advantageous effect of marriage on GBM survival is especially prominent in patients who are male, older than 60 years of age, White, or living in middle-income counties. In conclusion, marital status is an independent prognostic factor for GBM.