Are patients of low socioeconomic status receiving suboptimal management for pancreatic adenocarcinoma?

Sociodemographic variation in the utilization of minimally invasive surgical approaches for pancreatic cancer

BACKGROUND

Minimally invasive pancreatic surgery (MIPS), when selectively utilized, has been shown to hasten recovery with outcomes comparable to open approaches, but access may not be equitable. This study explored variation in utilization of MIPS for pancreatic cancer.

METHODS

The National Cancer Database was queried to identify patients diagnosed with a primary pancreatic neoplasm from 2010 to 2020. Study participants had diagnoses of clinical or pathologic stage 1-3 disease and received curative-intent surgery. Multivariable analyses assessed the association between surgical approach and patient and disease factors.

RESULTS

Inclusion criteria identified 73,137 patients: 51,408 underwent open surgery and 21,729 received MIPS. In our multivariable analysis, Black race was associated with reduced odds of MIPS (AOR 0.88; p = 0.02), while older age (AOR 1.17; p = 0.01), later year of diagnosis (AOR 1.57; p < 0.001), and private insurance coverage (AOR 1.30; p = 0.05) were associated with increased odds. When patients with adenocarcinoma were analyzed in isolation, disparities in MIPS utilization persisted even when controlling for disease stage.

CONCLUSION

Sociodemographic factors like age, race, and insurance coverage appear to vary in the utilization of MIPS technologies for the treatment of pancreatic malignancy. Addressing variation with robust mixed methods approaches in the future is proposed to incorporate prospective interventions with highly annotated outcomes for additional study.

Trends in the Care of Locally Advanced Pancreatic Cancer in the Modern Era of Chemotherapy

INTRODUCTION

Current guidelines for treatment for locally advanced pancreatic cancer recommend chemotherapy ± radiation, or radiation alone when multimodal therapy is contraindicated. In a subset of patients, guideline-recommended treatment (GRT) achieves sufficient response to qualify for potentially curative resection. This study evaluated trends in treatment utilization and aimed to identify barriers to GRT.

METHODS

Patients with clinical T4M0 disease in the National Cancer Database from 2010 to 2017 were included. Potential predictors were assessed by relative risk regression with Poisson distribution and compared by log-link function.

RESULTS

In total, 28 056 patients met the criteria. Among 17 059 (67.67%) patients treated primarily with chemotherapy, 41.19% also had radiation and 8.89% went onto resection. Many received no cancer-directed treatment or failed to receive GRT. Another 710 patients had radiation (±surgery) without chemotherapy despite few contraindications to chemotherapy. Over time, patients were more likely to undergo resection after chemotherapy (aRR = 1.58; p < 0.0001) and less likely to have chemoradiation (aRR = 0.78; p < 0.0001) or go untreated (aRR = 0.90; p < 0.0001). Socioeconomic factors (race, education, income, and insurance status) affected the likelihood of receiving chemotherapy and surgery. Median overall survival (OS) was significantly improved for patients treated with chemotherapy and particularly in those patients who went on to receive RT or undergo surgical resection. OS was also longer for patients treated at high-volume academic centers. Patients insured by Medicaid, Medicare, or those without insurance had worse OS.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite improvement over time, many patients go untreated. Clinical factors were influential, but the impact of vulnerable social standing suggests persistent inequity in access to care.

Clinician-to-clinician connectedness and access to gastric cancer surgery at National Cancer Institute-designated cancer centers

BACKGROUND

For patients with gastric cancer, the pathway from primary care (PC) clinician to gastroenterologist to cancer specialist (medical oncologist or surgeons) is referral dependent. The impact of clinician connectedness on disparities in quality gastric cancer care, such as at National Cancer Institute-designated cancer centers (NCI-CC), remains underexplored. This study evaluated how clinician connectedness influences access to gastrectomy at NCI-CC.

METHODS

Maryland's All-Payer Claims Database was used to evaluate 667 patients who underwent gastrectomy for cancer from 2013 to 2018. Two separate referral linkages, defined as ≥9 shared patients, were examined: (1) PC clinicians to gastroenterologists at NCI-CC and (2) gastroenterologists to cancer specialists at NCI-CC. Multiple logistic regression models determined associations between referral linkages and odds of undergoing gastrectomy at NCI-CC.

RESULTS

Only 15% of gastrectomies were performed at NCI-CC. Patients of gastroenterologists with referral links to cancer specialists at NCI-CC were more likely to be <65 years, male, White, and privately insured. Every additional referral link between PC clinician and gastroenterologist at NCI-CC and between gastroenterologist and cancer specialist at NCI-CC increased the odds of gastrectomy at NCI-CC by 71% and 26%, respectively. Black patients had half the odds as White patients in receiving gastrectomy at NCI-CC; however, adjusting for covariates including clinician-to-clinician connectedness attenuated this observation.

CONCLUSION

Patients of clinicians with low connectedness and Black patients are less likely to receive gastrectomy at NCI-CC. Enhancing clinician connectedness is necessary to address disparities in cancer care. These results are relevant to policy makers, clinicians, and patient advocates striving for health equity.

Impact of rural residence on the presentation, management and survival of patients with non-metastatic muscle-invasive bladder carcinoma

PURPOSE

To assess the impact of rural and remote residence on the receipt of guidelines-recommended treatment, quality of treatment and overall survival (OS) in patients with non-metastatic muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Patients with MIBC were identified using National Cancer Database. Patients were classified into three residential areas. Logistic regression models were used to assess associations between geographic residence and receipt of radical cystectomy (RC) or chemoradiation therapy (CRT). Models were fitted to assess quality benchmarks of RC and CRT.

RESULTS

We identified 71,395 patients. Of those 58,874 (82.5%) were living in Metro areas, 8,534 (11.9%) in urban-rural adjacent (URA), and 3,987 (5.6%) in urban-rural remote to metro area (URR). URR residence was significantly associated with poor OS compared to URA and Metro residence (HR 0.87, 95% CI 0.81-0.94 and HR 0.90, 95% CI 0.87-0.93, p<0.001). There was no difference in the likelihood of receiving RC and CRT among different residential areas. Among patients who underwent RC; individuals living in URR were less likely to receive neoadjuvant chemotherapy and adequate lymph node dissection, and had a higher probability of positive surgical margin than those living in metro areas. For those who received CRT; individuals living in Metro areas were more likely to receive concomitant systemic therapy compared to URR.

CONCLUSIONS

Rural residence is associated with lower OS for MIBC patients and less likelihood of meeting quality benchmarks for RC and CRT. This data should be used to guide further health policy and allocation of resources for rural population.

Association between Rural Residence and Processes of Care in Pancreatic Cancer Treatment

BACKGROUND

Pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is an aggressive malignancy associated with poor outcomes. Surgical resection and receipt of multimodal therapy have been shown to improve outcomes in patients with potentially resectable PDAC; however treatment and outcome disparities persist on many fronts. The aim of this study was to analyze the relationship between rural residence and receipt of quality cancer care in patients diagnosed with non-metastatic PDAC.

METHODS

Using the National Cancer Database, patients with non-metastatic pancreatic cancer were identified from 2006-2016. Patients were classified as living in metropolitan, urban, or rural areas. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify predictors of cancer treatment and survival.

RESULTS

A total of 41,786 patients were identified: 81.6% metropolitan, 16.2% urban, and 2.2% rural. Rural residing patients were less likely to receive curative-intent surgery (p = 0.037) and multimodal therapy (p < 0.001) compared to their metropolitan and urban counterparts. On logistic regression analysis, rural residence was independently associated with decreased surgical resection [OR 0.82; CI 95% 0.69-0.99; p = 0.039] and multimodal therapy [OR 0.70; CI 95% 0.38-0.97; p = 0.047]. Rural residence independently predicted decreased overall survival [OR 1.64; CI 95% 1.45-1.93; p < 0.001] for all patients that were analyzed. In the cohort of patients who underwent surgical resection, rural residence did not independently predict overall survival [OR 0.97; CI 95% 0.85-1.11; p = 0.652].

CONCLUSIONS

Rural residence impacts receipt of optimal cancer care in patients with non-metastatic PDAC but does not predict overall survival in patients who receive curative-intent treatment.

Identifying patient profiles of disparate care in resectable pancreas cancer using latent class analysis

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Disparities in pancreas cancer care are multifactorial, but factors are often examined in isolation. Research that integrates these factors in a single conceptual framework is lacking. We use latent class analysis (LCA) to evaluate the association between intersectionality and patterns of care and survival in patients with resectable pancreas cancer.

METHODS

LCA was used to identify demographic profiles in resectable pancreas cancer (n = 140 344) diagnosed from 2004 to 2019 in the National Cancer Database (NCDB). LCA-derived patient profiles were used to identify differences in receipt of minimum expected treatment (definitive surgery), optimal treatment (definitive surgery and chemotherapy), time to treatment, and overall survival.

RESULTS

Minimum expected treatment (hazard ratio [HR] 0.69, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.65, 0.75) and optimal treatment (HR 0.58, 95% CI: 0.55, 0.62) were associated with improved overall survival. Seven latent classes were identified based on age, race/ethnicity, and socioeconomic status (SES) attributes (zip code-linked education and income, insurance, geography). Compared to the referent group (≥65 years + White + med/high SES), the ≥65 years + Black profile had the longest time-to-treatment (24 days vs. 28 days) and lowest odds of receiving minimum (odds ratio [OR] 0.67, 95% CI: 0.64, 0.71) or optimal treatment (OR 0.76, 95% CI: 0.72, 0.81). The Hispanic patient profile had the lowest median overall survival-55.3 months versus 67.5 months.

CONCLUSIONS

Accounting for intersectionality in the NCDB resectable pancreatic cancer patient cohort identifies subgroups at higher risk for inequities in care. LCA demonstrates that older Black patients and Hispanic patients are at particular risk for being underserved and should be prioritiz for directed interventions.

Association of County-level Upward Economic Mobility with Stage at Diagnosis and Receipt of Treatment Among Patients Diagnosed with Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma

OBJECTIVE

Determining the impact of county-level upward economic mobility on stage at diagnosis and receipt of treatment among Medicare beneficiaries with pancreatic adenocarcinoma.

SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA

The extent to which economic mobility contributes to socioeconomic disparities in health outcomes remains largely unknown.

METHODS

Pancreatic adenocarcinoma patients diagnosed in 2004-2015 were identified from the SEER-Medicare linked database. Information on countylevel upward economic mobility was obtained from the Opportunity Atlas. Its impact on early-stage diagnosis (stage I or II), as well as receipt of chemotherapy or surgery was analyzed, stratified by patient race/ethnicity.

RESULTS

Among 25,233 patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma, 37.1% (n = 9349) were diagnosed at an early stage; only 16.7% (n = 4218) underwent resection, whereas 31.7% (n = 7996) received chemotherapy. In turn, 10,073 (39.9%) patients received any treatment. Individuals from counties with high upward economic mobility were more likely to be diagnosed at an earlier stage (odds ratio [OR] 1.15, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.07-1.25), as well as to receive surgery (OR 1.58, 95% CI 1.41-1.77) or chemotherapy (OR 1.51, 95% CI 1.39-1.63). White patients and patients who identified as neither White or Black had increased odds of being diagnosed at an early stage (OR 1.12, 95% CI 1.02-1.22 and OR 1.35, 95% CI 1.02-1.80, respectively) and of receiving treatment (OR 1.73, 95% CI 1.59-1.88 and OR 1.49, 95% CI 1.13-1.98, respectively) when they resided in a county of high vs low upward economic mobility. The impact of economic mobility on stage at diagnosis and receipt of treatment was much less pronounced among Black patients (high vs low, OR 1.28, 95% CI 0.96-1.71 and OR 1.30, 95% CI 0.99-1.72, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

Pancreatic adenocarcinoma patients from higher upward mobility areas were more likely to be diagnosed at an earlier stage, as well as to receive surgery or chemotherapy. The impact of county-level upward mobility was less pronounced among Black patients.

The influence of socioeconomic status on access to cancer care and survival in resectable pancreatic cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Socioeconomic status (SES) is an important factor affecting access to cancer care and survival. Its role in pancreatic cancer warrants scrutiny.

METHODS

A systematic review of major reference databases was undertaken. Categorization of the study population into low SES (LSES) and high SES (HSES) was based on the criteria employed in the individual studies. The outcome measures studied were stage of cancer presentation, access to care and overall survival. Meta-analysis was performed using random-effects models and trial sequential analysis (TSA) was used to assess the precision and conclusiveness of the results.

RESULTS

Thirteen studies meeting inclusion criteria were included in the meta-analysis, which demonstrated that LSES was associated with significantly lower rates of presentation at a non-metastatic stage and poorer access to cancer care, viz. surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Despite heterogeneity, TSA supported the findings, displaying minimal type I error.

CONCLUSION

As LSES is associated with delayed presentation, poorer access to care and poorer survival, SES should be considered a modifiable risk factor for poor outcomes in pancreatic cancer.

Racial and Geographic Disparities in Reconstructive Procedures Following Melanoma Resection

INTRODUCTION

Melanoma occurs most commonly in non-Hispanic White patients; however, Black and Hispanic patients experience greater morbidity and mortality. This study assesses how race and socioeconomic factors influence rates of reconstructive procedures and hospital-based outcomes in melanoma patients.

METHODS

Data were extracted from the National Inpatient Sample database from the years 2010-2015. Patients with melanoma who underwent a reconstructive procedure were identified. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to identify the relationship between dependent variables and various patient/hospital components for patients undergoing reconstructive procedures.

RESULTS

Black and Hispanic patients had a greater length of stay (LOS) than non-Hispanic White patients (OR: 2.252, p = 0.0307, and OR: 2.592, p = 0.0014), and Hispanic patients were less likely to receive more complex reconstructive procedures (OR: 0.449, p = 0.0487). Patients living in rural areas were less likely to receive complex reconstructive procedures than those in both urban teaching and non-teaching hospitals (OR: 3.313, p = 0.0135, and OR: 3.505, p = 0.0074). Pedicled or rotational flaps were less likely to be performed at medium- or large-sized hospitals (OR: 0.610, p = 0.0296, and OR: 0.496, p = 0.0002).

CONCLUSION

Race and socioeconomic factors are important predictors of access to complex reconstructive procedures and hospital-based outcomes following extirpation in melanoma patients.

Disparities in Access to Oncologic Care in Pancreatic Cancer: A Systematic Review

BACKGROUND

Pancreatic cancer care is complex, and multiple disparities in receipt of therapies have been documented. The authors aimed to conduct a systematic review of the literature to critically assess and summarize disparities in access to oncologic therapies for pancreatic cancer.

METHODS

A search of PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Cochrane databases were performed for studies reporting disparities in access to oncologic care for pancreatic cancer. Primary research articles published in the United States from 2000 to 2020 were included. Data were independently extracted, and risk of bias was assessed using the modified Newcastle-Ottawa scale.

RESULTS

The inclusion criteria were met by 47 studies. All the studies used retrospective data, with 70 % involving national database studies, 41 assessing the impact of race/ethnicity, 22 assessing the impact of socioeconomic status, 18 assessing the impact of insurance status, 23 assessing the impact of gender, 26 assessing the impact of age, and 3 assessing the impact of location on the delivery of cancer-directed therapies. Race, socioeconomic status, insurance status, gender, and age- based disparities in receipt of surgical resection, treatment at high-volume facilities and multimodal therapy for resectable pancreatic cancer, receipt of systemic chemotherapy for metastatic cancer, and receipt of expected standard-of-care treatment are reported.

CONCLUSION

Significant sociodemographic disparities in access to equitable oncologic care exist along the continuum of pancreatic cancer care. Multiple patient, provider, and systemic factors contribute to these disparities. The ongoing study of these disparities is important to elucidate processes that may be targeted to improve access to equitable oncologic care for patients with pancreatic cancer.

Persistent Racial Disparities in Deep Brain Stimulation for Parkinson's Disease

We sought to determine whether racial and socioeconomic disparities in the utilization of deep brain stimulation (DBS) for Parkinson's disease (PD) have improved over time. We examined DBS utilization and analyzed factors associated with placement of DBS. The odds of DBS placement increased across the study period, whereas White patients with PD were 5 times more likely than Black patients to undergo DBS. Individuals, regardless of racial background, with 2 or more comorbidities were 14 times less likely to undergo DBS. Privately insured patients were 1.6 times more likely to undergo DBS. Despite increasing DBS utilization, significant disparities persist in access to DBS. ANN NEUROL 2022;92:246–254

From street address to survival: Neighborhood socioeconomic status and pancreatic cancer outcomes

BACKGROUND

Neighborhood factors may influence cancer care through physical, economic, and social means. This study assesses the impact of neighborhood socioeconomic status on diagnosis, treatment, and survival in pancreatic cancer.

METHODS

Patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma were identified in the 2010-2016 Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results database. Neighborhood socioeconomic status (divided into tertiles) was based on an National Cancer Institute census tract-level composite score, including income, education, housing, and employment. Multivariate models predicted metastasis at time of diagnosis and receipt of surgery for early-stage disease. Overall survival compared via Kaplan-Meier and Cox proportional hazards.

RESULTS

Fifteen thousand four hundred and thirty-six patients (29.7%) lived in low neighborhood socioeconomic status, 17,509 (33.7%) in middle neighborhood socioeconomic status, and 19,010 (36.6%) in high neighborhood socioeconomic status areas. On multivariate analysis, neighborhood socioeconomic status was not associated with metastatic disease at diagnosis (low neighborhood socioeconomic status odds ratio 1.02, 95% confidence interval 0.97-1.07; ref: high neighborhood socioeconomic status). However, low neighborhood socioeconomic status was associated with decreased likelihood of surgery for localized/regional disease (odds ratio 0.60, 95% confidence interval 0.54-0.68; ref: high neighborhood socioeconomic status) and worse overall survival (low neighborhood socioeconomic status hazard ratio 1.18, 95% confidence interval 1.15-1.21; ref: high neighborhood socioeconomic status).

CONCLUSION

Patients from resource-poor neighborhoods are less likely to receive stage-appropriate therapy for pancreatic cancer and have an 18% higher risk of death.

The Impact of Socioeconomic Deprivation on Clinical Outcomes for Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma at a High-volume Cancer Center: A Retrospective Cohort Analysis

OBJECTIVE

To assess the impact of a granular measure of SED on pancreatic surgical and cancer-related outcomes at a high-volume cancer center that employs a standardized clinic pathway.

SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA

Prior research has shown that low socioeconomic status leads to less treatment and worse outcomes for PDAC. However, these studies employed inconsistent definitions and categorizations of socioeconomic status, aggregated individual socioeconomic data using large geographic areas, and lacked detailed clinicopathologic variables.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective cohort study of 1552 PDAC patients between 2008 and 2015. Patients were stratified using the area deprivation index, a validated dataset that ranks census block groups based on SED. Multivariable models were used in the curative surgery cohort to predict the impact of SED on (1) grade 3/4 Clavien-Dindo complications, (2) initiation of adjuvant therapy, (3) completion of adjuvant therapy, and (4) overall survival.

RESULTS

Patients from high SED neighborhoods constituted 29.9% of the cohort. Median overall survival was 28 months. The rate of Clavien-Dindo grade 3/4 complications was 14.2% and completion of adjuvant therapy was 65.6%. There was no evidence that SED impacted surgical evaluation, receipt of curative-intent surgery, postoperative complications, receipt of adjuvant therapy or overall survival.

CONCLUSIONS

Although nearly one-quarter of curative-intent surgery patients were from high SED neighborhoods, this factor was not associated with measures of treatment quality or survival. These observations suggest that treatment at a high-volume cancer center employing a standardized clinical pathway may in part address socioeconomic disparities in pancreatic cancer.

Undertreatment of Pancreatic Cancer: The Intersection of Bias, Biology, and Geography

Pancreatic cancer is the third leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States. Black patients with pancreatic cancer experience higher incidence and increased mortality. Although racial biologic differences exist, socioeconomic status, insurance type, physician bias, and patient beliefs contribute to the disparities in outcomes observed among patients who are Black, indigenous, and people of color.

Health Care Disparities and the Future of Pancreatic Cancer Care

There have been tremendous advances in the diagnosis and treatment of pancreatic cancer in the past decade, yet we are failing to achieve equitable outcomes for all patient populations. Disparities exist in the incidence, diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes of patients with pancreatic cancer. Inequities are based on racial and ethnic group, sex, socioeconomic status, and geography. To address disparities, future steps must focus on research methods, including collection and methodology, and policy measures, including access, patient tools, hospital incentives, and workforce diversity. Through these comprehensive efforts, we can begin to rectify inequitable care for treatment of patients with pancreatic cancer.

Providing Appropriate Pancreatic Cancer Care for People Experiencing Homelessness: A Surgical Perspective

People experiencing homelessness are particularly vulnerable when diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Patients with lower socioeconomic status have worse outcomes from pancreatic cancer as the result of disparities in access to treatment and barriers to navigation of the health care system. Patients with lower socioeconomic status, or who are vulnerably housed, are less likely to receive surgical treatment even when it is recommended by National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines. This disparity in access to surgical care explains much of the gap in pancreatic cancer outcomes. There are many factors that contribute to this disparity in surgical management of pancreatic cancer in people experiencing homelessness. These include a lack of reliable transportation, feeling unwelcome in the medical setting, a lack of primary care and health insurance, and implicit biases of health care providers, including racial bias. Solutions that focus on rectifying these problems include utilizing patient navigators, addressing implicit biases of all health care providers and staff, creating an environment that caters to the needs of patients experiencing homelessness, and improving their access to insurance and regional support networks. Implementing these potential solutions all the way from the individual provider to national safety nets could improve outcomes for patients with pancreatic cancer who are experiencing homelessness.

Same Chance of Accessing Resection? Impact of Socioeconomic Status on Resection Rates Among Patients with Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma-A Systematic Review

Background: The incidence of pancreatic cancer is growing and the survival rate remains one of the worst in oncology. Surgical resection is currently a crucial curative option for pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PA). Socioeconomic factors could influence access to surgery. This article reviews the literature on the impact of socioeconomic status (SES) on access to curative surgery among patients with PA.

Methods: The EMBASE, MEDLINE, Web of Science, and Scopus databases were searched by three investigators to generate 16 studies for review.

Results: Patients with the lowest SES are less likely to undergo surgery than high SES. Low income, low levels of education, not being insured, and living in deprived and rural areas have all been associated with decreased rates of surgical resection. Given the type of health care system and geographic disparities, results in North American populations are difficult to transpose to European countries. However, a similar trend is observed in difficulty for the poorest patients in accessing resection. Low SES seems to be less likely to be offered surgery and more likely to refuse it.

Conclusions: Inequalities in insurance coverage and living in poor/lower educational level areas are all demonstrated factors of a lower likelihood of resection populations. It is important to assess the causal effect of socioeconomic deprivation to improve understanding of this disease and improve access to care.

Impact of socioeconomic status on presentation, treatment and outcomes of patients with pancreatic cancer

Objective: To assess the impact of socioeconomic status (SES) on the patterns of care and outcomes of patients with pancreatic cancer. Materials & methods: Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results specialized SES registry has been accessed and patients with pancreatic cancer diagnosed (2000-2015) were evaluated. The following SES variables were included: employment percentage, percent of people above the poverty line, percent of people identified as working-class, educational level, median rent, median household value and median household income. Within this SES registry, patients were classified according to their census-tract SES into three groups (where group-1 represents the lowest SES category and group-3 represents the highest SES category). Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to assess the impact of SES on access to surgical resection and multivariable Cox regression analysis was used to assess the impact of SES on pancreatic cancer-specific survival. Kaplan-Meier survival estimates were also used to compare overall survival (OS) outcomes according to SES. Results: A total of 83,902 pancreatic cancer patients were included in the current analysis. Within multivariable logistic regression analysis among patients with a localized/regional disease, patients with lower SES were less likely to undergo surgical resection for pancreatic cancer (odds ratio: 0.719; 95% CI: 0.673-0.767; p < 0.001). Among patients with a localized/regional disease who underwent surgical resection, patients with higher SES have better OS (median OS for group-3: 20.0 vs 17.0 months for group-1; p < 0.001). Moreover, patients with lower SES have worse pancreatic cancer-specific survival compared with patients with higher SES: (hazard ratio for group-1 vs group-3: 1.212; 95% CI: 1.135-1.295; p < 0.001). Conclusion: Poor neighborhood SES is associated with more advanced disease at presentation, less probability of surgical resection and even poorer outcomes after surgical resection.

Investigating disparities: the effect of social environment on pancreatic cancer survival in metastatic patients

Background

Pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PCA) incidence is higher in Black compared to White patients. Beyond race, neighborhood socioeconomic status (nSES) may also inform disparities. However, these effects on metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma (mPCA) are not well-studied. The aim of this study was to explore whether nSES influences survival in patients with mPCA.

Methods

nSES measures were derived from U.S. census data at the census tract (CT) level. We correlated medical records of mPCA patients (diagnosed 2010-2016; n=370) to nSES measures retrospectively via a geocode derived from patient address. Multivariable cox proportional hazards models were used to identify patient-level (age, sex, race, marital status, treatment (radiation/chemo/surgery), PCA family history, stage, Jewish ancestry, tobacco use, BMI, diabetes, and statin use) and nSES measures (deprivation, racial concentration, stability, transportation access, immigration) associated with mPCA survival; P values <0.05 were significant.

Results

Eighty-two percent of patients were White; less than one-third of patients resided in highly deprived neighborhoods. Three hundred thirty-three mPCA patient deaths occurred, with a survival ranging from 7-9 months (median 8 months). Patient-level factors including younger age, receipt of chemotherapy or initial surgery and statin use, were associated with improved survival, whereas neighborhood stability (i.e., a higher % of residents still living in the same house as 1 year ago) was significantly associated with poor pancreatic survival.

Conclusions

Our findings suggest nSES has limited effect on survival of mPCA patients as compared to clinical variables. This may be due to the aggressive nature of this cancer, however, additional studies with larger, more diverse cohorts are needed to better understand the effect of nSES on survival of patients with mPCA.

The effect of socioeconomic status on age at diagnosis and overall survival in patients with intracranial meningioma

BACKGROUND

Intracranial meningiomas are the most common primary tumors of the central nervous system. How socioeconomic status (SES) impacts treatment access and outcomes for brain tumor subtypes is an emerging area of research. Few studies have examined the relationship between SES and meningioma survival and management with reference to relevant clinical factors, including age at diagnosis. We studied the independent effects of SES on receiving surgery and survival probability in patients with intracranial meningioma.

METHODS

54,282 patients diagnosed with intracranial meningioma between 2003 and 2012 from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program at the National Cancer Institute database were included. Patient SES was divided into tertiles. Patient age groups included 'older' (>65, the median patient age) and 'younger'. Multivariable linear regression and Cox proportional hazards model were used with SAS v9.4. Results were adjusted for race, sex, and tumor grade. Kaplan-Meier survival curves were constructed according to SES tertiles and age groups.

RESULTS

Meningioma prevalence increased with higher SES tertile. Higher SES tertile was also associated with younger age at diagnosis (OR = 0.890, p < 0.05), an increased likelihood of undergoing gross total resection (GTR) (OR = 1.112, p < 0.05), and a trend toward greater 5-year survival probability (HR = 1.773, p = 0.0531). Survival probability correlated with younger age at diagnosis (HR = 2.597, p < 0.001), but not with GTR receipt.

CONCLUSION

The findings from this national longitudinal study on patients with meningioma suggest that SES affects age at diagnosis and treatment access for intracranial meningiomas patients. Further studies are required to understand and address the mechanisms underlying these disparities.

Racial Disparities in Outcomes After Common Abdominal Surgical Procedures-The Impact of Access to a Minimally Invasive Approach

BACKGROUND

It is presently considered the standard of care to perform many routine intra-abdominal operations using a minimally invasive approach. The authors recently identified a racial disparity in access to a laparoscopic approach to inguinal hernia repair, cholecystectomy, appendectomy, and colectomy. The present study further evaluates this patient cohort to assess the relationship between the race and postoperative complications and test the mediating effect of the selected surgical approach.

METHODS

After institutional review board approval, patients in the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database who underwent inguinal hernia repair, cholecystectomy, appendectomy, or colectomy in 2016 were identified. Patient demographics, including the self-reported race and ethnicity, as well as clinical, operative, and postoperative variables were recorded. After the exclusion of cases associated with diagnoses of cancer, a 4:1 propensity score matching algorithm generated a clinically balanced cohort of patients of white and black self-reported race. The mediating effect of an open approach to surgery on the relationship between black self-reported race and postoperative complications was evaluated via a series of regressions.

RESULTS

There were 41,340 unilateral inguinal hernia repairs, 3182 bilateral inguinal hernia repairs, 60,444 cholecystectomies, 50,523 appendectomies, and 58,012 colectomies included in the database in 2017. Exclusion of cases associated with cancer and subsequent propensity score matching returned 17,540 unilateral hernia repairs, 890 bilateral hernia repairs, 23,865 cholecystectomies, 11,660 appendectomies, and 12,320 colectomies. On mediation analysis, any complication, severe complication, and death were significant when regressed on black self-reported race (any: odds ratio [OR] = 1.210, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.132-1.291, P < 0.001; severe: OR = 1.352, 95% CI = 1.245-1.466, P < 0.001; death: OR = 1.358, 95% CI = 1.000-1.818, P = 0.044), and open surgery was a significant mediator in the incidence of any complication and severe complication (any: OR = 1.180, 95% CI = 1.105-1.260, P < 0.001 and severe: OR = 1.307, 95% CI = 1.203-1.418, P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

These findings underscore the importance of access to a minimally invasive approach to surgery. However, other factors may contribute to racial disparities in postoperative complications after common abdominal operations.

Effect of Socioeconomic Status on Surgery for Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma

Survival for pancreatic cancer remains poor. Surgical resection remains the only chance for cure. The intent of this study was to investigate the role of socioeconomic status (SES) on resection rates for pancreatic adenocarcinoma. The National Cancer Institute's Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End results database was used to identify patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Disease was deemed resectable or unresectable based on the extent of disease code. Median family income was used as a SES variable to compare patients who underwent resection with those who did not. Median family income was organized into three categories based on definitions from the national census: less than $34,680 (low income), $34,680 to $48,650 (middle), and greater than $48,650 (high income). A total of 5,908 patients with potentially resectable disease were included. A total of 3,331 patients did not have a surgical resection despite having resectable disease. Subgroup analysis of income status revealed that patients with a low or middle income were less likely to have a resection when compared with those with high income (33.0 vs 39.9 vs 45.8%, P = 0.0001). Multivariate analysis revealed that low and middle SES and race were significant predictors of resection. Ongoing study of access to health care may help define the means to eliminate the disparities in the care of patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma.

Completion of adjuvant therapy in patients with resected pancreatic cancer

BACKGROUND

Adjuvant chemotherapy is the standard of care for resected pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). It is estimated that only 40-80% eligible patients initiate intended adjuvant chemotherapy. Completion rates are largely unknown.

METHODS

A retrospective analysis of outcomes of patients with resected PDAC over an 8-year period at H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center (MCC) was performed.

RESULTS

From a total of 309 patients, 299 were included for further analysis. 242 (81%) initiated adjuvant therapy (AT) and 195 (65%) completed the intended course. The median time-to-initiation of AT was 53 days (7.6 weeks). The most common reasons for early discontinuation of AT (n = 47) were toxicity (n = 29), disease recurrence (n = 9), patient decision (n = 4), unrelated comorbidities (n = 3), and death (n = 1). Completion of AT was an independent predictor of overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) on multivariable analysis (OS: HR 0.41, CI 0.27-0.61, p < 0.001; RFS: HR 0.52, CI 0.36-0.76, p < 0.001). Factors associated with early termination of AT were vascular resection (OR 0.29, CI 0.13-0.67, p = 0.004) and administration of AT with local oncologist as opposed to MCC (OR 0.41, CI 0.21-0.82, p = 0.010).

CONCLUSION

Completion of AT is associated with improved survival in patients with resected PDAC. Factors associated with an inability to complete AT include vascular resection and administration of AT with local care team in the patient's community.

Disparities in Pancreatic Cancer Treatment and Outcomes

Purpose: Pancreatic cancer remains a major health concern; in the next 2 years, it will become the second leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States. Health disparities in the treatment of pancreatic cancer exist across many disciplines, including race and ethnicity, socioeconomic status (SES), and insurance. This narrative review discusses what is known about these disparities, with the goal of highlighting targets for equity promoting interventions.

Methods: We performed a narrative review of health disparities in pancreatic cancer spanning greater than ten areas, including epidemiology, treatment, and outcome, using the PubMed NIH database from 2000 to 2019 in the Unites States.

Results: African Americans (AAs) tend to present at diagnosis with later stage disease. AAs and Hispanics have lower rates of surgical resection, are more likely to be treated at low volume hospitals, and often experience higher rates of morbidity and mortality compared to white patients, although control for confounders is often limited. Insurance and SES also factor into the delivery of treatment for pancreatic cancer.

Conclusion: Disparities by race and SES exist in the diagnosis and treatment of pancreatic cancer that are largely driven by race and SES. Improved understanding of underlying causes could inform interventions.

Specialized care improves outcomes for patients with cirrhosis who require general surgical operations

Background

General surgical operations on patients with cirrhosis have historically been associated with high morbidity and mortality rates. This study examines a contemporary series of patients with cirrhosis undergoing general surgical procedures.

Methods

A retrospective evaluation of 358 cirrhotic patients undergoing general surgical operations at a single institution between 2004–2015 was performed. Thirty- and 90-day mortality along with complications and subsequent transplantation rates were examined.

Results

358 cirrhotic patients were identified. The majority were Child-Turcotte-Pugh class (CTP) A (55.9%) followed by class B (32.4%) and class C (11.7%). Mean MELD score differed significantly between the groups (8.7 vs. 12.1 vs. 20.1; p<0.001). The most common operations were herniorrhaphy (29.9%), cholecystectomy (19.3%), and liver resection (14.5%). The majority of cases were performed semi-electively (68.4%), however, within the CTP C patients most cases were performed emergently (73.8%). Thirty and 90-day mortality for all patients were 5% and 6%, respectively. Mortality rates increased from CTP A to CTP C (30 day: 3.0% vs. 5.2% vs. 14.3%; p = 0.01; 90 day: 4.5% vs. 6.9% vs. 16.7%; p = 0.016). Additionally, 30-day mortality (12.8% vs. 2.3%; p<0.001), 90 day mortality (16.0% vs. 3.4%; p<0.001) were higher for emergent compared to elective cases. A total of 13 (3.6%) patients underwent transplantation ≤ 90 days from surgery. No elective cases resulted in an urgent transplantation.

Conclusion

Performing general surgical operations on cirrhotic patients carries a significant morbidity and mortality. This contemporary series from a specialized liver center demonstrates improved outcomes compared to historical series. These data strongly support early referral of cirrhotic patients needing general surgical operation to centers with liver expertise to minimize morbidity and mortality.

Occupational class differences in pancreatic cancer survival: A population-based cancer registry-based study in Japan

Background

Little is known about occupational class differences in pancreatic cancer survival.

Methods

Using a population‐based cancer registry in Japan, 3 578 patients with incident pancreatic cancer (1970‐2011) were followed up for 5 years (median follow‐up time 0.42 years). We classified patients into four occupational classes based on their longest‐held jobs: white‐collar (professional and managers), service, blue‐collar, and those not actively employed. Using white‐collar class as the reference group, hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for overall death were estimated by Cox proportional hazard model. Covariates included age, sex, and year of diagnosis. Prognostic variables (pathology, stage, and treatment) and smoking behaviors were additionally adjusted as possible mediating factors.

Results

Overall survival was poor in this population (median, 0.50 and 0.33 years in white‐collar and service classes, respectively). Compared with white‐collar patients, survival was significantly poorer across all occupational classes, most pronounced in the service worker group: mortality HRs ranged from 1.11 (95% CI 1.00‐1.24) in blue‐collar workers to 1.24 (95% CI 1.12‐1.37) in service workers. Even after controlling for potential mediating factors, service workers showed worse survival.

Conclusion

We documented occupational class disparities in pancreatic cancer survival in Japan. Even in the setting of lethal prognostic cancer with universal health coverage, high‐occupational class groups may enjoy a health advantage.

Closing the Disparity in Pancreatic Cancer Outcomes: A Closer Look at Nonmodifiable Factors and Their Potential Use in Treatment

OBJECTIVES

African Americans (AAs) have disproportionately higher incidence and lower survival rates from pancreatic cancer compared with whites. Historically, this disparity has been attributed to modifiable risk factors. Recent studies suggest that nonmodifiable aspects may also play an important role. We review these new contributions as potential targets for closing the disparity.

METHODS

A PubMed search was conducted to review studies of nonmodifiable elements contributing to pancreatic cancer disparities in AAs.

RESULTS

Several nonmodifiable risks are associated with the racial disparity in pancreatic cancer. SSTR5 P335L, Kaiso, and KDM4/JMJD2A demonstrate differential racial expression, increasing their potential as therapeutic targets. Many social determinants of health and their associations with diabetes, obesity, and the microbiome are partially modifiable risk factors that significantly contribute to outcomes in minorities. Barriers to progress include the low minority inclusion in research studies.

CONCLUSIONS

Genomics, epigenetics, the microbiome, and social determinants of health are components that contribute to the pancreatic cancer disparity in AAs. These factors can be researched, targeted, and modified to improve mortality rates. Closing the disparity in pancreatic cancer will require an integrated approach of personalized medicine, increased minority recruitment to studies, and advanced health care/education access.

Socioeconomic status impacts survival and access to resection in pancreatic adenocarcinoma: A high-resolution population-based cancer registry study

BACKGROUND

Survival of patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PA) is very poor. Resection status is highly associated with prognosis but only 15%-20% are resectable. The aim of this study was to analyse the impact of socioeconomic deprivation on PA survival and to define which management steps are affected.

METHODS

Between 01/01/2000 and 31/12/2014, 1451 incident cases of PA recorded in the digestive cancer registry of the French department of Calvados were included. The population was divided between less deprived areas (quintile 1) and more deprived areas (quintile 2,3,4,5 aggregated).

RESULTS

Patients from less deprived areas were younger at diagnosis than those from more deprived areas (69.9 vs 72.3 years, p = 0.01). There was no difference in stage or comorbidities. Three- and 5-year survival rates were significantly higher for less deprived areas than more deprived areas: 10.5% vs 5.15% and 4.7% vs 1.7% respectively (p = 0.01). In univariate analysis, those living in less deprived areas had a better survival than those in more deprived areas (HR = 0.81 [0.69-0.95], p = 0.009) but not in multivariable analysis (HRa = 0.93 [0.79-1.11], p = 0.383) or analysis stratified on resection. In multivariable regression, less deprived areas had more access to surgery than more deprived areas (ORa = 1.73 [1.08-2.47], p = 0.013). No difference was observed on access to adjuvant chemotherapy (ORa = 0.95 [0.38-2.34], p = 0.681).

CONCLUSION

The key to reducing survival inequalities in PA is access to resection, so future studies should investigate the factors impacting this issue.

Differences in Treatment and Outcome of Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma Stage I and II in the EURECCA Pancreas Consortium

BACKGROUND

The EUropean REgistration of Cancer CAre (EURECCA) consortium aims to investigate differences in treatment and to improve cancer care through Europe. The purpose of this study was to compare neo- and adjuvant chemotherapy (ACT) and outcome after tumor resection for pancreatic adenocarcinoma stage I and II in the EURECCA Pancreas consortium.

METHODS

The eight, collaborating national, regional, and single-center partners shared their anonymized dataset. Patients diagnosed in 2012-2013 who underwent tumor resection for pancreatic adenocarcinoma stage I and II were investigated with respect to treatment and survival and compared using uni- and multivariable logistic and Cox regression analyses. All comparisons were performed separately per registry type: national, regional, and single-center registries.

RESULTS

In total, 2052 patients were included. Stage II was present in the majority of patients. The use of neo-ACT was limited in most registries (range 2.8-15.5%) and was only different between Belgium and The Netherlands after adjustment for potential confounders. The use of ACT was different between the registries (range 40.5-70.0%), even after adjustment for potential confounders. Ninety-day mortality was also different between the registries (range 0.9-13.6%). In multivariable analyses for overall survival, differences were observed between the national and regional registries. Furthermore, patients in ascending age groups and patients with stage II showed a significant worse overall survival.

CONCLUSIONS

This study provides a clear insight in clinical practice in the EURECCA Pancreas consortium. The differences observed in (neo-)ACT and outcome give us the chance to further investigate the best practices and improve outcome of pancreatic adenocarcinoma.

Evaluation of Treatment Patterns and Survival Outcomes in Elderly Pancreatic Cancer Patients: A Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results-Medicare Analysis

BACKGROUND

Management of pancreatic cancer (PC) in elderly patients is unknown; clinical trials exclude patients with comorbidities and those of extreme age. This study evaluated treatment patterns and survival outcomes in elderly PC patients using linked Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) and Medicare data.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Histology codes 8140, 8500, 8010, 8560, 8490, 8000, 8260, 8255, 8261, 8263, 8020, 8050, 8141, 8144, 8210, 8211, or 8262 in Medicare Parts A and B were identified. Data regarding demographic, characteristics, treatments, and vital status between 1998 and 2009 were collected from the SEER. Determinants of treatment receipt and overall survival were examined using logistic regression and Cox proportional hazards models, respectively.

RESULTS

A total of 5,975 patients met inclusion. The majority of patients were non-Hispanic whites (85%) and female (55%). Most cases presented with locoregional stage disease (74%); 41% received only chemotherapy, 30% chemotherapy and surgery, 10% surgery alone, 3% radiation, and 16% no cancer-directed therapy. Patients with more advanced cancer, older age, and those residing in areas of poverty were more likely to receive no treatment. Among patients 66-74 years of age with locoregional disease, surgery alone (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.54; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.39-0.74) and surgery in combination with chemotherapy (HR = 0.69; 95% CI: 0.53-0.91) showed survival benefit as compared with the no treatment group. Among patients ≥75 years of age with locoregional disease, surgery alone (HR = 2.04; 95% CI: 0.87-4.8) or in combination with chemotherapy (HR = 1.59; 95% CI: 0.87-2.91) was not associated with better survival.

CONCLUSION

Treatment modality and survival differs by age and stage. Low socioeconomic status appears to be a major barrier to the receipt of PC therapy among Medicare patients.

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE

Elderly patients with cancer are under-represented on clinical trials and usually have comorbid illnesses. The management of elderly patients with pancreatic cancer is unknown, with many retrospective experiences but low sample sizes. Using Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results-Medicare linked data to analyze treatment patterns and survival of elderly patients with pancreatic cancer on a larger population scale, this study highlights treatment patterns and their effect on survival and proposes possible obstacles to access of care in elderly patients with pancreatic cancer other than Medicare coverage.

Socio-economic status influences the likelihood of undergoing surgical treatment for pancreatic cancer in the Netherlands

Surgical resection offers the only prospect of cure in pancreatic cancer patients. The probability of undergoing surgery is determined by several factors. The influence of socio-economic status (SES) on surgical treatment and survival was investigated in the Netherlands, a country with a widely accessible healthcare system.

METHODS

Data on all patients with non-metastasised pancreatic cancer between 2005-2013 were analysed in the Eindhoven Cancer Registry (ECR). SES was categorized as low, intermediate or high. The influence of SES on the likelihood for surgery was assessed by multivariable logistic regression analyses. The influence on overall survival was analysed by multivariable Cox regression analyses.

RESULTS

698 M₀-patients were included, of whom 276 underwent surgery. Patients with low and intermediate SES were less likely to undergo surgery (32% vs 37%) than high-SES patients (48%) (p = 0.002; low SES: OR0.63, 95%CI [0.40-0.98]; intermediate SES: OR0.62, 95%CI [0.42-0.92]). Survival did not differ between SES groups (low SES: HR1.05 95%CI [0.85-1.30]; intermediate SES: HR1.11, 95%CI [0.91-1.35]), p = 0.181. SES in pancreatic cancer patients determined the likelihood for surgery. However, SES had no influence on survival. It is important to provide more insights in the causes of these inequalities to minimalize the effects of SES in pancreatic cancer care.

Community health indicators associated with outcomes of pancreatectomy

PURPOSE

This study evaluates the association of environmental, social and health risk factors in relation to outcomes of pancreatic surgery.

METHODS

Patients who underwent pancreatectomy with a 30 day postoperative follow up in Florida, New York and Washington states were identified using the State Inpatient Databases (SID) from 2010 to 2011. This data was merged with community health indicators complied from the County Health Ranking database. Fourteen community health indicators were used to determine higher risk communities. Communities were then divided into low and high risk communities based on a scoring system using accumulative community risk.

RESULTS

Among 3494 patients included recipients in high-risk communities were more likely African American (p < 0.001), younger (age 40-59; p = 0.001), and had Medicaid as primary insurance (p = 0.001). Management of patients in high-risk communities was associated with increased risk of postoperative complications (p < 0.001), ICU admissions (p < 0.001), increased length of stay (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Health indicators from patients' communities are predictors of increased risk of perioperative complications for individuals undergoing pancreas surgery.

Pancreatectomy is underused in NSW regions with low institutional surgical volumes: a population data linkage study

OBJECTIVE

To examine differences in the proportions of people diagnosed with pancreatic cancer who underwent pancreatectomy, post-operative outcomes and 5-year survival in different New South Wales administrative health regions of residence.

DESIGN, SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS

Retrospective analysis of NSW data on pancreatic cancer incidence and surgery, 2005-2013.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

The proportion of newly diagnosed patients with pancreatic cancer who were resected in each region; 90-day post-operative mortality; one-year post-operative survival; 5-year post-diagnosis survival.

RESULTS

14% of people diagnosed with pancreatic cancer during 2010-2013 (431 of 3064) underwent pancreatectomy, an average of 108 resections per year. After adjusting for age, sex and comorbidities, the proportion that underwent resection varied significantly between regions, ranging between 8% and 21% (P<0.001). Higher resection rates were not associated with higher post-operative 90-day mortality or lower one-year survival (unadjusted and risk-adjusted analyses). Higher resection rates were associated with higher 5-year post-diagnosis survival: the mean survival in regions with resection rates below 10% was 3.4%, compared with 7.2% in regions with rates greater than 15% (unadjusted and adjusted survival analyses; P<0.001). There was a positive association between regional resection rate and the pancreatectomy volume of hospitals during 2005-2009. An additional 32 people would be resected annually if resection rates in low rate regions were increased to the 80th percentile regional resection rate (18%).

CONCLUSION

There is significant geographic variation in the proportion of people with pancreatic cancer undergoing pancreatectomy, and the 5-year survival rate is higher in regions where this proportion is higher.

The Impact of Socioeconomic Status, Surgical Resection and Type of Hospital on Survival in Patients with Pancreatic Cancer. A Population-Based Study in The Netherlands

The influence of socioeconomic inequalities in pancreatic cancer patients and especially its effect in patients who had a resection is not known. Hospital type in which resection is performed might also influence outcome. Patients diagnosed with pancreatic cancer from 1989 to 2011 (n = 34,757) were selected from the population-based Netherlands Cancer Registry. Postal code was used to determine SES. Multivariable survival analyses using Cox regression were conducted to discriminate independent risk factors for death. Patients living in a high SES neighborhood more often underwent resection and more often were operated in a university hospital. After adjustment for clinicopathological factors, risk of dying was increased independently for patients with intermediate and low SES compared to patients with high SES. After resection, no survival difference was found among patients in the three SES groups. However, survival was better for patients treated in university hospitals compared to patients treated in non-university hospitals. Low SES was an independent risk factor for poor survival in patients with pancreatic cancer. SES was not an adverse risk factor after resection. Resection in non-university hospitals was associated with a worse prognosis.

Determinants of Outcomes Following Resection for Pancreatic Cancer-a Population-Based Study

BACKGROUND

Patient and health system determinants of outcomes following pancreatic cancer resection, particularly the relative importance of hospital and surgeon volume, are unclear. Our objective was to identify patient, tumour and health service factors related to mortality and survival amongst a cohort of patients who underwent completed resection for pancreatic cancer.

METHODS

Eligible patients were diagnosed with pancreatic adenocarcinoma between July 2009 and June 2011 and had a completed resection performed in Queensland or New South Wales, Australia, with either tumour-free (R0) or microscopically involved margins (R1) (n = 270). Associations were examined using logistic regression (for binary outcomes) and Cox proportional hazards or stratified Cox models (for time-to-event outcomes).

RESULTS

Patients treated by surgeons who performed <4 resections/year were more likely to die from a surgical complication (versus ≥4 resections/year, P = 0.04), had higher 1-year mortality (P = 0.03), and worse overall survival up to 1.5 years after surgery (adjusted hazard ratio 1.58, 95 % confidence interval 1.07-2.34). Amongst patients who had ≥1 complication within 30 days of surgery, those aged ≥70 years had higher 1-year mortality compared to patients aged <60 years. Adjuvant chemotherapy treatment improved recurrence-free survival (P = 0.01). There were no significant associations between hospital volume and mortality or survival.

CONCLUSIONS

Systems should be implemented to ensure that surgeons are completing a sufficient number of resections to optimize patient outcomes. These findings may be particularly relevant for countries with a relatively small and geographically dispersed population.

National disparities in minimally invasive surgery for pancreatic tumors

BACKGROUND

For patients with pancreatic tumors, several disparities have been shown to impact access to care, including surgery, and subsequently adversely affect long-term oncologic outcomes. The aim of this study was to investigate national disparities in minimally invasive surgery (MIS) across different demographics for pancreatic tumors.

METHODS

We utilized the American College of Surgeons (ACS) National Cancer Data Base (NCDB) to identify patients with pancreatic tumors from 2010 to 2011 who had undergone surgery through either an open or MIS approach. Multivariable analysis was performed to investigate differences in patient characteristics in relation to surgical approach and conversion to open.

RESULTS

A total of 2809 patients were identified. The initial surgical approach included 86.5 % open (2430) and 13.5 % MIS (87.6 % were laparoscopic, and 12.4 % were robotic). Tumor histology was significantly associated with MIS, whereby patients with neuroendocrine tumors were more than twice as likely to have an MIS approach compared to adenocarcinoma. Tumor location within the pancreas was also associated with MIS, with tumors in the tail being three times more likely to be removed through MIS compared to tumors in the head. For patients with disease in the body or tail of the pancreas, ethnicity was independently associated with MIS whereby patients of Hispanic origin were less likely to have MIS. The conversion rate to open was 27.7 %, and geographic location was associated with conversion rates.

CONCLUSIONS

MIS procedures comprise approximately 13.5 % of surgical procedures for pancreatic tumors. In addition to tumor histology, differences in surgical approach were identified with respect to ethnicity for patients with tumors in the body/tail of the pancreas.

Analysis of 300 consecutive cases of pancreatic adenocarcinoma in a single-center in China

BACKGROUND

Most of the reports on the prognostic indicators of patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma are from developed countries. The present study focused on the prognostic indicators of Chinese patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma.

METHODS

A total of 300 patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma who had undergone curative resection were included. The resection and R0/R1 resection rates for adenocarcinomas from different parts of the pancreas were calculated and clinical characteristics were analyzed.

RESULTS

In 3427 patients diagnosed with pancreatic adenocarcinomas, only 300 (8.8%) were eligible for radical resection. The total median survival of these patients was 19 months, and their 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival rates were 72.5%, 28.0% and 23.4%, respectively. The prognostic factors included socioeconomic status, smoking history, symptoms, high blood glucose, and various tumor characteristics, including perineural and vascular invasion, lymph node metastases, and CA19-9 levels before and after operation. Operation-associated prognostic indicators included operation time, blood loss and transfusions, pancreatic fistula, and complications. Independent predictors of mortality included poor socioeconomic status, smoking history, symptoms, CA19-9, perineural invasion and lymph node metastasis, grade of fistula and complications. Patient survival was not correlated with either resection margin or adjuvant chemotherapy in multivariate analysis.

CONCLUSIONS

The survival rates of patients with curative resection for pancreatic adenocarcinoma in China are close to those in developed countries, but curative resection rate is far below. Socioeconomic status, symptoms, and CA19-9 are the three most prominent prognostic factors, which are helpful in patient selection and perioperative care.

Geographic disparities in pancreatic cancer survival in a southeastern safety-net academic medical center

OBJECTIVE

To quantify the effects of race, measures of socioeconomic status and geographic residency status on pancreatic cancer survival time.

DESIGN

Retrospective review.

SETTING

A southeastern safety-net academic medical centre in the United States.

PARTICIPANTS

The study population consisted of all patients who were diagnosed, referred to or treated at the medical centre between 2009 and 2012 (n = 245). To ensure completeness and accuracy of the data, follow-up treatment and survival information about the cases were collected from the Georgia Comprehensive Cancer Registry in 2013.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

The odds of receiving first-course treatment (surgery, radiation or chemotherapy) and overall survival following a pancreatic cancer diagnosis.

RESULTS

There were no observed differences in receipt of initial treatment; however, patients from low socioeconomic and rural areas had significant increase in risk of death compared to patients from affluent and urban areas.

CONCLUSIONS

Results from this single site study suggests the significance of factors other than treatment differences that contribute to geographic disparities in mortality.

Establishing a clinic-based pancreatic cancer and periampullary tumour research registry in Quebec

BACKGROUND

Enrolling patients in studies of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (pdac) is challenging because of the high fatality of the disease. We hypothesized that a prospective clinic-based study with rapid ascertainment would result in high participation rates. Using that strategy, we established the Quebec Pancreas Cancer Study (qpcs) to investigate the genetics and causes of pdac and other periampullary tumours (pats) that are also rare and underrepresented in research studies.

METHODS

Patients diagnosed with pdac or pat were introduced to the study at their initial clinical encounter, with a strategy to enrol participants within 2 weeks of diagnosis. Patient self-referrals and referrals of unaffected individuals with an increased risk of pdac were also accepted. Family histories, epidemiologic and clinical data, and biospecimens were collected. Additional relatives were enrolled in families at increased genetic risk.

RESULTS

The first 346 completed referrals led to 306 probands being enrolled, including 190 probands affected with pdac, who represent the population focus of the qpcs. Participation rates were 88.4% for all referrals and 89.2% for pdac referrals. Family history, epidemiologic and clinical data, and biospecimens were ascertained from 91.9%, 54.6%, and 97.5% respectively of patients with pdac. Although demographics and trends in risk factors in our patients were consistent with published statistics for patients with pdac, the qpcs is enriched for families with French-Canadian ancestry (37.4%), a population with recurrent germ-line mutations in hereditary diseases.

CONCLUSIONS

Using rapid ascertainment, a pdac and pat research registry with high participation rates can be established. The qpcs is a valuable research resource and its enrichment with patients of French-Canadian ancestry provides a unique opportunity for studies of heredity in these diseases.

Ten weeks to live: a population-based study on treatment and survival of patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer in the south of the Netherlands

BACKGROUND

A large proportion of patients with pancreatic cancer presents with metastatic disease. We conducted a population-based study to evaluate trends in treatment and survival of patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer.

METHODS

We included all patients diagnosed with pancreatic cancer between 1993 and 2010 in the South of the Netherlands (N=3099). Multivariable logistic regression analysis was conducted to evaluate trends in treatment with chemotherapy. Crude overall survival according to period of diagnosis was analyzed, and independent risk factors for death were identified.

RESULTS

Forty-eight percent of the patients (N=1494) were diagnosed with metastatic disease. The percentage of patients being diagnosed with metastatic disease increased during the study period from 35% in 1993-1996 to 59% in 2009-2010 (p<0.0001). Overall, 18% of these patients received chemotherapy. The prescription of palliative chemotherapy almost tripled from 10% to 27% (p<0.0001). Treatment largely depended on age, ranging from 38% among patients aged <50 years [compared to 60-69 years: adjusted odds ratio (ORadj) 2.5 (95% CI 1.4-4.2)] to 1% among patients aged ≥80 years [compared to 60-69 years: ORadj 0.04 (95% CI 0.0-0.2)]. Patients were more likely to receive chemotherapy if they had a high socioeconomic status [ORadj 2.0 (95% CI 1.3-3.1)], and if diagnosis was pathologically verified [no verification vs. verification: ORadj 0.3 (95% CI 0.2-0.5)]. The administration of chemotherapy varied widely between 10 hospitals (5-34%, p<0.0001). The median overall survival of patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer remained 9-11 weeks.

CONCLUSION

A growing proportion of pancreatic cancer patients presented with metastatic disease. Usage of palliative chemotherapy increased over time, but median survival remained 9-11 weeks. In the near future, it should be evaluated if the recently introduced regimens have an impact on population-based survival.

Survival improvement in patients with pancreatic cancer by decade: a period analysis of the SEER database, 1981-2010

Pancreatic cancer (PaCa) is an aggressive malignancy with a high mortality rate and a poor prognosis. To evaluate treatment outcomes of patients with pancreatic cancer over the past three decades, data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) registries were used to assess the survival of patients with PaCa. A total of 63,530 patients diagnosed with pancreatic cancer between 1981 and 2010 were identified from nine original SEER registries. The 1-year relative survival rates (RSRs) improved each decade, from 17.0% to 19.9% to 28.2% (p < 0.0001), with a larger increase during the third decade than during the second decade. However, the long-term survival rates have remained very low. The 5-year RSRs increased from 3.1% to 4.4% to 6.9% over these three decades—i.e., still only few patients with PaCa survive more than 5 years. Furthermore, our analysis demonstrated that the survival rates for all the patients with pancreatic cancer were lower in patients of lower socioeconomic status and black race. These results will help predict future trends in PaCa incidence and survival, contribute to better-designed clinical trials by eliminating disparities that may affect the results, and thereby improve the clinical management and outcomes of PaCa.

Disparities in pancreas cancer care

BACKGROUND

Prior literature shows demographic differences in patients surgically treated for pancreatic cancer (PC). We hypothesized that socioeconomic disparities also exist across all aspects of PC care, in both surgically and non-surgically treated patients.

METHODS

We identified a cohort of patients with American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) stage I-IV PC in the 1994-2008 California Cancer Registry. We used multivariate logistic regression to examine the impact of race, sex, and insurance status on (1) resectability (absence of advanced disease), (2) receipt of surgery, and (3) receipt of adjuvant/primary chemotherapy (+/- radiotherapy).

RESULTS

Among 20,312 patients, 7,585 (37 %) had resectable disease; 40 % who met this definition received surgery (N = 3,153). On multivariate analysis, males were less likely to present with resectable tumors [odds ratio (OR) 0.91, 95 % confidence interval (CI) 0.85-0.96], but sex did not otherwise predict treatment. Black patients were as likely as White patients to show resectable disease, yet were less likely to receive surgery (OR 0.66, 95 % CI 0.54-0.80), and adjuvant (OR 0.75, 95 % CI 0.58-0.98) or primary chemotherapy +/- radiation. Compared with Medicaid recipients, non-Medicare/Medicaid enrollees were more likely to receive surgery (OR 1.7, 95 % CI 1.4-2.2), and the uninsured were less likely to receive adjuvant therapy (OR 0.54, 95 % CI 0.30-0.98).

CONCLUSIONS

Though Black patients appear to present with comparable rates of resectability, they receive care that deviates from current guidelines. Insurance status is associated with inferior profiles of resectability and treatments. Future policies and research should identify effective strategies to ensure receipt of standard care.

A multi-institutional study of pancreatic cancer in Harris County, Texas: race predicts treatment and survival

BACKGROUND

Racial disparities exist for patients with pancreatic cancer. This observation has primarily been noted in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database and has focused primarily on whites and African Americans. We sought to determine if these disparities exist in a local, racially diverse patient population.

METHODS

Retrospective review of a pancreatic cancer tumor registry from two hospital systems from 1998 to 2010. Clinicopathologic parameters were recorded. Statistical analysis was performed by analysis of variance, Chi square test, Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, log rank test, and regression models.

RESULTS

A total of 1039 patients were identified for this study. Hispanic and African American patients presented at an earlier age when compared to whites. There was no difference in gender or stage at presentation between racial groups. Adjusted for stage, race was predictive of chemotherapy administration. Independent predictors of increased mortality included male gender, African American race, stage at diagnosis, and older age.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite adjusting for covariates, survival remains lowest for African American patients. Further investigation is needed to understand the effect of race and how it mediates treatment and survival in those with pancreatic cancer.