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Wang JC, Liu KC, Gettleman BS, Piple AS, Chen MS, Menendez LR, Heckmann ND, Christ AB. Medicare Advantage in Soft Tissue Sarcoma May Be Associated with Worse Patient Outcomes. J Clin Med 2023; 12:5122. [PMID: 37568523 PMCID: PMC10420157 DOI: 10.3390/jcm12155122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2023] [Revised: 07/16/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Medicare Advantage healthcare plans may present undue impediments that result in disparities in patient outcomes. This study aims to compare the outcomes of patients who underwent STS resection based on enrollment in either traditional Medicare (TM) or Medicare Advantage (MA) plans. The Premier Healthcare Database was utilized to identify all patients ≥65 years old who underwent surgery for resection of a lower-extremity STS from 2015 to 2021. These patients were then subdivided based on their Medicare enrollment status (i.e., TM or MA). Patient characteristics, hospital factors, and comorbidities were recorded for each cohort. Bivariable analysis was performed to assess the 90-day risk of postoperative complications. Multivariable analysis controlling for patient sex, as well as demographic and hospital factors found to be significantly different between the cohorts, was also performed. From 2015 to 2021, 1858 patients underwent resection of STS. Of these, 595 (32.0%) had MA coverage and 1048 (56.4%) had TM coverage. The only comorbidities with a significant difference between the cohorts were peripheral vascular disease (p = 0.027) and hypothyroidism (p = 0.022), both with greater frequency in MA patients. After controlling for confounders, MA trended towards having significantly higher odds of pulmonary embolism (adjusted odds ratio (aOR): 1.98, 95% confidence interval (95%-CI): 0.58-6.79), stroke (aOR: 1.14, 95%-CI: 0.20-6.31), surgical site infection (aOR: 1.59, 95%-CI: 0.75-3.37), and 90-day in-hospital death (aOR 1.38, 95%-CI: 0.60-3.19). Overall, statistically significant differences in postoperative outcomes were not achieved in this study. The authors of this study hypothesize that this may be due to study underpowering or the inability to control for other oncologic factors not available in the Premier database. Further research with higher power, such as through multi-institutional collaboration, is warranted to better assess if there truly are no differences in outcomes by Medicare subtype for this patient population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer C. Wang
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA (K.C.L.); (M.S.C.)
| | - Kevin C. Liu
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA (K.C.L.); (M.S.C.)
| | - Brandon S. Gettleman
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC 29209, USA;
| | - Amit S. Piple
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA (K.C.L.); (M.S.C.)
| | - Matthew S. Chen
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA (K.C.L.); (M.S.C.)
| | - Lawrence R. Menendez
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA (K.C.L.); (M.S.C.)
| | - Nathanael D. Heckmann
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA (K.C.L.); (M.S.C.)
| | - Alexander B. Christ
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA (K.C.L.); (M.S.C.)
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Effect of Insurance Status on Mortality in Adults With Sarcoma of the Extremities and Pelvis: A SEER-Medicare Study. J Am Acad Orthop Surg 2023; 31:e14-e22. [PMID: 36548154 DOI: 10.5435/jaaos-d-21-01071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2021] [Accepted: 07/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Previous studies have highlighted the association between insurance status and poor outcomes after surgical treatment of sarcomas in the United States.1-3 It is unclear how much of this disparity is mediated by confounding factors such as medical comorbidities and socioeconomic status and how much can be explained by barriers to care caused by insurance status. METHODS Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results-Medicare linkage data were procured for 7,056 patients undergoing treatment for bone and soft-tissue sarcomas in the extremities diagnosed between 2006 and 2013. A Cox proportional hazards model was used to assess the relative contributions of insurance status, medical comorbidities, tumor factors, treatment characteristics, and other demographic factors (race, household income, education level, and urban/rural status) to overall survival. RESULTS Patients with Medicaid insurance had a 28% higher mortality rate over the period studied, compared with patients with private insurance (hazard ratio, 1.28; 95% confidence interval, 1.03 to 1.60, P = 0.026), even when accounting for all other confounding variables. The 28% higher mortality rate associated with having Medicaid insurance was equivalent to being approximately 10 years older at the time of diagnosis or having a Charlson comorbidity index of 4 rather than zero (hazard ratio, 1.27). DISCUSSION Insurance status is an independent predictor of mortality from sarcoma, with 28% higher mortality in those with pre-expansion Medicaid.4,5 This association between insurance status and higher mortality held true even when accounting for numerous other confounding factors. Additional study is necessary into the mechanism for this healthcare disparity for the uninsured and underinsured, as well as strategies to resolve this inequality.
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Fayet Y, Chevreau C, Decanter G, Dalban C, Meeus P, Carrère S, Haddag-Miliani L, Le Loarer F, Causeret S, Orbach D, Kind M, Le Nail LR, Ferron G, Labrosse H, Chaigneau L, Bertucci F, Ruzic JC, Le Brun Ly V, Farsi F, Bompas E, Noal S, Vozy A, Ducoulombier A, Bonnet C, Chabaud S, Ducimetière F, Tlemsani C, Ropars M, Collard O, Michelin P, Gantzer J, Dubray-Longeras P, Rios M, Soibinet P, Le Cesne A, Duffaud F, Karanian M, Gouin F, Tétreau R, Honoré C, Coindre JM, Ray-Coquard I, Bonvalot S, Blay JY. No Geographical Inequalities in Survival for Sarcoma Patients in France: A Reference Networks' Outcome? Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14112620. [PMID: 35681600 PMCID: PMC9179906 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14112620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2022] [Revised: 05/15/2022] [Accepted: 05/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary As patients with rare cancers face specific problems, reference networks have been developed in several European countries and then at the European level to improve their management. In some cases, the specialized centers belonging to reference networks provide remote services (specialized diagnosis review, discussion in the Multidisciplinary Tumour Board, etc.) to increase access to these services. Using data from the national sarcoma reference network implemented in France (NETSARC+), the IGéAS research program assesses the potential of its organization to address the geographical inequalities in cancer management. We analyze the individual, clinical, and geographical determinants of the overall survival of sarcoma patients in France. We found no association between the overall survival of sarcoma patients and variables measuring their social deprivation, remoteness from reference centers, and geographical context. Following previous results from the research program, this study suggests that reference network organization should be considered to reduce cancer inequalities. Abstract The national reference network NETSARC+ provides remote access to specialized diagnosis and the Multidisciplinary Tumour Board (MTB) to improve the management and survival of sarcoma patients in France. The IGéAS research program aims to assess the potential of this innovative organization to address geographical inequalities in cancer management. Using the IGéAS cohort built from the nationwide NETSARC+ database, the individual, clinical, and geographical determinants of the 3-year overall survival of sarcoma patients in France were analyzed. The survival analysis was focused on patients diagnosed in 2013 (n = 2281) to ensure sufficient hindsight to collect patient follow-up. Our study included patients with bone (16.8%), soft-tissue (69%), and visceral (14.2%) sarcomas, with a median age of 61.8 years. The overall survival was not associated with geographical variables after adjustment for individual and clinical factors. The lower survival in precarious population districts [HR 1.23, 95% CI 1.02 to 1.48] in comparison to wealthy metropolitan areas (HR = 1) found in univariable analysis was due to the worst clinical presentation at diagnosis of patients. The place of residence had no impact on sarcoma patients’ survival, in the context of the national organization driven by the reference network. Following previous findings, this suggests the ability of this organization to go through geographical barriers usually impeding the optimal management of cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yohan Fayet
- EMS Team–Human and Social Sciences Department, Centre Léon Bérard, 69008 Lyon, France
- Research on Healthcare Performance RESHAPE, INSERM U1290, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, 69008 Lyon, France
- Correspondence:
| | | | - Gauthier Decanter
- Department of Surgical Oncology, Oscar Lambret Center, 59000 Lille, France;
| | - Cécile Dalban
- Department of Clinical Research and Innovation, Centre Léon Bérard, 69008 Lyon, France; (C.D.); (S.C.)
| | - Pierre Meeus
- Department of Surgery, Centre Léon Bérard, 69008 Lyon, France; (P.M.); (F.G.)
| | - Sébastien Carrère
- Institut de Recherche en Cancérologie Montpellier, INSERM U1194, 34000 Montpellier, France;
| | - Leila Haddag-Miliani
- Service D’imagerie Diagnostique, Institut Gustave Roussy, 94800 Villejuif, France;
| | - François Le Loarer
- Department of Pathology, Institut Bergonié, 33000 Bordeaux, France; (F.L.L.); (J.-M.C.)
| | | | - Daniel Orbach
- Centre Oncologie SIREDO (Soins, Innovation et Recherche en Oncologie de l’Enfant, de l’aDOlescents et de L’adulte Jeune), Institut Curie, Université de Recherche Paris Sciences et Lettres, 75005 Paris, France;
| | - Michelle Kind
- Radiologue, Département D’imagerie Médicale, Institut Bergonié, 33000 Bordeaux, France;
| | - Louis-Romée Le Nail
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, CHU de Tours, Faculté de Médecine, Université de Tours, 37000 Tours, France;
| | - Gwenaël Ferron
- INSERM CRCT19 ONCO-SARC (Sarcoma Oncogenesis), Institut Claudius Regaud-Institut Universitaire du Cancer, 31000 Toulouse, France;
| | - Hélène Labrosse
- CRLCC Léon Berard, Oncology Regional Network ONCO-AURA, 69008 Lyon, France; (H.L.); (F.F.)
| | - Loïc Chaigneau
- Department of Medical Oncology, CHRU Jean Minjoz, 25000 Besançon, France;
| | - François Bertucci
- Department of Medical Oncology, Institut Paoli-Calmettes, 13009 Marseille, France;
| | | | | | - Fadila Farsi
- CRLCC Léon Berard, Oncology Regional Network ONCO-AURA, 69008 Lyon, France; (H.L.); (F.F.)
| | | | - Sabine Noal
- UCP Sarcome, Centre François Baclesse, 14000 Caen, France;
| | - Aurore Vozy
- Department of Medical Oncology, Pitié Salpêtrière Hospital, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP), Institut Universitaire de Cancérologie (IUC), CLIP(2) Galilée, Sorbonne University, 75013 Paris, France;
| | | | - Clément Bonnet
- Service d’Oncologie Médicale Hôpital Saint Louis, 75010 Paris, France;
| | - Sylvie Chabaud
- Department of Clinical Research and Innovation, Centre Léon Bérard, 69008 Lyon, France; (C.D.); (S.C.)
| | | | - Camille Tlemsani
- Service d’Oncologie Médicale, Hôpital Cochin, Institut du Cancer Paris CARPEM, Université de Paris, APHP Centre, 75014 Paris, France;
- INSERM U1016-CNRS UMR8104, Institut Cochin, Institut du Cancer Paris CARPEM, Université de Paris, APHP Centre, 75014 Paris, France
| | - Mickaël Ropars
- Orthopaedic and Trauma Department, Pontchaillou University Hospital, University of Rennes 1, 35000 Rennes, France;
| | - Olivier Collard
- Département d’Oncologie Médicale, Hôpital Privé de la Loire, 42100 Saint-Etienne, France;
| | - Paul Michelin
- Service D’imagerie Médicale, CHU Hopitaux de Rouen-Hopital Charles Nicolle, 76000 Rouen, France;
| | - Justine Gantzer
- Department of Medical Oncology, Strasbourg-Europe Cancer Institute (ICANS), 67033 Strasbourg, France;
| | | | - Maria Rios
- Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Institute of Lorraine-Alexis Vautrin, 54500 Vandoeuvre Les Nancy, France;
| | - Pauline Soibinet
- Department of Hepato-Gastroenterology and Digestive Oncology, Reims University Hospital, 51000 Reims, France;
| | - Axel Le Cesne
- Medical Oncology, Insitut Gustave Roussy, 94800 Villejuif, France;
| | - Florence Duffaud
- Department of Medical Oncology, CHU La Timone and Aix-Marseille Université (AMU), 13005 Marseille, France;
| | - Marie Karanian
- Department of Pathology, Lyon University Hospital, 69008 Lyon, France;
| | - François Gouin
- Department of Surgery, Centre Léon Bérard, 69008 Lyon, France; (P.M.); (F.G.)
| | - Raphaël Tétreau
- Medical Imaging Center, Institut du Cancer, 34000 Montpellier, France;
| | - Charles Honoré
- Department of Surgical Oncology, Gustave Roussy, Villejuif 94800, France;
| | - Jean-Michel Coindre
- Department of Pathology, Institut Bergonié, 33000 Bordeaux, France; (F.L.L.); (J.-M.C.)
| | | | - Sylvie Bonvalot
- Department of Surgical Oncology, Institut Curie, Université Paris Sciences et Lettres, 75005 Paris, France;
| | - Jean-Yves Blay
- Department of Medical Oncology, Centre Léon Bérard, Lyon University, 69008 Lyon, France;
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Alvarez E, Spunt SL, Malogolowkin M, Li Q, Wun T, Brunson A, Thorpe S, Kreimer S, Keegan T. Treatment at Specialized Cancer Centers Is Associated with Improved Survival in Adolescent and Young Adults with Soft Tissue Sarcoma. J Adolesc Young Adult Oncol 2021; 11:370-378. [PMID: 34910881 PMCID: PMC9536344 DOI: 10.1089/jayao.2021.0110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Soft tissue sarcomas (STS) are a heterogeneous group of tumors whose management benefits from a multidisciplinary therapeutic approach. Published data suggest that cancer treatment at a specialized cancer center (SCC) can improve survival in other cancers. Therefore, we examined the impact of the location of treatment on survival in children and adolescents and young adults (AYAs) with STS. Methods: We performed a population-based analysis of children and AYAs hospitalized within 1 year of diagnosis with first primary STS (2000-2014) using the California Cancer Registry linked with hospitalization data. Patients were categorized based on receiving all inpatient treatments at a SCC versus part/none. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression identified factors associated with overall and STS-specific survival by age group. Results are presented as adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results: Of the 1,674 patients with STS, 142 were children (0-14) and 1,532 were AYAs (15-39) and 89.4% and 40.4% received all inpatient treatments at a SCC, respectively. Overall, the 5-year survival was improved for patients who received all inpatient care at a SCC (59.8% vs. those who received part/none, 50.7%). Multivariable regression analysis found that having all treatments at a SCC was associated with better overall survival (HR, 0.79, CI: 0.65-0.95) in AYAs, but not in children. Conclusions: Our findings demonstrate that treatment for STS at a SCC is associated with better survival in AYAs. Eliminating barriers to treatment of AYAs with STS at SCCs could improve survival in this population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elysia Alvarez
- Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, California, USA
| | - Sheri L Spunt
- Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Marcio Malogolowkin
- Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, California, USA
| | - Qian Li
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Center for Oncology, Hematology Outcomes Research and Training (COHORT), University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, California, USA
| | - Ted Wun
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Center for Oncology, Hematology Outcomes Research and Training (COHORT), University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, California, USA
| | - Ann Brunson
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Center for Oncology, Hematology Outcomes Research and Training (COHORT), University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, California, USA
| | | | - Sara Kreimer
- Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Theresa Keegan
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Center for Oncology, Hematology Outcomes Research and Training (COHORT), University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, California, USA
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Dahl M, Aurit SJ, Silberstein PT, Gootee J. Primary Site and Other Prognostic Factors for Fibrosarcoma: An Analysis of the National Cancer Database. Cureus 2021; 13:e19163. [PMID: 34873506 PMCID: PMC8631251 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.19163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose: Fibrosarcoma (FS) is a rare and malignant tumor that can occur in a variety of anatomic sites. The goal of this study is to use the National Cancer Database (NCDB) to analyze various factors affecting overall survival in FS and to be one of the rare studies to characterize the significance of the primary anatomic sites. Methods: The study cohort included 2,278 patients diagnosed with fibrosarcoma who received surgery from the NCDB. Kaplan-Meier curves, log-rank tests, and a multivariable Cox proportional hazard model were used to analyze the significance of factors affecting overall survival. Results: The head, face, and neck (HR = 1.44; 95% CI: 1.01-2.05; P = 0.046) and thorax anatomical sites (HR = 1.33; 95% CI: 1.02-1.73; P = 0.035) had a higher increased risk of death in comparison to the lower limb and hip. Compared to patients with private insurance, patients without insurance (HR = 1.99; 95% CI: 1.22 to 3.25; P = 0.006) and patients with Medicaid (HR = 1.99; 95% CI: 1.37 to 2.90; P < 0.001) had decreased overall survival. Patients associated with a zip code-level median household income ≥ $63,000 had a decreased risk of mortality when compared to lower income groups. Conclusion: In general, older patients with comorbidities, advanced-stage disease, and larger tumors who did not have private insurance and were from areas associated with lower income levels had poorer overall survival. No significant difference in overall survival was associated with receipt of neoadjuvant chemotherapy or neoadjuvant radiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary Dahl
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Hematology/Oncology, Creighton University School of Medicine, Omaha, USA
| | - Sarah J Aurit
- Division of Clinical Research and Evaluative Sciences, Creighton University School of Medicine, Omaha, USA
| | - Peter T Silberstein
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Hematology/Oncology, Creighton University School of Medicine, Omaha, USA
| | - Jonathan Gootee
- Department of Surgery, West Virginia University School of Medicine, Morgantown, USA
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