The impact of traveling distance and hospital volume on post-surgical outcomes for patients with glioblastoma

Treatment, healthcare utilization and outcomes in patients with glioblastoma in Ontario: a 10-year cohort study

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common malignant primary brain tumour in adults. Receipt of adjuvant therapies has been shown to exert a significant positive effect on patient survival. Little is known however about how changes in standards of care and healthcare system factors, such as access, affect real-world outcomes. In this study, we provide an overview of GBM in Ontario and examine elements of care, including treatment patterns, healthcare utilization, and overall survival, from 2010 to 2019, to interpret the impact of the changes in practice standards and expansion of the care network within this period.

METHODS

Using linked health-administrative databases from Ontario, Canada, we conducted a population-based cohort study to examine the clinical and biological characteristics, treatment, and healthcare utilization patterns of adult GBM patients diagnosed between 2010 and 2019. The primary outcomes were enrollment in adjuvant chemoradiation treatment and 1-, 2-, and 5-year survival. All analyses were performed using the Statistical Analysis Software (SAS).

RESULTS

5392 patients were diagnosed with GBM in Ontario from 2010 to 2019 (58% male, 42% female). The median age at diagnosis was 64. Receipt of adjuvant chemoradiation within one year of diagnosis increased from 51% in 2010 to 63% in 2019. 1-year, 2-year, and 5-year overall survival for all patients remained stable, ranging between 40 and 43%, 15-19%, and 5-7%, respectively. For patients above the age of 65, however, 1-year survival increased from 19% in 2010 to 26% in 2019.

INTERPRETATION

Regionalization enabled access to treatment closer to home for many patients. Over the last decade, receipt of adjuvant chemoradiation increased among elderly patients, but the improvement in 1-year overall survival over time was accounted for by sociodemographic and clinical covariates. Our findings support the efforts for regionalization of services to improve accessibility.

CONCLUSION

This Ontario-based study provides insight into the effect of practice evolution and healthcare utilization on the overall survival of patients with GBM. Overall survival for most patients with glioblastoma has remained stagnant over the past decade. Changes in treatment standards and expansion of access to treating centres have been associated with prolonged survival in elderly glioblastoma patients.

High-Volume Centers Provide Superior Value of Care in the Surgical Treatment of Malignant Brain Tumor

BACKGROUND

Improved outcomes in surgical patients have been associated with increasing volume of cases. This has led to the development of centers that facilitate care for a specific patient population. This study aimed to evaluate associations of outcomes with hospital characteristics in patients undergoing resection of malignant brain tumors.

METHODS

The 2016-2020 National Inpatient Sample was queried for patients undergoing resection of malignant brain tumors. Teaching hospitals with caseloads >2 standard deviations above the mean (140 cases) were categorized as high-volume centers (HVCs). Value of care was evaluated by adding one point for each of the following: short length of stay, low total charges, favorable discharge disposition, and lack of major comorbidity or complication.

RESULTS

In 3009 hospitals, 118,390 patients underwent resection of malignant brain tumors. HVC criteria were met by 91 (3%) hospitals. HVCs were more likely to treat patients of younger age or higher socioeconomic status (P < 0.01 for all). The Mid-Atlantic and South Atlantic regions had the highest percentage of cases and number of HVCs. Value of care was higher at HVCs (P < 0.01). Care at HVCs was associated with decreased complications (P < 0.01 for all) and improved patient outcomes (P < 0.01 for all).

CONCLUSIONS

Patients undergoing craniotomy for malignant brain neoplasms have superior outcomes in HVCs. Trends of centralization may reflect the benefits of multidisciplinary treatment, geographic preferences, publicity, and cultural impact. Improvement of access to care is an important consideration as this trend continues.

Association of area deprivation index (ADI) with demographics and postoperative outcomes in pediatric brain tumor patients

PURPOSE

Although social determinants of health (SDOH) have been associated with adverse surgical outcomes, cumulative effects of multiple SDOH have never been studied. The area deprivation index (ADI) assesses cumulative impact of SDOH factors on outcomes. We analyzed the relationship between ADI percentile and postoperative outcomes in pediatric patients diagnosed with brain tumors.

METHODS

A retrospective, observational study was conducted on our consecutive series of pediatric brain tumor patients presenting between January 1, 1999, and May 31, 2022. Demographics and outcomes were collected, identifying SDOH factors influencing outcomes found in the literature. ADI percentiles were identified based on patient addresses, and patients were stratified into more (ADI 0-72%) and less (ADI 73-100%) disadvantaged cohorts. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were completed for demographics and outcomes.

RESULTS

A total of 272 patients were included. Demographics occurring frequently in the more disadvantaged group were Black race (13.1% vs. 2.8%; P = .003), public insurance (51.5% vs. 27.5%; P < .001), lower median household income ($64,689 ± $19,254 vs. $46,976 ± $13,751; P < .001), and higher WHO grade lesions (15[11.5%] grade III and 8[6.2%] grade IV vs. 8[5.6%] grade III and 5[3.5%] grade IV; P = .11). The more disadvantaged group required adjunctive chemotherapy (25.4% vs. 12.05%; P = .007) or radiation therapy (23.9% vs. 12.7%; P = .03) more frequently and had significantly greater odds of needing adjunctive chemotherapy (odds ratio [OR], 1.11; confidence interval [CI], 1.01-1.22; P = .03) in a multivariate model, which also identified higher WHO tumor grades at presentation (OR, 1.20; CI, 1.14-1.27; P < .001).

CONCLUSION

These findings are promising for use of ADI to represent potential SDOH disadvantages that pediatric patients may face throughout treatment. Future studies should pursue large multicenter collaborations to validate these findings.

European Cancer Organisation Essential Requirements for Quality Cancer Care: Adult glioma

European Cancer Organisation Essential Requirements for Quality Cancer Care (ERQCCs) are explanations of the organisation and actions necessary to provide high-quality care to patients with a specific cancer type. They are compiled by a working group of European experts representing disciplines involved in cancer care, and provide oncology teams, patients, policymakers and managers with an overview of the essential requirements in any healthcare system. The focus here is on adult glioma. Gliomas make up approximately 80% of all primary malignant brain tumours. They are highly diverse and patients can face a unique cognitive, physical and psychosocial burden, so personalised treatments and support are essential. However, management of gliomas is currently very heterogeneous across Europe and there are only few formally-designated comprehensive cancer centres with brain tumour programmes. To address this, the ERQCC glioma expert group proposes frameworks and recommendations for high quality care, from diagnosis to treatment and survivorship. Wherever possible, glioma patients should be treated from diagnosis onwards in high volume neurosurgical or neuro-oncology centres. Multidisciplinary team working and collaboration is essential if patients' length and quality of life are to be optimised.

Glioblastoma management in a lower middle-income country: Nationwide study of compliance with standard care protocols and survival outcomes in Ukraine

Background

The effective treatment of high-grade gliomas is a complex problem that requires ubiquitous implementation of sophisticated therapy protocols. The present study aimed to perform population-based analysis of glioblastoma management in lower-middle-income countries.

Methods

The National Cancer Registry of Ukraine was screened for the records of adult patients with primary glioblastomas diagnosed in 2015-2019. Survival analysis was performed using Kaplan-Meier method and a multivariable Cox model.

Results

A total of 2973 adult patients with histologically confirmed glioblastoma were included in the study. Mean age of patients was 55.6 ± 11.4 years, males slightly prevailed-1541 (51.8%) cases. The completed clinical protocol including surgery followed by chemoradiotherapy was applied only in 658 (19.0%) patients. The minority of patients 743 (25.0%) were treated at the academic medical centers, where patients were more likely to receive combined treatment 70.1% compared with 57.9% (P  = .0001) at the community hospitals. The overall median survival was 10.6 ± 0.2 months, and the 2-year survival rate was 17%. The number of utilized treatment modalities contributed to better survival rates and was associated with lower hazard ratio: Protocol with 2 modalities - 0.62 (P = .0001), 3 modalities - 0.48 (P = .0001).

Conclusions

The management of glioblastoma in lower-middle-income countries is characterized by insufficient availability of treatment in academic medical centers and low rates of advanced therapy application. Survival analysis showed similar prognostic risk factors and outcomes compared with high-income countries.

Going the distance in acoustic neuroma resection: microsurgical outcomes at high-volume centers of excellence

PURPOSE

High-volume hospitals are associated with improved surgical outcomes for acoustic neuromas (ANs). Due to the benign and slow-growing nature of ANs, many patients travel to geographically distant cities, states, or countries for their treatment. However, the impact of travel burden to high-volume centers, as well as its relative benefit are poorly understood. We compared post-operative outcomes between AN patients that underwent treatment at local, low-volume hospitals with those that traveled long distances to high-volume hospitals.

METHODS

The National Cancer Database was used to analyze AN patients that underwent surgery (2004-2015). Patients in the lowest quartile of travel distance and volume (Short-travel/Low-Volume: STLV) were compared to patients in the highest quartile of travel distance and volume (Long-travel/High-Volume: LTHV). Only STLV and LTHV cases were included for analysis.

RESULTS

Of 13,370 cases, 2,408 met inclusion criteria. STLV patients (n = 1,305) traveled a median of 6 miles (Interquartile range [IQR] 3-9) to low-volume centers (median 2, IQR 1-3 annual cases) and LTHV patients (n = 1,103) traveled a median of 143 miles [IQR 103-230, maximum 4,797] to high-volume centers (median 34, IQR 28-42 annual cases). LTHV patients had lower Charlson/Deyo scores (p = 0.001), mostly received care at academic centers (81.7% vs. 39.4%, p < 0.001), and were less likely to be minorities (7.0% vs. 24.2%, p < 0.001) or underinsured (4.2% vs. 13.8%, p < 0.001). There was no difference in average tumor size. On multivariable analysis, LTHV predicted increased likelihood of gross total resection (odds ratio [OR] 5.6, 95% confidence interval [CI] 3.8-8.4, p < 0.001), longer duration between diagnosis and surgery (OR 1.3, 95% CI 1.0-1.6, p = 0.040), decreased length of hospital stay (OR 0.5, 95% CI 0.4-0.7, p < 0.001), and greater overall survival (Hazard Ratio [HR] 0.6, 95% CI 0.4-0.95, p = 0.029). There was no significant difference in 30-day readmission on adjusted analysis.

CONCLUSION

Although traveling farther to high-volume centers was associated with greater time between diagnosis and treatment for AN patients, they experienced superior postoperative outcomes compared to patients who received treatment locally at low-volume centers. Enabling access and travel to high-volume centers may improve AN patient outcomes.

Outcome and characteristics of patients with adult grade 4 diffuse gliomas changing sites of treatment

PURPOSE

With increasing patient self-empowerment and participation in decision making, we hypothesized that patients with adult-type diffuse gliomas, CNS WHO grade 4 who change sites of treatment differ from patients being entirely treated in one neuro-oncological center.

METHODS

Prospectively collected data from all diffuse glioma grade 4 patients who underwent treatment in our neuro-oncological center between 2012 and 2018 were retrospectively examined for differences between patients having initially been diagnosed and/or treated elsewhere (External Group) and patients having entirely been treated in our neuro-oncological center (Internal Group). Additionally, a matched-pair analysis was performed to adjust for possible confounders.

RESULTS

A total of 616 patients was analyzed. Patients from the External Group (n = 78) were significantly younger, more frequently suffered from IDH-mutant astrocytoma grade 4, had a greater extent of tumor resection, more frequently underwent adjuvant therapy and experienced longer overall survival (all p < 0.001). However, after matching these patients to patients of the Internal Group considering IDH mutations, extent of resection, adjuvant therapy, age and gender, no difference in patients' overall survival was observed anymore.

CONCLUSION

The present study demonstrates that mobile diffuse glioma grade 4 patients stand out from a comprehensive diffuse glioma grade 4 patient cohort due to their favorable prognostic characteristics. However, changing treatment sites did not result in survival benefit over similar patients being entirely taken care of within one neuro-oncological institution. These results underline the importance of treatment and molecular markers in glioma disease for patients' self-empowerment, including changing treatment sites according to patients' needs and wishes.

Facility patient volume and survival among individuals diagnosed with malignant central nervous system tumors

PURPOSE

Prior research indicates that the volume of central nervous system (CNS) tumor patients seen by a facility is associated with outcomes. However, most studies have focused on short-term survival and specific CNS tumor subtypes. Our objective was to examine whether facility CNS tumor patient volume is associated with longer-term CNS tumor survival overall and by subtype.

METHODS

We obtained National Cancer Database (NCDB) data including individuals diagnosed with CNS tumors from 2004 to 2016. Analyses were stratified by age group (0-14, 15-39, 40-64, and ≥ 65 years) and tumor type. We used Cox Proportional Hazards (PH) regression and restricted mean survival time (RMST) analyses to examine associations between survival and facility patient volume percentile category adjusting for potential confounding factors.

RESULTS

Our analytic dataset included data from 130,830 individuals diagnosed with malignant first primary CNS tumors. We found a consistently reduced hazard rate of death across age groups for individuals reported by higher vs. lower (> 95th vs. ≤ 70th percentile) volume facilities (hazard ratio (HR)_0-14 = 0.78, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.64-0.95; HR_15-39 = 0.87, 95% CI 0.78-0.96; HR_40-64 = 0.82, 95% CI 0.76-0.88; HR_≥65 = 0.80, 95% CI 0.75-0.86). Significantly longer survival times within 5 years for higher vs. lower volume facilities were observed ranging from 1.20 months (15-39) to 3.08 months (40-64) higher. Associations varied by CNS tumor subtype for all age groups.

CONCLUSIONS

These results suggest facility factors influence CNS tumor survival with longer survival for patients reported by higher volume facilities. Understanding these factors will be critical to developing strategies that eliminate modifiable differences in survival times.

Racial and ethnic disparities in brain tumour survival by age group and tumour type

PURPOSE

The extent to which racial/ethnic brain tumour survival disparities vary by age is not very clear. In this study, we assess racial/ethnic brain tumour survival disparities overall by age group and type.

METHODS

Data were obtained from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) 18 registries for US-based individuals diagnosed with a first primary malignant tumour from 2007 through 2016. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to compute adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) for the association between race/ethnicity and brain tumour survival, stratified by age group and tumour type.

RESULTS

After adjusting for sex, socioeconomic status, insurance status, and tumour type, non-Hispanic (NH) Blacks (HR: 1.26; 95% CI: 1.02-1.55), NH Asian or Pacific Islanders (HR: 1.29; 95% CI: 1.01-1.66), and Hispanics (any race) (HR: 1.28; 95% CI: 1.09-1.51) all showed a survival disadvantage compared with NH Whites for the youngest age group studied (0-9 years). Furthermore, NH Blacks (HR: 0.88; 95% CI: 0.91-0.97), NH Asian or Pacific Islanders (HR: 0.84; 95% CI: 0.77-0.92), and Hispanics (any race) (HR: 0.91; 95% CI: 0.85-0.97) all showed a survival advantage compared with NH Whites for the 60-79 age group. Tests for interactions showed significant trends, indicating that racial/ethnic survival disparities disappear and even reverse for older age groups (P < 0.001). This reversal appears to be driven by poor glioblastoma survival among NH Whites (P < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Disparities in brain tumour survival among minorities exist primarily among children and adolescents. NH White adults show worse survival than their minority counterparts, which is possibly driven by poor glioblastoma biology.

Cost-Utility Analysis of Major System Change in Specialist Cancer Surgery in London, England, Using Linked Patient-Level Electronic Health Records and Difference-in-Differences Analysis

BACKGROUND

Studies have shown that centralising surgical treatment for some cancers can improve patient outcomes, but there is limited evidence of the impact on costs or health-related quality of life.

OBJECTIVES

We report the results of a cost-utility analysis of the RESPECT-21 study using difference-in-differences, which investigated the reconfiguration of specialist surgery services for four cancers in an area of London, compared to the Rest of England (ROE).

METHODS

Electronic health records data were obtained from the National Cancer Registration and Analysis Service for patients diagnosed with one of the four cancers of interest between 2012 and 2017. The analysis for each tumour type used a short-term decision tree followed by a 10-year Markov model with 6-monthly cycles. Costs were calculated by applying National Health Service (NHS) Reference Costs to patient-level hospital resource use and supplemented with published data. Cancer-specific preference-based health-related quality-of-life values were obtained from the literature to calculate quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs). Total costs and QALYs were calculated before and after the reconfiguration, in the London Cancer (LC) area and in ROE, and probabilistic sensitivity analysis was performed to illustrate the uncertainty in the results.

RESULTS

At a threshold of £30,000/QALY gained, LC reconfiguration of prostate cancer surgery services had a 79% probability of having been cost-effective compared to non-reconfigured services using difference-in-differences. The oesophago-gastric, bladder and renal reconfigurations had probabilities of 62%, 49% and 12%, respectively, of being cost-effective at the same threshold. Costs and QALYs per surgical patient increased over time for all cancers across both regions to varying degrees. Bladder cancer surgery had the smallest patient numbers and changes in costs, and QALYs were not significant. The largest improvement in outcomes was in renal cancer surgery in ROE, making the relative renal improvements in LC appear modest, and the probability of the LC reconfiguration having been cost-effective low.

CONCLUSIONS

Prostate cancer reconfigurations had the highest probability of being cost-effective. It is not clear, however, whether the prostate results can be considered in isolation, given the reconfigurations occurred simultaneously with other system changes, and healthcare delivery in the NHS is highly networked and collaborative. Routine collection of quality-of-life measures such as the EQ-5D-5L would have improved the analysis.

Geospatial evaluation of disparities in neurosurgical access in the United States

When neurosurgical care is needed, the distance to a facility staffed with a neurosurgeon is critical. This work utilizes geospatial analysis to analyze access to neurosurgery in the Medicare population and relevant socioeconomic factors. Medicare billing and demographic data from 2015 to 2019 were combined with national National Provider Identifier (NPI) registry data to identify the average travel distance to reach a neurosurgeon as well as the number of neurosurgeons in each county. This was merged with U.S. Census data to capture 23 socioeconomic attributes. Moran's I statistic was calculated across counties. Socioeconomic variables were compared using ANOVA. Hotspots with the highest neurosurgeon access were predominantly located in the Mid-Atlantic region, central Texas, and southern Montana. Coldspots were found in the Great Plains, Midwest, and Southern Texas. There were statistically significant differences (p < 0.05) between high- and low-access counties, including: stroke prevalence, poverty, median household income, and total population density. There were no statistically significant differences in most races or ethnicities. Overall, there exist statistically significant clusters of decreased neurosurgery access within the United States, with varying sociodemographic characteristics between access hotspots and coldspots.

Disparities in access to surgery for glioblastoma multiforme at high-volume Commission on Cancer-accredited hospitals in the United States

OBJECTIVE

Although it has been shown that surgery for glioblastoma (GBM) at high-volume facilities (HVFs) may be associated with better postoperative outcomes, the use of such hospitals may not be equally distributed. The authors aimed to evaluate racial and socioeconomic differences in access to surgery for GBM at high-volume Commission on Cancer (CoC)-accredited hospitals.

METHODS

The National Cancer Database was queried for patients with GBM that was newly diagnosed between 2004 and 2015. Patients who received no surgical intervention or those who received surgical intervention at a site other than the reporting facility were excluded. Annual surgical case volume was calculated for each hospital, with volume ≥ 90th percentile defined as an HVF. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to identify patient-level predictors for undergoing surgery at an HVF. Furthermore, multiple subgroup analyses were performed to determine the adjusted odds ratio of the likelihood of undergoing surgery at an HVF in 2016 as compared to 2004 for each patient subpopulation (by age, race, sex, educational group, etc.).

RESULTS

A total of 51,859 patients were included, with 10.7% (n = 5562) undergoing surgery at an HVF. On multivariable analysis, Hispanic White patients (OR 0.58, 95% CI 0.49-0.69, p < 0.001) were found to have significantly lower odds of undergoing surgery at an HVF (reference = non-Hispanic White). In addition, patients from a rural residential location (OR 0.55, 95% CI 0.41-0.72, p < 0.001; reference = metropolitan); patients with nonprivate insurance status (Medicare [OR 0.78, 95% CI 0.71-0.86, p < 0.001], Medicaid [OR 0.68, 95% CI 0.60-0.78, p < 0001], other government insurance [OR 0.68, 95% CI 0.52-0.86, p = 0.002], or who were uninsured [OR 0.61, 95% CI 0.51-0.72, p < 0.001]); and lower-income patients ($50,354-$63,332 [OR 0.68, 95% CI 0.63-0.74, p < 0.001], $40,227-$50,353 [OR 0.84, 95% CI 0.76-0.92, p < 0.001]; reference = ≥ $63,333) were also found to be significantly associated with a lower likelihood of surgery at an HVF. Subgroup analyses revealed that elderly patients (age ≥ 65 years), both male and female patients and non-Hispanic White patients, and those with private insurance, Medicare, metropolitan residential location, median zip code-level household income in the first and second quartiles, and educational attainment in the first and third quartiles had increased odds of undergoing surgery at an HVF in 2016 compared to 2004 (all p ≤ 0.05). On the other hand, patients with other governmental insurance, patients with a rural residence, and those from a non-White racial category did not show a significant difference in odds of surgery at an HVF over time (all p > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

The present analysis from the National Cancer Database revealed significant disparities in access to surgery at an HVF for GBM within the United States. Furthermore, there was evidence that these racial and socioeconomic disparities may have widened between 2004 and 2016. The findings should assist health policy makers in the development of strategies for improving access to HVFs for racially and socioeconomically disadvantaged populations.

Effect of Household Income on Short-Term Outcomes Following Cerebellopontine Angle Tumor Resection

Objectives  The objective of this study is to elucidate the impact of income on short-term outcomes in a cerebellopontine angle (CPA) tumor resection population. Design  This is a retrospective regression analysis. Setting  This study was done at a single, multihospital, urban academic medical center. Participants  Over 6 years (from June 7, 2013, to April 24, 2019), 277 consecutive CPA tumor cases were reviewed. Main Outcome Measures  Outcomes studied included readmission, emergency department evaluation, unplanned return to surgery, return to surgery after index admission, and mortality. Univariate analysis was conducted among the entire population with significance set at a p -value <0.05. The population was divided into quartiles based on median household income and univariate analysis conducted between the lowest (quartile 1 [Q1]) and highest (quartile 4 [Q4]) socioeconomic quartiles, with significance set at a p -value <0.05. Stepwise regression was conducted to determine the correlations among study variables and to identify confounding factors. Results  Regression analysis of 273 patients demonstrated decreased rates of unplanned reoperation ( p  = 0.015) and reoperation after index admission ( p  = 0.035) at 30 days with higher standardized income. Logistic regression between the lowest (Q1) and highest (Q4) socioeconomic quartiles demonstrated decreased unplanned reoperation ( p  = 0.045) and decreasing but not significant reoperation after index admission ( p  = 0.15) for Q4 patients. No significant difference was observed for other metrics of morbidity and mortality. Conclusion  Higher socioeconomic status is associated with decreased risk of unplanned reoperation following CPA tumor resection.

Disparities in Reported Testing for 1p/19q Codeletion in Oligodendroglioma and Oligoastrocytoma Patients: An Analysis of the National Cancer Database

Purpose

A chromosomal 1p/19q codeletion was included as a required diagnostic component of oligodendrogliomas in the 2016 World Health Organization (WHO) classification of central nervous system tumors. We sought to evaluate disparities in reported testing for 1p/19q codeletion among oligodendroglioma and oligoastrocytoma patients before and after the guidelines.

Methods

The National Cancer Database (NCDB) was queried for patients with histologically-confirmed WHO grade II/III oligodendroglioma or oligoastrocytoma from 2011-2017. Adjusted odds of having a reported 1p/19q codeletion test for patient- and hospital-level factors were calculated before (2011-2015) and after (2017) the guidelines. The adjusted likelihood of receiving adjuvant treatment (chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy) based on reported testing was also evaluated.

Results

Overall, 6,404 patients were identified. The reported 1p/19q codeletion testing rate increased from 45.8% in 2011 to 59.8% in 2017. From 2011-2015, lack of insurance (OR 0.77; 95% CI 0.62-0.97;p=0.025), lower zip code-level educational attainment (OR 0.62; 95% CI 0.49-0.78;p<0.001), and Northeast (OR 0.68; 95% CI 0.57-0.82;p<0.001) or Southern (OR 0.62; 95% CI 0.49-0.79;p<0.001) facility geographic region were negatively associated with reported testing. In 2017, Black race (OR 0.49; 95% CI 0.26-0.91;p=0.024) and Northeast (OR 0.50; 95% CI 0.30-0.84;p=0.009) or Southern (OR 0.42; 95% CI 0.22-0.78;p=0.007) region were negatively associated with reported testing. Patients with a reported test were more likely to receive adjuvant treatment (OR 1.73; 95% CI 1.46-2.04;p<0.001).

Conclusion

Despite the 2016 WHO guidelines, disparities in reported 1p/19q codeletion testing by geographic region persisted while new disparities in race/ethnicity were identified, which may influence oligodendroglioma and oligoastrocytoma patient management.

Residential distance from the reporting hospital and survival among adolescents, and young adults diagnosed with CNS tumors

PURPOSE

Prior research shows that residential distance to a treatment facility may be an important factor in central nervous system (CNS) tumor outcomes. Our goal was to examine residential distance to the reporting hospital and overall survival in adolescents and young adults (AYA) diagnosed with CNS tumors.

METHODS

National Cancer Database data on AYA 15-39 years old diagnosed with CNS and Other Intracranial and Intraspinal Neoplasms (CNS tumors) from 2010 to 2014 were obtained. Distance between the case's residence at diagnosis or initial treatment and the reporting hospital was classified in miles as short (≤ 12.5), intermediate (> 12.5 and < 50), and long (≥ 50). Cox proportional hazards regression models were used for analyses.

RESULTS

Among 9335 AYA diagnosed with CNS tumors, hazard ratios (HRs) were 1.06 (95% CI 0.96-1.17) and 0.82 (95% CI 0.73-0.93) for those with residences at intermediate and long vs. short distances, respectively, after adjusting for age, sex, race/ethnicity, and zip-code level education and income. After adjusting for the facility volume of CNS tumor patients, the association was attenuated for long vs. short distance residences (HR 0.92, 95% CI 0.81-1.04). The HRs varied by tumor type, race/ethnicity, and zip-code level income with significantly lower hazards of death for those with residences at long vs. short distances for low-grade astrocytic tumors, ependymomas, non-Hispanic Whites, and those from higher-income areas.

CONCLUSIONS

Living at long distances for CNS tumor care may be associated with better survival in AYA patients. This may be explained by travel to facilities with more experience treating CNS tumors.

Distance traveled to glioblastoma treatment: A measure of the impact of socioeconomic status on survival

BACKGROUND

Previous studies have shown improved post-surgical outcomes in patients who travel farther for glioblastoma treatment. This study investigates socioeconomic and facility factors that may influence this relationship.

METHODS

Overall survival was calculated and compared by distance to treatment facility using univariate and multivariate survival models. The analysis was stratified by facility type, income quartile and insurance status and the association re-evaluated. Kaplan-Meier survival curves were created to analyze the relationship between overall survival and distance group.

RESULTS

Individuals who traveled less than 5 miles to treatment had the shortest overall survival (11.8 months), while those who traveled greater than 50 miles had the longest survival (12.9 months). Stratification by income quartile failed to demonstrate an association between distance traveled and survival for those making less than $63,000 (adjusted hazard ratio range: 0.94-1.01). There was no association between survival and distance traveled for patients treated at a community cancer center, comprehensive community cancer center or an integrated network cancer program (adjusted hazard ratio range: 0.86-1.04).

CONCLUSION

Financial strain, rather than distance traveled to treatment, may be associated with glioblastoma survival.

Travel Time to a High Volume Center Negatively Impacts Timing of Care in Rectal Cancer

BACKGROUND

Regionalization of rectal cancer surgery may lead to worse disease free survival owing to longer travel time to reach a high volume center yet no study has evaluated this relationship at a single high volume center volume center.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This was a retrospective review of rectal cancer patients undergoing surgery from 2009 to 2019 at a single high volume center. Patients were divided into two groups based on travel time. The primary outcome was disease-free survival (DFS). Additional outcomes included treatment within 60 d of diagnosis, completeness of preoperative staging, and evaluation by a colorectal surgeon prior to initiation of treatment.

RESULTS

A lower proportion of patients with long travel time began definitive treatment within 60 d of diagnosis (74.0% versus 84.0%, P= 0.01) or were seen by the treating colorectal surgeon before beginning definitive treatment (74.8% versus 85.4%, P < 0.01). On multivariable logistic regression analysis, patients with long travel time were significantly less likely to begin definitive treatment within 60 d of diagnosis (OR = 0.54; 95% CI = 0.31-0.93) or to be evaluated by a colorectal surgeon prior to initiating treatment (OR = 0.45; 95% CI = 0.25-0.80). There were no significant differences in DFS based on travel time.

CONCLUSIONS

Although patients with long travel times may be vulnerable to delayed, lower quality rectal cancer care, there is no difference in DFS when definitive surgery is performed at a high volume canter. Ongoing research is needed to identify explanations for delays in treatment to ensure all patients receive the highest quality care.

Optimal surgeon and hospital volume thresholds to reduce mortality and length of stay for CABG

Objective

We used nationwide population-based data to identify optimal hospital and surgeon volume thresholds and to discover the effects of these volume thresholds on operative mortality and length of stay (LOS) for coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG).

Design

Retrospective cohort study.

Setting

General acute care hospitals throughout Taiwan.

Participants

A total of 12,892 CABG patients admitted between 2011 and 2015 were extracted from Taiwan National Health Insurance claims data.

Main Outcome Measures

Operative mortality and LOS. Restricted cubic splines were applied to discover the optimal hospital and surgeon volume thresholds needed to reduce operative mortality. Generalized estimating equation regression modeling, Cox proportional-hazards modeling and instrumental variables analysis were employed to examine the effects of hospital and surgeon volume thresholds on the operative mortality and LOS.

Results

The volume thresholds for hospitals and surgeons were 55 cases and 5 cases per year, respectively. Patients who underwent CABG from hospitals that did not reach the volume threshold had higher operative mortality than those who received CABG from hospitals that did reach the volume threshold. Patients who underwent CABG with surgeons who did not reach the volume threshold had higher operative mortality and LOS than those who underwent CABG with surgeons who did reach the volume threshold.

Conclusions

This is the first study to identify the optimal hospital and surgeon volume thresholds for reducing operative mortality and LOS. This supports policies regionalizing CABG at high-volume hospitals. Identifying volume thresholds could help patients, providers, and policymakers provide optimal care.

Racial/ethnic disparities in treatment pattern and time to treatment for adults with glioblastoma in the US

PURPOSE

Race/ethnicity have been previously shown to significantly affect survival after diagnosis with glioblastoma, but the cause of this survival difference is not known. The aim of this study was to examine variation in treatment pattern and time to treatment by race/ethnicity, and the extent to which this affects survival.

METHODS

Data were obtained from the National Cancer Database (NCDB) for adults ≥ 40 with glioblastoma from 2004 to 2016 (N = 68,979). Treatment patterns and time to treatment by race/ethnicity were compared using univariable and multivariable logistic and linear regression models, respectively, and adjusted for known prognostic factors and factors potentially affecting health care access.

RESULTS

Black non-Hispanics (BNH) and Hispanics were less likely to receive radiation and less likely to receive chemotherapy as compared to White non-Hispanics (WNH). Time to radiation initiation was ~ 2 days longer and time to chemotherapy initiation was ~ 4 days longer in both groups in comparison to WNH.

CONCLUSION

Both race/ethnicity and treatment timing significantly affected survival time, and this association remained after adjustment for known prognostic factors. Additional research is necessary to disentangle the specific causal factors, and the mechanism with which they affect survival.

Impact of race on care, readmissions, and survival for patients with glioblastoma: an analysis of the National Cancer Database

Background

The objective of this study was to explore racial/ethnic factors that may be associated with survival in patients with glioblastoma by querying the National Cancer Database (NCDB).

Methods

The NCDB was queried for patients diagnosed with glioblastoma between 2004 and 2014. Patient demographic variables included age at diagnosis, sex, race, ethnicity, Charlson-Deyo score, insurance status, and rural/urban/metropolitan location of zip code. Treatment variables included surgical treatment, extent of resection, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, type of radiation, and treatment facility type. Outcomes included 30-day readmission, 30- and 90-day mortality, and overall survival. Multivariable Cox regression analyses were performed to evaluate variables associated with race and overall survival.

Results

A total of 103 652 glioblastoma patients were identified. There was a difference in the proportion of patients for whom surgery was performed, as well as the proportion receiving radiation, when stratified by race (P < .001). Black non-Hispanics had the highest rates of unplanned readmission (7.6%) within 30 days (odds ratio [OR]: 1.39 compared to White non-Hispanics, P < .001). Asian non-Hispanics had the lowest 30- (3.2%) and 90-day mortality (9.8%) when compared to other races (OR: 0.52 compared to White non-Hispanics, P = .031). Compared to White non-Hispanics, we found Black non-Hispanics (hazard ratio [HR]: 0.88, P < .001), Asian non-Hispanics (HR: 0.72, P < .001), and Hispanics (HR: 0.69, P < .001) had longer overall survival.

Conclusions

Differences in treatment and outcomes exist between races. Further studies are needed to elucidate the etiology of these race-related disparities and to improve outcomes for all patients.

Travelling to a High-Volume Center Confers Improved Survival in Stage I Non-small Cell Lung Cancer

BACKGROUND

The association of hospital volume with outcomes has been assessed previously for patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), but there are limited data on the cumulative effect of travel burden and hospital volume on treatment decisions and survival outcomes. We used the National Cancer Database to evaluate this relationship in early-stage NSCLC.

METHODS

Outcomes of interest were compared between 2 propensity-matched groups with stage I NSCLC: patients in the bottom quartile of distance travelled who underwent surgery at low-volume centers (Local) and those in the top quartile of distance travelled who received surgery at high-volume centers (Distant). Outcomes included type of resection (anatomic or nonanatomic), time to resection (< or ≥8 weeks), number of lymph nodes examined (< or ≥10 nodes) and R0 resection.

RESULTS

We identified 3325 Local patients who travelled 2.3 miles (interquartile range [IQR]: 1.4-3.3 miles) to centers that treated 10.5 (IQR: 6.5-16.5) stage I NSCLCs/year and 3361 Distant patients who travelled 40.0 miles (IQR: 29.1-63.4 miles) to centers treating 56.9 (IQR: 40.1-84.7) stage I NSCLCs/year. Local patients were less likely to receive surgery <8 weeks post-diagnosis, have ≥10 lymph nodes examined during surgery, and undergo an R0 resection (all P < .01). Distant patients had shorter hospital stays and superior median survival, both P < .01.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients travelling longer distances to high-volume centers receive better and more timely surgical care, leading to shorter hospital stays and improved survival outcomes. Regionalization of lung cancer care by improving travel support to larger treatment facilities may help improve early-stage NSCLC outcomes.

Brain tumour patients' use of social media for disease management: Current practices and implications for the future

OBJECTIVE

The role of social media in disease management is evolving. We aimed to define current use of social media for patients with primary brain tumours.

METHODS

This was a single-centre cross-sectional prospective study; a questionnaire was administered on electronic tablets to patients in the Outpatient Department of Royal Melbourne Hospital.

RESULTS

Of the 201 participants, 55.7 % were female and 61.2 % were aged 30-59 years. The Internet was used by 84.5 % of participants, 70.6 % of those used social media. This included social networking sites (33.1 %), wikis (28.1 %) and blogs (14.0 %) to access information, for communication or for interaction related to their brain tumour. Participants indicated preferences for privacy and flexibility and valued when health professionals contributed. Subjective social functioning and activities of daily living benefits were reported from use, however no difference in Health Related Quality of Life was found between social media users and non-users.

CONCLUSIONS

This study is the first to examine social media use in disease management for brain tumour patients and defines its use and potential for targeted online interventions.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

Through identifying concerns regarding current social media sites and determining preferences of patients we have created recommendations to direct design of online content for patients.

The role of socioeconomic status on outcomes following cerebellopontine angle tumor resection

PURPOSE

It is well documented that the interaction between many social factors can affect clinical outcomes. However, the independent effects of economics on outcomes following surgery are not well understood. The goal of this study is to investigate the role socioeconomic status has on postoperative outcomes in a cerebellopontine angle (CPA) tumor resection population.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Over 6 years (07 June 2013 to 24 April 2019), 277 consecutive CPA tumor cases were reviewed at a single, multihospital academic medical center. Patient characteristics obtained included median household income, Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI), race, BMI, tobacco use, amongst 23 others. Outcomes studied included readmission, ED evaluation, unplanned return to surgery (during and after index admission), return to surgery after index admission, and mortality within 90 days, in addition to reoperation and mortality throughout the entire follow-up period. Univariate analysis was conducted amongst the entire population with significance set at a p value <0.05. The population was divided into quartiles based on median household income and univariate analysis conducted between the lowest (Q1) and highest (Q4) socioeconomic quartiles, with significance set at a p value <0.05. Stepwise regression was conducted to determine the correlations amongst study variables and identify confounding factors.

RESULTS

Regression analysis of 273 patients did not find household income to be associated with any of the long-term outcomes assessed. Similarly, a Q1 vs Q4 comparison did not yield significantly different odds of outcomes assessed.

CONCLUSION

Although not statistically significant, the odds ratios suggest socioeconomic status may have a clinically significant effect on postsurgical outcomes. Further studies in larger, matched populations are necessary to validate these findings.

Ambient carbon monoxide exposure and elevated risk of mortality in the glioblastoma patients: A double-cohort retrospective observational study

An increasing number of studies indicate air pollutants infiltrate into the brain. We aimed to find the association of cumulative air pollution exposure in the main body of primary brain tumor: glioblastoma (GBM). In this double-cohort, retrospective analysis study with a protocol, we compared the health effect of air pollution on the GBM patients from the SEER (Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program) in 27 U.S. counties from 10 states and GBM patients of Severance cohort of Korea. From 2000 to 2015, 10621 GBM patients of the SEER were individually evaluated for the cumulative average exposure for each pollutant, and 9444 (88.9%) mortality events were reported. From 2011 to 2018, 398 GBM patients of the Severance with the same protocol showed 259 (65.1%) mortality events. The multi-pollutant models show that the association level of risk with CO is increased in the SEER (HR 1.252; 95% CI 1.141-1.373) with an increasing linear trend of relative death rate in the spline curve. The Severance GBM data showed such a statistically significant result of the health impact of CO on GBM patients. The overall survival gain of the less exposure group against CO was 2 and 3 months in the two cohorts. Perioperative exposure to CO may increase the risk of shorter survival of GBM patients of the SEER and the Severance cohort.

Increased 30-day readmission rate after craniotomy for tumor resection at safety net hospitals in small metropolitan areas

PURPOSE

Unplanned readmission of post-operative brain tumor patients is often attributed to hospital and patient characteristics and is associated with higher mortality and cost. Previous studies demonstrate multiple patient outcome disparities in safety net hospitals (SNHs) when compared to non-SNHs. This study uses the Nationwide Readmissions Database (NRD) to determine if initial brain tumor resection at SNHs is associated with increased 30-day non-elective readmission rates.

METHODS

Patients with benign or malignant primary or metastatic brain tumor undergoing craniotomy for surgical resection were retrospectively identified in the NRD from 2010 to 2014. SNHs were defined as hospitals with Medicaid and uninsured patient burden in the top quartile. Descriptive and multivariate analyses employing survey-adjusted logistic regression evaluated patient and hospital level factors influencing 30-day readmissions.

RESULTS

During the study period, 83,367 patients met inclusion criteria. 44.7% of patients had a benign tumor, and 55.3% had a malignant tumor. Secondary CNS neoplasm (5.99%), post-operative infection (5.96%), and septicemia (4.26%) caused most readmissions within 30 days. Patients had increased unplanned readmission rates if they underwent craniotomy for tumor resection at a SNH in a small metropolitan area (OR 1.11, 95% CI 1.02-1.21, p = 0.01), but not at a SNH in a large metropolitan area (OR 0.99, 95% CI 0.93-1.05, p = 0.73).

CONCLUSION

This finding may reflect differences in access to care and disparities in neurosurgical resources between small and large metropolitan areas. Inequities in expertise and capacity are relevant as surgical volume was also related to readmission rates. Further studies may be warranted to address such disparities.

Disparities in glioblastoma survival by case volume: a nationwide observational study

Introduction

High hospital case volumes are associated with improved treatment outcomes for numerous diseases. We assessed the association between academic non-profit hospital case volume and survival of adult glioblastoma patients.

Methods

From the nationwide Finnish Cancer Registry, we identified all adult (≥ 18 years) patients with histopathological diagnoses of glioblastoma from 2000 to 2013. Five university hospitals (treating all glioblastoma patients in Finland) were classified as high-volume (one hospital), middle-volume (one hospital), and low-volume (three hospitals) based on their annual numbers of cases. We estimated one-year survival rates, estimated median overall survival times, and compared relative excess risk (RER) of death between high, middle, and low-volume hospitals.

Results

A total of 2,045 patients were included. The mean numbers of annually treated patients were 54, 40, and 17 in the high, middle, and low-volume hospitals, respectively. One-year survival rates and median survival times were higher and longer in the high-volume (39%, 9.3 months) and medium-volume (38%, 8.9 months) hospitals than in the low-volume (32%, 7.8 months) hospitals. RER of death was higher in the low-volume hospitals than in the high-volume hospital (RER = 1.19, 95% CI 1.07–1.32, p = 0.002). There was no difference in RER of death between the high-volume and medium-volume hospitals (p = 0.690).

Conclusion

Higher glioblastoma case volumes were associated with improved survival. Future studies should assess whether this association is due to differences in patient-specific factors or treatment quality.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1007/s11060-020-03428-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Association between urbanicity and surgical treatment among patients with primary glioblastoma in the United States

Background

Glioblastoma (GB) is the most common and most lethal primary malignant brain tumor. Extent of surgical resection is one of the most important prognostic factors associated with improved survival. Historically, patients living in nonmetropolitan counties in the United States have limited access to optimal treatment and health care services. The aim of this study is to determine whether there is an association between urbanicity and surgical treatment patterns among US patients with primary GB.

Methods

Cases with histologically confirmed, primary GB diagnosed between 2005 and 2015 were obtained from the Central Brain Tumor Registry of the United States (CBTRUS) in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the National Cancer Institute. Multivariable logistic regression models were constructed to assess the association between urbanicity and receipt of surgical treatment (gross total resection [GTR]/subtotal resection [STR] vs biopsy only/none) and extent of resection (GTR vs STR), adjusted for age at diagnosis, sex, race, US regional division, and primary tumor site.

Results

Patients residing in nonmetropolitan counties were 7% less likely to receive surgical treatment (odds ratio [OR] = 0.93, 95% CI: 0.89-0.96, P < .0001). Among those who received surgical treatment, metropolitan status was not significantly associated with receiving GTR vs STR (OR = 0.99, 95% CI: 0.94-1.04, P = .620).

Conclusions

Among US patients with GB, urbanicity is associated with receipt of surgical treatment, but among patients who receive surgery, urbanicity is not associated with extent of resection. These results point to potential differences in access to health care for those in nonmetropolitan areas that warrant further exploration.

Increased complication and mortality among non-index hospital readmissions after brain tumor resection is associated with low-volume readmitting hospitals

OBJECTIVE

Fragmentation of care following craniotomy for tumor resection is increasingly common with the regionalization of neurosurgery. Hospital readmission to a hospital (non-index) other than the one from which patients received their original care (index) has been associated with increases in both morbidity and mortality for cancer patients. The impact of non-index readmission after surgical management of brain tumors has not previously been evaluated. The authors set out to determine rates of non-index readmission following craniotomy for tumor resection and evaluated outcomes following index and non-index readmissions.

METHODS

Retrospective analyses of data from cases involving resection of a primary brain tumor were conducted using data from the Nationwide Readmissions Database (NRD) for 2010-2014. Multivariate logistic regression was used to evaluate the independent association of patient and hospital factors with readmission to an index versus non-index hospital. Further analysis evaluated association of non-index versus index hospital readmission with mortality and major complications during readmission. Effects of readmission hospital procedure volume on mortality and morbidity were evaluated in post hoc analysis.

RESULTS

In a total of 17,459 unplanned readmissions, 84.4% patients were readmitted to index hospitals and 15.6% to non-index hospitals. Patient factors associated with increased likelihood of non-index readmission included older age (75+: OR 1.44, 95% CI 1.19-1.75), elective index admission (OR 1.19, 95% CI 1.08-1.30), increased Elixhauser comorbidity score ≥2 (OR 1.18, 95% CI 1.01-1.37), and malignant tumor diagnosis (OR 1.32, 95% CI 1.19-1.45) (all p < 0.04). Readmission to a non-index facility was associated with a 28% increase in major complications (OR 1.28, 95% CI 1.14-1.43, p < 0.001) and 21% increase in mortality (OR 1.21, 95% CI 1.02-1.44, p = 0.032) in initial analysis. Following a second multivariable logistic regression analysis including the readmitting hospital characteristics, low procedure volume of a readmitting facility was significantly associated with non-index readmission (p < 0.001). Readmission to a lower-procedure-volume facility was associated with a 46%-75% increase in mortality (OR 1.46-1.75, p < 0.005) and a 21%-35% increase in major complications (OR 1.21-1.34, p < 0.005). Following adjustment for volume at a readmitting facility, admission to a non-index facility was no longer associated with mortality (OR 0.90, 95% CI 0.71-1.14, p = 0.378) or major complications (OR 1.09, CI 0.94-1.26, p = 0.248).

CONCLUSIONS

Of patient readmissions following brain tumor resection, 15.6% occur at a non-index facility. Low procedure volume is a confounder for non-index analysis and is associated with an increased likelihood of major complications and mortality, as compared to readmission to high-procedure-volume hospitals. Further studies should evaluate interventions targeting factors associated with unplanned readmission.

Impact of facility type and volume in low-grade glioma outcomes

OBJECTIVE

The object of this study was to investigate the impact of facility type (academic center [AC] vs non-AC) and facility volume (high-volume facility [HVF] vs low-volume facility [LVF]) on low-grade glioma (LGG) outcomes.

METHODS

This retrospective cohort study included 5539 LGG patients (2004-2014) from the National Cancer Database. Patients were categorized by facility type and volume (non-AC vs AC, HVF vs LVF). An HVF was defined as the top 1% of facilities according to the number of annual cases. Outcomes included overall survival, treatment receipt, and postoperative outcomes. Kaplan-Meier and Cox proportional-hazards models were applied. The Heller explained relative risk was computed to assess the relative importance of each survival predictor.

RESULTS

Significant survival advantages were observed at HVFs (HR 0.67, 95% CI 0.55-0.82, p < 0.001) and ACs (HR 0.84, 95% CI 0.73-0.97, p = 0.015), both prior to and after adjusting for all covariates. Tumor resection was 41% and 26% more likely to be performed at HVFs vs LVFs and ACs vs non-ACs, respectively. Chemotherapy was 40% and 88% more frequently to be utilized at HVFs vs LVFs and ACs vs non-ACs, respectively. Prolonged length of stay (LOS) was decreased by 42% and 24% at HVFs and ACs, respectively. After tumor histology, tumor pattern, and codeletion of 1p19q, facility type and surgical procedure were the most important contributors to survival variance. The main findings remained consistent using propensity score matching and multiple imputation.

CONCLUSIONS

This study provides evidence of survival benefits among LGG patients treated at HVFs and ACs. An increased likelihood of undergoing resections, receiving adjuvant therapies, having shorter LOSs, and the multidisciplinary environment typically found at ACs and HVFs are important contributors to the authors' finding.