Overall Survival Is Impacted by Birthplace and Not Extent of Surgery in Asian Americans with Resectable Gastric Cancer

Disparities in unplanned surgery amongst medicare beneficiaries

BACKGROUND

While significant efforts have been made to understand surgical disparities for procedures that are performed in either the elective or unplanned settings, far less is known about procedures performed in both settings.

METHODS

Cross-sectional study of 1,135,743 Medicare beneficiaries undergoing incisional hernia repair, colectomy, or abdominal aortic aneurysm repair between 2014 and 2018. Risk-adjusted outcomes were assessed using multivariable logistic regression.

RESULTS

Compared to White beneficiaries, unplanned surgery rates were higher for Black (44.0%vs38.8%, OR = 1.29,p < 0.001) and Asian beneficiaries(40.4%vs38.8%,OR = 1.09,p < 0.001). While there were minimal differences in 30-day mortality for elective procedures, unplanned procedures demonstrated wider disparities (Black vs White 12.4%vs11.3%,OR = 1.11,p < 0.001; Asian vs White 13.2%vs11.3%,OR = 1.18,p < 0.001). Similar patterns were observed for readmissions.

CONCLUSIONS

Unplanned procedures are more common and demonstrate wider disparities in outcomes among minority Medicare beneficiaries. Reducing unplanned surgery rates among these groups may be an effective strategy to limit overall disparities in postoperative outcomes.

Pembrolizumab or pembrolizumab plus chemotherapy versus standard of care chemotherapy in patients with advanced gastric or gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma: Asian subgroup analysis of KEYNOTE-062

OBJECTIVE

First-line pembrolizumab with/without chemotherapy versus chemotherapy was evaluated in programmed death ligand 1 combined positive score ≥1, locally advanced/unresectable or metastatic gastric cancer/gastrooesophageal junction cancer in the KEYNOTE-062 study. We present results for patients enrolled in Asia.

METHODS

Eligible patients were randomly assigned 1:1:1 to pembrolizumab 200 mg, pembrolizumab plus chemotherapy (cisplatin + 5-fluorouracil or capecitabine) or placebo plus chemotherapy Q3W. End points included overall survival (primary) in combined positive score ≥1 and combined positive score ≥10 populations and safety and tolerability (secondary).

RESULTS

A total of 187 patients were enrolled in Asia (pembrolizumab, n = 62; pembrolizumab plus chemotherapy, n = 64; chemotherapy, n = 61). Compared with the global population, higher proportions of patients had Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status 0 and a diagnosis of stomach cancer. In the programmed death ligand 1 combined positive score ≥1 population, median overall survival was numerically longer with pembrolizumab versus chemotherapy (22.7 vs 13.8 months; hazard ratio, 0.54; 95% confidence interval, 0.35-0.82) and pembrolizumab plus chemotherapy versus chemotherapy (16.5 vs 13.8 months; hazard ratio, 0.78; 95% confidence interval, 0.53-1.16). In the programmed death ligand 1 combined positive score ≥10 population, median overall survival was also numerically longer with pembrolizumab versus chemotherapy (28.5 vs 14.8 months; hazard ratio, 0.43; 95% confidence interval, 0.21-0.89) and pembrolizumab plus chemotherapy versus chemotherapy (17.5 vs 14.8 months; hazard ratio, 0.86; 95% confidence interval, 0.45-1.64). The grade 3-5 treatment-related adverse event rate was 19.4%, 75.8% and 64.9% for patients receiving pembrolizumab, pembrolizumab plus chemotherapy and chemotherapy, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

This post hoc analysis showed pembrolizumab monotherapy was associated with numerically improved overall survival and a favourable tolerability profile versus chemotherapy in Asians with programmed death ligand 1-positive advanced gastric cancer/gastrooesophageal junction cancer.This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02494583.

Disaggregating Data on Pacific Islander Gastric Cancer Patients Reveals Survival Disparity

PURPOSE

The incidence and prognosis of Pacific Islanders with gastric cancer is not well documented as previous studies have often aggregated this population with Asians. The purpose of our study was to describe patient and tumor characteristics, as well as prognostic factors of Pacific Islanders with gastric cancer.

METHODS

Patients diagnosed with gastroesophageal junction or gastric adenocarcinoma between 2000 and 2014 were identified in the tumor registry of the largest hospital in Hawaii. Overall survival of Asians, Whites, and Pacific Islanders were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test. Cox proportional hazards regression models were constructed to assess predictors of survival adjusting for clinical and pathological factors.

RESULTS

A total of 615 patients were included in the final analysis. Pacific Islanders were found to present at a younger age, were more often uninsured or had Medicaid insurance, and were diagnosed with a higher stage of cancer compared to their Asian and White counterparts. Pacific Islanders were less likely to undergo surgery even after adjusting for stage. Race was a prognostic factor and survival was lowest among Pacific Islanders, but only if the model was unadjusted for treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

We present an analysis of the largest cohort of Pacific Islander gastric cancer patients. Pacific Islanders have different sociodemographic characteristics and inferior survival compared to Asian patients and should be independently studied.

The Asian Immigrant Cancer Survivor Experience in the United States: A Scoping Review of the Literature

BACKGROUND

Cancer is the leading cause of death for Asian Americans, a growing population in the United States. While cancer survivors often experience complex issues after diagnosis, being an immigrant and having cancer pose additional challenges.

OBJECTIVE

This scoping review analyzed research about immigrant cancer survivors of Asian ethnicity in the United States and provided a structured method to understand an area of research and evidence. Aims focused on immigrants' experiences and how findings could tailor evidence-based interventions, programs, and resources.

METHODS

The PubMed, CINAHL, and Scopus databases were searched to identify studies in English (2009-2018) targeting Asian immigrant cancer survivors in the United States. While 385 records were initially identified, 32 studies met the inclusion criteria.

RESULTS

Thematic analysis of charted study elements revealed 4 themes with subthemes: (1) survival patterns, (2) barriers, (3) culturally informed care, and (4) quality of life (QOL). While qualitative studies provided insight about the cancer experience from immigrants' perspectives, quantitative designs posed descriptions and associations among QOL concepts.

CONCLUSIONS

Study results illustrate the need for survival research that explores outcomes by Asian ethnic subgroups and tracks the influence of acculturation. Future research should test culturally informed interventions that minimize barriers and foster QOL across the cancer continuum. Culturally tailored instruments can expedite larger-scaled studies that allow generalization.

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE

Asian immigrants comprise an underserved, vulnerable, and growing group with various cancers. Nurses who care for immigrants and their families should be cognizant of cultural beliefs, values, practices, and issues related to communication, care access, and socioeconomics.

Endoscopic History and Provider Characteristics Influence Gastric Cancer Survival in Asian Americans

Gastric carcinoma (GC) disproportionately affects Asian Americans. We examined whether history of upper gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopy was associated with lower stage at GC diagnosis among Asian Americans and whether origin of providers influenced referral for endoscopy. We employed Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results-Medicare data on Asian Americans diagnosed with GC in 2004-2013 (n = 1,554). Stage distribution, GI conditions at diagnosis, and history of endoscopy were compared between Asian ethnic groups. Multivariate logistic regression adjusting for age, sex, poverty level, tumor location, and histology was used to examine the association of ethnicity and endoscopic history with stage I disease at diagnosis of GC. Koreans were more likely to be diagnosed with stage I, T1a GC and have prior history of endoscopy, compared with other Asian ethnicities (24% vs. 8% for stage I, T1a; 40% vs. 15% for endoscopy). Patients with primary care providers of concordant ethnic origin were more likely to have history of endoscopy. Asian American patients with GC with history of endoscopy were more likely to be diagnosed with GC at stage I disease (adjusted OR, 3.07; 95% confidence interval, 2.34-4.02). Compared with other Asian Americans, Koreans were diagnosed with GC at earlier stages owing to common history of endoscopy, which was more often undergone by patients with primary care providers of concordant ethnic origin. Overall, upper GI endoscopy was associated with early detection of GC in Asian Americans. Novelty and Impact. It is well-established that Asian Americans in the United States are disproportionately affected by gastric cancer. In our study we found that Asian American patients treated by physicians of similar ethnic background are more likely to undergo upper GI endoscopy in the United States, leading to early detection of gastric cancer and longer survival. Given this, targeted endoscopic screening in Asian Americans should be considered for early detection of GC.

Multidisciplinary Approach in Improving Survival Outcome of Early-Stage Gastric Cancer

BACKGROUND

The necessity of extensive lymph node (LN) dissection/examination and adjuvant therapy for patients with early gastric cancer (EGC, Tis-T1, any N) remains controversial. We aim to refine treatment recommendations for patients with EGC through a reflective analysis for the survival gap between Eastern and Western countries.

METHODS

EGC patients diagnosed between 2004 and 2014 were identified from the National Cancer Database (NCDB) and a large medical center in China. Adequate LN yield was defined as ≥25 LNs examined.

RESULTS

In the US cohort, 14.4% of (1104/7641) patients with EGC had ≥25 LNs examined. The 5-y overall survival (OS) was significantly better than those with <25 LNs (78.9% versus 68.5%, P < 0.001). Examination of ≥25 LNs was an independent predictor of better OS after adjusting all known prognostic factors. Patients with ≥25 LNs examined had significantly higher chance of having LN-positive disease compared to patients with <25 LNs (14.9% versus 10.7%, P < 0.001). A similar stage migration phenomenon was observed in Chinese cohort (LN positive: 25.2% versus 18.4% in ≥25 LNs and <25 LNs examined group, respectively, P = 0.02). In the US cohort, adjuvant therapy was associated with a significant survival benefit for LN-positive patients (5-y OS: 71.0% versus 43.0% for with/without adjuvant therapy, respectively, P < 0.001) but not in LN-negative patients (5-y OS: 71.2% versus 71.5%, P = 0.90).

CONCLUSIONS

Adequate lymphadenectomy and LN examination are critical components of EGC management. Adjuvant therapy should be strongly encouraged for all EGC patients with LN-positive disease in the United States.

Nature versus nurture: the impact of nativity and site of treatment on survival for gastric cancer

BACKGROUND

The prognosis of gastric cancer patients is better in Asia than in the West. Genetic, environmental, and treatment factors have all been implicated. We sought to explore the extent to which the place of birth and the place of treatment influences survival outcomes in Korean and US patients with localized gastric cancer.

METHODS

Patients with localized gastric adenocarcinoma undergoing potentially curative gastrectomy from 1989 to 2010 were identified from the SEER registry and two single institution databases from the US and Korea. Patients were categorized into three groups: Koreans born/treated in Korea (KK), Koreans born in Korea/treated in the US (KUS), and White Americans born/treated in the US (W), and disease-specific survival rates compared.

RESULTS

We identified 16,622 patients: 3,984 (24.0%) KK, 1,046 (6.3%) KUS, and 11,592 (69.7%) W patients. KK patients had longer unadjusted median (not reached) and 5-year disease-specific survival (81.6%) rates than KUS (87 months, 55.9%) and W (35 months, 39.2%; p < 0.001 for all comparisons) patients. This finding persisted on subset analyses of patients with stage IA tumors, without cardia/GEJ tumors, with > 15 examined lymph nodes, and treated at a US center of excellence. On multivariable analysis, KUS (HR 2.80, p < 0.001) and W (HR 5.79, p < 0.001) patients had an increased risk of mortality compared to KK patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Both the place of birth and the place of treatment significantly contribute to the improved prognosis of patients with gastric cancer in Korea relative to those in the US, implicating both nature and nurture in this phenomenon.

Stage-matched survival differences by ethnicity among gastric cancer patients of Asian ancestry treated in the United States

BACKGROUND

Differences have been noted in overall survival (OS) in gastric cancer (GC) between trials conducted in Western vs Asian countries. The National Cancer Database (NCDB) reports outcomes and patient/disease variables relevant to OS.

METHODS

Using NCDB, we identified 89 558 adult patients with GC diagnosed (2004-2012), where self-reported race/ethnicity was available. Cox proportional hazard model was used to calculate multivariable hazard ratio (HR) of death, adjusting for race/ethnicity, age, gender, insurance, histology, grade, location, stage, and treatment type.

RESULTS

After adjustment, Asian patients had improved OS (HR = 0.74, 95% confidence intervals [CI] = 0.71-0.77). There were differences in OS between Asian ethnicities compared with white patients (n = 69 945), notably with Korean (n = 1249, HR = 0.70, 95% CI = 0.64-0.75), Chinese (n = 1271, HR = 0.69, 95% CI = 0.64-0.75), and Indian/Pakistani patients (n = 492, HR = 0.68, 95% CI = 0.61-0.76). Japanese (n = 829, HR = 0.84, 95% CI = 0.77-0.91) and Vietnamese (n = 560, HR = 0.79, 95% CI = 0.71-0.88) OS was also improved (P < 0.0001), while Filipino patients showed no difference (n = 415, HR = 1.00). Black patients had slightly improved OS (n = 13 500, HR = 0.98, 95% CI = 0.95-1.00, P = 0.035).

CONCLUSIONS

This analysis supports improved OS in Asian patients independent of stage, treatment, and known patient or disease characteristics in this large US cohort, and is the largest to define OS differences between Asian ethnicities.

High rate of positive lymph nodes in T1a gallbladder cancer does not translate to decreased survival: a population-based, propensity score adjusted analysis

BACKGROUND

Current consensus guidelines suggest that gallbladder cancer (GBC) patients with resected T1a disease can be observed while patients with T1b or greater lesions should undergo lymphadenectomy (LNE). The primary aim of this study was to critically explore the impact of LNE in early-stage GBC on overall survival (OS) on a population-based level.

METHOD

The 2004-2014 National Cancer Database was reviewed to identify non-metastatic GBC patients with T1a, T1b, or T2 disease and grouped whether a dedicated LNE was performed. OS and relative survival were assessed using Cox proportional hazard regression analyses before and after propensity score adjustments.

RESULTS

4015 patients were included, 246 (6%) had T1a, 654 (16%) T1b, and 3115 (78%) T2 GBC. The rate of positive lymph nodes was 13%, 12%, and 40% for T1a, T1b, and T2 tumors, respectively. Even after propensity score adjustment, no OS benefit was found if LNE was performed for T1a disease (HR:0.63, 95%CI:0.35-1.13) while OS was improved for T1b (HR:0.65, 95%CI:0.49-0.87) and T2 tumors (HR:0.65, 95%CI:0.57-0.73).

CONCLUSION

Despite a higher rate of nodal positivity among patients with T1a disease compared to previous reports, there was no impact on survival and current treatment guidelines appear appropriate for the management of T1a disease.

Selective survival advantage associated with primary tumor resection for metastatic gastric cancer in a Western population

BACKGROUND

The prognosis of metastatic gastric cancer (GC) remains dismal, with a median survival of 10 months. Historically, primary tumor resection was not thought to confer any survival benefit. Although high-level data exist guiding treatment of metastatic GC for patients in the East, no such data exist for Western patients despite inherent ethnic differences in GC biology.

METHODS

The 2006-2012 National Cancer Database was queried for adult patients with metastatic gastric adenocarcinoma. Patients were classified into those who underwent primary tumor resection and chemotherapy (PTRaC) and those who received chemotherapy only. Groups were propensity score matched, and survival was compared using advanced statistical modeling.

RESULTS

A total of 7026 patients met the inclusion criteria: 6129 (87%) patients were treated with chemotherapy alone and 897 (13%) patients were treated with PTRaC. After multivariable adjustment, patients who underwent PTRaC had a significantly better overall survival (OS) than patients who received systemic therapy only (HR, 0.60; 95% CI, 0.56-0.64; p < 0.001). Following full bipartite propensity score-adjusted analysis, 2-year OS for patients who received chemotherapy only was 12.6% (95% CI, 11.7-13.5%), whereas it was 34.2% (95% CI, 31.3-37.5%) for patients who underwent PTRaC (HR for resection: 0.52; 95% CI, 0.47-0.57; p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Our data suggest that there exists a subset of patients with metastatic GC for which PTRaC may improve OS. As significant uncertainty still remains, our results support the need for further prospective trials investigating the influence of palliative gastrectomy on survival among Western patients.