Factors Influencing Adherence to Recommended Colorectal Cancer Surveillance: Experiences and Behaviors of Colorectal Cancer Survivors

Receipt of follow-up care plans on colorectal cancer screening among breast, prostate, and lung cancer survivors

PURPOSE

Our study aimed to examine whether receipt of follow-up care plans is associated with greater guideline-concordant CRC screening stratified by breast, prostate, and lung cancer survivors.

METHODS

We used data from years 2016, 2018, and 2020 of the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System on 3339 eligible treatment-utilizing cancer survivors with complete treatment. We performed descriptive statistics and multivariable logistic regression to examine the mentioned association.

RESULTS

We observed that 83.9% of breast and 88.2% of prostate cancer survivors with follow-care plans received CRC screening (p-value < 0.001). The lowest CRC screening use was observed among lung cancer (70.8%). In multivariable analysis, receipt of follow-up care plans was strongly associated with greater odds of receiving CRC screening in breast (OR, 2.67; 95% CI: 1.71-4.16) and prostate (OR, 3.81; 95% CI: 2.30-6.31) cancer survivors. Regardless of provider type, 84 to 88% reduced likelihood of receipt of CRC screening when they received follow-up care plans among lung cancer survivors. Among those without follow-up care plans, breast (OR, 0.29; 95% CI: 0.09-0.92) and lung (OR, 0.05; 95% CI: 0.01-0.25) cancer survivors who received care from general practices were less likely to receive CRC screening compared to those who received care from non-general practices.

CONCLUSIONS

Receipt of follow-up care plans was associated with greater CRC screening use in breast and prostate cancers. Lung cancer survivors demonstrated lower screening use despite receipt of follow-up care plans.

IMPLICATION FOR CANCER SURVIVORS

Patient and provider communication regarding CRC screening recommendation should be included in their follow-up care plans.

Associations Between Patient Experience With Care, Race and Ethnicity, and Receipt of CRC Treatment Among SEER-CAHPS Patients With Multiple Comorbidities

BACKGROUND

Patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) and multiple comorbidities are less likely to receive guideline-concordant treatment (GCT), a disparity exacerbated by racial and ethnic disparities in GCT. Yet, positive patient experiences with care are associated with more appropriate care use. We investigated associations between patient experiences with care, race and ethnicity, and receipt of GCT for CRC among older adults with multiple comorbidities.

METHODS

We used SEER-Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS) data to identify participants diagnosed with CRC from 2001 to 2017 at age ≥67 years with additional chronic conditions. Stage-specific GCT was identified following recommendations in the NCCN Guidelines for Colon and Rectal Cancer. Patient experiences with care were identified from CAHPS surveys. Multivariable log-binomial regression estimated associations between race and ethnicity and receipt of GCT by experiences with care.

RESULTS

A total of 2,612 patients were included. Those reporting excellent experience with getting care quickly were 5% more likely to receive GCT than those reporting less-than-excellent experience (relative risk [RR], 1.05; 95% CI, 1.04-1.05). When reporting less-than-excellent experience with getting care quickly, non-Hispanic Black (NHB) patients were less likely than non-Hispanic White (NHW) patients to receive GCT (RR, 0.80; 99.38% CI, 0.78-0.82), yet NHB patients were more likely to receive GCT than NHW patients when reporting excellent experience (RR, 1.05; 99.38% CI, 1.02-1.09). When reporting less-than-excellent experience with getting needed care, Hispanic patients were less likely than NHW patients to receive GCT (RR, 0.91; 99.38% CI, 0.88-0.94), yet Hispanic patients were more likely to receive GCT than NHW patients when reporting excellent experience (RR, 1.06; 99.38% CI, 1.03-1.08).

CONCLUSIONS

Although excellent patient experience among those with multiple comorbidities may not be strongly associated with receipt of GCT for CRC overall, improvements in experiences of accessing care among NHB and Hispanic patients with CRC and additional comorbidities may aid in mitigating racial and ethnic disparities in receipt of GCT.

Colonoscopy, imaging, and carcinoembryonic antigen: Comparison of guideline adherence to surveillance strategies in patients who underwent resection of colorectal cancer - A systematic review and meta-analysis

INTRODUCTION

Almost one-third of patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) experience recurrence after resection. Adherence to surveillance guidelines largely dictates efficacy in early detection of recurrence. We sought to assess and compare adherence to postoperative surveillance guidelines for colonoscopy, imaging, and Carcinoembryonic Antigen (CEA).

METHODS

PubMed, Medline, Embase, Scopus, Cochrane, Web of Science, and CINAHL were systematically searched. Random-effects meta-analysis was performed and pooled adherence to each surveillance strategy was assessed for CEA, imaging, and colonoscopy.

RESULTS

Overall 14 studies (55,895 patients) met the inclusion criteria. Adherence to colonoscopy guidelines was the highest (70%, 95%CI 67-73), followed by imaging (63%, 95%CI 47-80), and CEA (54%; 95%CI 42-66). Among 7 (50%) studies that examined adherence to the American Society of Clinical Oncology guidelines, compliance with colonoscopy was the highest (73%; 95% CI 70-76), followed by imaging (58%; 95% CI 37-78), and CEA (45%; 95%CI 37-52). Of note, guideline adherence to CEA testing was much lower than colonoscopy among patients with colon (OR 0.21; 95%CI 0.20-0.22) and rectal cancer (OR 0.25; 95%CI 0.23-0.28) (both p < 0.05). This was also noted when compared with imaging recommendations among older patients (OR = 0.62; 95%CI 0.42-0.93) and patients with stage II, (OR = 0.80; 95%CI 0.76-0.84) and stage III disease (OR = 0.88; 95%CI 0.82-0.94) (all p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

While guideline adherence to postoperative surveillance with colonoscopy was high, adherence to CEA testing and imaging surveillance strategies was markedly lower following CRC resection. Future studies should investigate avenues to improve compliance with surveillance guidelines among health care providers and patients to optimize postoperative follow-up for CRC.

Disparities in post-operative surveillance testing for metastatic recurrence among colorectal cancer survivors

PURPOSE

Among colorectal cancer (CRC) survivors, treatment for metastatic recurrence is most effective when malignancies are detected early through surveillance with carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) level test and computer tomography (CT) imaging. However, utilization of these tests is low, and many survivors fail to meet the recommended guidelines. This population-based study assesses individual- and neighborhood-level factors associated with receipt of CEA and CT surveillance testing.

METHODS

We used the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER)-Medicare data to identify Medicare beneficiaries diagnosed with CRC stages II-III between 2010 and 2013. We conducted multivariate logistic regression to estimate the effect of individual and neighborhood factors on receipt of CEA and CT tests within 18 months post-surgery.

RESULTS

Overall, 78% and 58% of CRC survivors received CEA and CT testing, respectively. We found significant within racial/ethnic differences in receipt of these surveillance tests. Medicare-Medicaid dual coverage was associated with 39% lower odds of receipt of CEA tests among non-Hispanic Whites, and Blacks with dual coverage had almost two times the odds of receiving CEA tests compared to Blacks without dual coverage.

CONCLUSIONS

Although this study did not find significant differences in receipt of initial CEA and CT surveillance testing across racial/ethnic groups, the assessment of the factors that measure access to care suggests differences in access to these procedures within racial/ethnic groups.

IMPLICATIONS FOR CANCER SURVIVORS

Our findings have implications for developing targeted interventions focused on promoting surveillance for the early detection of metastatic recurrence among colorectal cancer survivors and improve their health outcomes.

Clinical Significance of and Predictive Risk Factors for the Postoperative Elevation of Carcinoembryonic Antigen in Patients With Non-Metastatic Colorectal Cancer

Background

Recently, a few researches focus on the correlation between postoperative carcinoembryonic antigen (post-CEA) and the outcome of colorectal cancer (CRC), but none investigates the predictive value of post-CEA in a prognostic model. Besides, current recommendations on the frequency of post-CEA surveillance are not individualized and well followed. There is an absence of identification of patients who are more likely to have abnormal post-CEA levels and need more frequent CEA measurements.

Methods

Consecutive CRC patients who underwent curative surgery were enrolled and randomly divided into the discovery (n=352) and testing cohort (n=233). Impacts of preoperative CEA (pre-CEA) and post-CEA on prognosis were assessed. Cox regression model was applied to develop prognostic nomograms, which were validated by the concordance index (C-index), calibration curve, and receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analysis. And prediction improvement of the nomograms was assessed with net reclassification improvement (NRI) and integrated discrimination improvement (IDI). Logistic regression was used to identify predictive risk factors and construct the prediction model for post-CEA elevation.

Results

Post-CEA independently predicted overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS), while pre-CEA did not. Post-CEA elevation represented higher risks in patients with normal pre-CEA, compared to those with persistent elevated CEA. The nomograms for OS and DFS were established with body mass index, tumor differentiation, N stage, lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio, and post-CEA. The nomograms showed good calibration and superior discrimination than pTNM stage, with the C-index of 0.783 and 0.759 in the discovery set and 0.712 and 0.774 in the testing set for OS and DFS, respectively. Comparisons between models using IDI and NRI implied that the nomograms performed better than pTNM stage and the predictive power could be improved with the addition of post-CEA. The prediction model for post-CEA elevation was established with age, platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio, preoperative CA19-9, and pre-CEA. The AUC of the model in the two cohorts was 0.802 and 0.764, respectively.

Conclusions

Elevated post-CEA was a strong indicator of poor prognosis. The addition of post-CEA significantly enhanced the performance of prognostic nomograms. And the prediction model for post-CEA elevation may help identify patients who ought to reasonably receive more intensive postoperative surveillance of CEA levels.

Follow-up surveillance among colorectal cancer survivors of different sexual orientations

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study was to examine receipt of follow-up surveillance among sexual minority and heterosexual survivors and identify survivor-, physician-, and practice-level characteristics associated with follow-up surveillance.

METHODS

An average of 3 years after their stage I-III colorectal cancer diagnosis, we recruited survivors from four cancer registries. A questionnaire, which queried about sexual orientation and other eligibility criteria, was mailed to all cancer survivors. Subsequently, 418 eligible survivors without recurrent disease participated in a telephone survey. Colorectal cancer-specific follow-up surveillance was defined as colonoscopy, carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) test, or imaging test. We used logistic regression with forward selection to obtain models that best explained each follow-up test.

RESULTS

About 10% of survivors received no follow-up surveillance, while 70% had colonoscopies. While survivors irrespective of sexual orientation received follow-up surveillance, sexual minority survivors had 3 times the odds of receiving imaging tests compared to heterosexual survivors. Having a designated provider of any specialty was most salient for the receipt of surveillance.

CONCLUSIONS

Sexual minority survivors' greater receipt of imaging tests may indicate providers perceive them at greater risk for recurrence than heterosexual survivors. Future studies need to examine provider behaviors towards monitoring colorectal cancer survivors of diverse sexual orientations.

IMPLICATIONS FOR CANCER SURVIVORS

Guidelines recommend surveillance of colorectal cancer survivors to improve survival. This study showed that having a designated provider for follow-up is most salient for the receipt of surveillance, most survivors receive surveillance, and sexual minority survivors had more imaging tests compared to heterosexual survivors.

A literature review of post-treatment survivorship interventions for colorectal cancer survivors and/or their caregivers

OBJECTIVE

Colorectal cancer (CRC) survivors have reported a number of concerns and unmet needs after treatment completion. This paper aims to explore existing survivorship interventions after CRC treatment according to the American Cancer Society CRC Survivorship Care Guidelines, to identify study gaps, and provide valuable evidence directing future research.

METHODS

Five electronic databases, including CINAHL, PsycINFO, Embase, PubMed, and Cochrane Library databases from 2005 to October 2020, were systematically searched to identify English or Chinese literature on CRC post-treatment survivorship interventions. Manual searching through the articles' references lists was also conducted.

RESULTS

Thirty studies met the criteria, and focused on addressing issues in four CRC Survivorship Care Guidelines domains. Several issues for CRC surveillance programmes remain to be explored. Regarding the long-term physical and psychosocial effects of CRC treatment, we found mounting evidence for various interventions to solve ostomy issues and improve distress/depression/anxiety, strong evidence for exercise to improve fatigue, and limited evidence in addressing CRC patient sexual concerns. For health promotion, high-quality evidence was found for exercises to improve cardiopulmonary fitness, metabolism, tumour-related biomarkers, and short-term improvement in physical fitness and QOL. Emerging evidence was found for a survivorship care plan to improve patient perceptions of care coordination.

CONCLUSIONS

Further refinements based on the existing evidence, and the development of comprehensive CRC survivorship care comprising multiple essential survivorship components, are required. Furthermore, considering both survivor and caregiver cancer survivorship needs, future research may optimise the care delivered, and help survivors and their families live better with cancer.

Inequitable access to surveillance colonoscopy among Medicare beneficiaries with surgically resected colorectal cancer

BACKGROUND

After colorectal cancer (CRC) surgery, surveillance with colonoscopy is an important step for the early detection of local recurrence. Unfortunately, surveillance colonoscopy is underused, especially among racial/ethnic minorities. This study assesses the association between patient and neighborhood factors and receipt of surveillance colonoscopy.

METHODS

This retrospective, population-based cohort study used Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results-Medicare linked data (2009-2014). Beneficiaries with surgically resected stage II or III CRC between the ages of 66 and 85 years were identified, and multivariable logistic regression was used to assess the effect of factors on receipt of colonoscopy.

RESULTS

Overall, 57.5% of the patients received initial surveillance colonoscopy. After adjustments for all factors, Blacks and Hispanics had lower odds of receiving colonoscopy than non-Hispanic Whites (NHWs; 29.6% for Blacks; P = .002; 12.9% for Hispanics; P > .05). NHWs with Medicaid coverage had 35% lower odds of surveillance colonoscopy than NHWs without Medicaid coverage. Minority patients with Medicaid were more likely to receive colonoscopy than their racial/ethnic counterparts without Medicaid coverage (P > .05). Hispanics residing in neighborhoods with incomes of ≥$90,000 had significantly lower odds of surveillance colonoscopy than Hispanics residing in neighborhoods with incomes of $0 to $30,000.

CONCLUSIONS

Receipt of initial surveillance colonoscopy remains low, and there are acute disparities between Black and NHW patients. The association between factors that assess a patient's ability to access colonoscopy and actual receipt of colonoscopy suggests inequitable access to surveillance colonoscopy within and across racial/ethnic groups.

How spatial accessibility to colonoscopy affects diagnostic adherences and adverse intestinal outcomes among the patients with positive preliminary screening findings

Background

Colonoscopy is an important procedure for early colorectal cancer (CRC) detection, however, patients with positive preliminary screening results in China may not seek for colonoscopy to confirm the diagnosis. We evaluated the spatial accessibility of colonoscopy among the residents with positive preliminary screening results in Guangzhou, China, and investigated how colonoscopy accessibility was associated with the population adherence and adverse intestinal outcomes.

Methods

This study was based on the Guangzhou community‐based CRC screening program. Spatial accessibility was measured using three metrics including travel time from home to nearest colonoscopy hospital, physician‐to‐population ratio (PPR) and accessibility indicator estimated with enhanced two‐step floating catchment area method (E2SFCA). We used Cox regression and logistic regression to assess the association of colonoscopy accessibility with population adherence and adverse intestinal outcomes, respectively.

Results

A total of 34 606 people were identified with positive preliminary screening findings. Central areas were reported with higher E2SFCA scores, higher PPR and less travel time. The model adjusting for potential individual level confounders found that PPR > 50 (Hazard Ratio (HR) = 1.88, 95% Confidence Interval (CI): 1.79‐1.97) and higher scores of E2SFCA (HR = 3.78, 95% CI: 2.07‐6.92) were associated with increased adherence, although estimates were not significant in the model adjusting for both individual and district‐level confounders. For adverse intestinal outcomes, the final multilevel logistic model suggested a lower risk of intestinal lesions among the residents in areas with PPR > 50 (Odds Ratio (OR) = 0.49, 95% CI: 0.24‐0.99) and higher scores of E2SFCA (OR = 0.20, 95% CI: 0.05‐0.82).

Conclusion

Significant inequality of colonoscopy accessibility was observed across Guangzhou. The increased incidence of intestinal lesions was associated with spatial inequalities of medical resources. Policies against the spatial inequality in medical resources should be developed.