Examining the Effect of Travel Distance to Pediatric Cancer Centers and Rurality on Survival and Treatment Experiences: A Systematic Review

Travel burdens to access care among children with cancer between 2016 and 2019: Analysis of a national population-based cancer registry in Japan

BACKGROUND

Centralization of cancer care increases survival but increases the travel burden (i.e., travel durations, distances, and expenditures) in visiting hospitals. This study investigated the travel burdens to access cancer care for children aged 18 years and younger in Japan.

METHODS

The study population comprised 10,709 patients diagnosed between 2016 and 2019 obtained from a national population-based cancer registry in Japan. Their residences were classified as urban or rural. We counted the number of patients treated at specialized hospitals and investigated the treatment centralization across diagnostic groups by Pareto plot. Travel burdens to access care were estimated using a route-planner web service and summarized using median values. A multivariable logistic model was performed to investigate factors associated with the events of car travel duration exceeding 1 h.

RESULTS

Of the patients, 76.7% lived in urban areas, and 82.5% received treatment in designated hospitals for childhood cancer. The Pareto plot suggested that the top five hospitals treated 63.5% of patients with retinoblastoma. The estimated travel burdens for all patients were 0.62 h (0.57 h in urban areas and 1.00 h in rural areas), 16.9 km, and 0.0 dollars of toll charges. Regarding travel duration, 21.7% of patients had travel exceeding 1 h, and rural areas, retinoblastoma, malignant bone tumors, and childhood cancer-hub hospitals were associated with travel duration exceeding 1 h (adjusted odds ratios of 6.93, 3.59, 1.94, and 1.91, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

Most patients were treated in specialized hospitals and the treatments for specific diseases were centralized. However, most patients were estimated to travel less than 1 h, and the travel burden tended to increase for patients in rural areas, those with specific diseases, and those going to specialized hospitals. Cancer control measures in Japan have steadily improved centralized treatment while keeping the travel burden relatively manageable.

Understanding the Quality of Life Among Patients With Cancer in Saudi Arabia: Insights From a Cross-Sectional Study

INTRODUCTION

Cancer patients' quality of life (QoL) significantly influences treatment response and mortality rates. Understanding QoL domains among patients with cancer and what affects it can help create interventions that improve QoL and ease patients' experience. This study measures the OoL among patients with cancer and influencing factors.

METHODS

A prospective cross-sectional questionnaire-based study included cancer patients aged >18 currently receiving treatment. The questionnaire collected social and economic data, followed by the validated Arabic version of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC-QLQ-C30). Means and standard deviations for described numeric variables and frequencies and percentages described categorical variables. Analysis of variance, F-tests, and P-values were reported.

RESULTS

Among 182 cancer patients, 60% were female. Younger patients exhibited higher QoL in physical and role functioning (P = .016 and .03) and experienced more significant financial impact (P = .0144). Females reported more adverse effects from cancer symptoms, including fatigue, nausea, vomiting, and pain (36.7% vs 25.5%, P = .005; 20.6% vs 11.5%, P = .0186; 34.7% vs 25.1%, P = .0281). Single patients had superior QoL in physical functioning compared to others (P = .0127). Patients traveling long distances were more likely to face adverse financial consequences (P = .007). Asthmatic patients exhibited lower QoL in physical, role, and cognitive functioning (72.3 vs 37.8, P = .0147; 76.4 vs 22.2, P = .0024; 84.7 vs 44.4, P = .0038) and reported increased dyspnea and appetite loss (16 vs 55.6 and 26.1 vs 66.7, both P < .05).

CONCLUSION

Factors influencing QoL in Saudi cancer patients include age, marital status, gender, hospital distance, and chronic conditions. Thus emphasizing the necessity for personalized care strategies to enhance outcomes and alleviate the overall burden of cancer care.

Staphylococcus aureus Bacteremia in Pediatric Patients: Uncovering a Rural Health Challenge

Background

Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia poses significant risk for morbidity and mortality. This may be exacerbated in rural populations facing unique health challenges.

Methods

To investigate factors influencing S. aureus bacteremia outcomes, we conducted a retrospective cohort study of children admitted to St. Louis Children's Hospital (SLCH) from 2011 to 2019. Exposures included rurality (defined by the Rural-Urban Continuum Code), Area Deprivation Index, and outside hospital (OSH) admission before SLCH admission. The primary outcome was treatment failure, a composite of 90-day all-cause mortality and hospital readmission.

Results

Of 251 patients, 69 (27%) were from rural areas; 28 (11%) were initially admitted to an OSH. Treatment failure occurred in 39 (16%) patients. Patients from rural areas were more likely to be infected with methicillin-resistant S. aureus (45%) vs urban children (29%; P = .02). Children initially admitted to an OSH, vs those presenting directly to SLCH, were more likely to require intensive care unit-level (ICU) care (57% vs 29%; P = .002), have an endovascular source of infection (32% vs 12%; P = .004), have a longer duration of illness before hospital presentation (4.1 vs 3.0 days; P = .04), and have delayed initiation of targeted antibiotic therapy (3.9 vs 2.6 days; P = .01). Multivariable analysis revealed rural residence (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 2.3; 95% CI, 1.1-5.0), comorbidities (aOR, 2.9; 95% CI, 1.3-6.2), and ICU admission (aOR, 3.9; 95% CI, 1.9-8.3) as predictors of treatment failure.

Conclusions

Children from rural areas face barriers to specialized health care. These challenges may contribute to severe illness and worse outcomes among children with S. aureus bacteremia.

County Rurality is Associated with Increased Tumor Size and Decreased Survival in Patients with Ewing Sarcoma

Background

Ewing Sarcoma (ES) is an aggressive tumor affecting adolescents and young adults. Prior studies investigated the association between rurality and outcomes, although there is a paucity of literature focusing on ES.

Objective

This study aims to determine whether ES patients in rural areas are subject to adverse outcomes.

Methods

This study utilized the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. A Poisson regression model was used with controls for race, sex, median county income, and age to determine the association between rurality and tumor size. A multivariate Cox Proportional Hazard Model was utilized, controlling for age, race, gender, income, and tumor size.

Results

There were 868 patients eligible for analysis, with a mean age of 14.14 years. Of these patients, 97 lived in rural counties (11.18%). Metropolitan areas had a 9.50% smaller tumor size (p<0.0001), compared to non-metropolitan counties. Patients of Black race had a 14.32% larger tumor size (p<0.0001), and male sex was associated with a 15.34% larger tumor size (p<0.0001). The Cox Proportional Hazard model estimated that metropolitan areas had a 36% lower risk of death over time, compared to non-metropolitan areas (HR: 0.64, p ≤ 0.04).

Conclusion

Patients in metropolitan areas had a smaller tumor size at time of diagnosis and had a more favorable survival rate for cancer-specific mortality compared to patients residing in rural areas. Further work is needed to examine interventions to reduce this discrepancy and investigate the effect of extremely rural and urban settings and why racial disparities occur.

Screening for cervical cancer among women in five countries in sub-saharan Africa: analysis of the role played by distance to health facility and socio-demographic factors

BACKGROUND

Cervical cancer significantly affects women in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). However, limited studies have concentrated on cervical screening behaviour among women in SSA. This study aimed to assess the interplay of distance to health facilities and socio-demographic factors with cervical screening behaviour among women in five SSA countries.

METHODS

The study was based on pooled data of 40,555 women included in Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) conducted between 2013 to 2021. Proportions and logistic regression models were used in assessing the interplay of distance to health facilities and socio-demographic factors with cervical screening behaviour.

RESULTS

Approximately, 7.9% of women that saw the distance to a health facility as a big problem, tested for cervical cancer compared to 13.5% who indicated that distance to a health facility is not a big problem. More women in urban areas, with a higher level of education, of richest wealth index, aged 40-44 years and using contraceptives who also indicated that distance to a health facility was a big problem tested for cervical cancer compared to those in rural areas with no education, of poorest wealth index, aged 15-19 years and not using contraceptives. Education, age, contraceptive use, frequent exposure to mass media and Sexual Transmitted Infections (STI) had a significant relationship with testing for cervical cancer.

CONCLUSION

The prevalence of cervical cancer screening was low in the five SSA countries largely due to distance barriers and was also significantly influenced by education, age, contraceptive use, frequent exposure to mass media, and STI status. To improve the screening for cervical cancer and its associated benefits in the five SSA countries, there is a need for policymakers, clinicians and public health workers to channel more commitment and efforts to addressing the barriers identified in this study.

Population-Based Impact of Rurality and Neighborhood-Level Socioeconomic Disadvantage on Pediatric Cancer Mortality in Washington State

BACKGROUND

Childhood cancer-related mortality differs by socioeconomic factors, but the impact of residential location, including rurality and neighborhood-level socioeconomic disadvantage, is not well-characterized.

METHODS

This retrospective cohort study linked Washington State cancer registry data (1992-2013) to state birth (1974-2013) and death records (1992-2013) to identify residents <20 years diagnosed with cancer (n = 4,306). Census-based rural-urban commuting area codes and Area Deprivation Index (ADI) defined rural residence and neighborhood socioeconomic disadvantage at time of cancer diagnosis, respectively. Neighborhoods in the highest state ADI quintile were classified as the most disadvantaged. Kaplan-Meier estimates and Cox hazards models, adjusted for key characteristics, were used to compare mortality by rural and ADI classification.

RESULTS

Five-year overall survival for children from non-rural low ADI neighborhoods (referent) was 80.9%±0.8%, versus 66.4%±2.9% from non-rural high ADI neighborhoods, 69.4%±3.8% from rural low ADI neighborhoods, and 66.9%±3.8% from rural high ADI neighborhoods (P < 0.01 for each comparison versus referent). Compared with the referent group, children from comparator neighborhoods had a greater mortality risk: Rural low ADI [hazard ratio (HR), 1.50; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.12-2.02], rural high ADI (HR, 1.53; 95% CI, 1.16-2.01), and non-rural high ADI (HR, 1.64; 95% CI, 1.32-2.04). Associations of ADI and rurality with mortality varied in sub-analyses by cancer type.

CONCLUSIONS

Children with cancer living in rural and/or socioeconomically disadvantaged neighborhoods at diagnosis experienced greater mortality relative to those without either factor.

IMPACT

Future investigation is needed to examine how rurality and poverty potentially impact healthcare utilization and health-related outcomes in pediatric oncology.

"Double whammy": a rapid review of rural vs urban psychosocial cancer experiences and telehealth service in five countries during the COVID-19 pandemic

Background

Cancer is a long-term condition with biopsychosocial components. People with cancer living in rural areas can have poorer treatment outcomes and higher rates of unmet psychosocial needs than those in urban areas. Cancer, as opposed to other chronic conditions, poses a unique challenge in this current COVID-19 pandemic context, given immunocompromised states of patients and long-term survivor treatment effects. The disaggregated impact of psychosocial issues potentiated by the pandemic on rural vs. urban cancer populations is yet to be quantified. This rapid review investigates whether (i) people with cancer are experiencing pandemic-related psychosocial impacts, (ii) these impacts are equivalent in urban and rural locations, and (iii) whether the rapid uptake of telehealth mitigates or reinforces any identified impacts.

Method

A rapid review was conducted for literature published between December 2019 and 13 August 2021.

Results

Fifteen papers were included, incorporating evidence from five countries. The available literature suggests people affected by cancer living in rural areas are evidencing disproportionate psychosocial impacts of COVID-19, compounding cancer experiences. Despite its widespread and necessary use during the pandemic, telehealth was identified as an additional challenge for rural people with cancer.

Conclusions

Clinicians working with rural people affected by cancer should ensure recognition of the greater risks of psychosocial concerns in their rural patients, and reduced access to health services. Whilst telehealth and other remote technologies are useful and necessary in this pandemic era, clinicians should consider whether its use benefits their rural clients or reinforces existing disparities.

Barriers and facilitators to cancer clinical trial enrollment and participation among rural populations: a scoping review protocol

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this scoping review is to identify barriers and facilitators related to cancer clinical trial enrollment and participation among rural populations.

INTRODUCTION

Advancing the effectiveness of cancer treatment and increasing early detection of cancer relies on enrollment and participation of individuals in cancer clinical trials. Lack of enrollment and participation in trials is a concern, and there is evidence that individuals living in rural areas are unlikely to participate in such trials. Information on barriers to, and facilitators of, enrollment and participation in cancer clinical trials is needed for the development of evidence-based interventions to increase the enrollment and participation of rural populations.

INCLUSION CRITERIA

The review will consider studies on adults aged 18 years or older living in rural areas. Studies that report on barriers and facilitators to enrollment and participation in cancer clinical trials, including both cancer therapeutic and cancer early detection trials, will be included in the review. The review will consider quantitative, qualitative, and text and opinion papers for inclusion.

METHODS

The search strategy will aim to locate published primary studies, reviews, and opinion papers, the latter including those by professional oncology organizations. The databases to be searched include MEDLINE, CINAHL, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library. Gray literature databases will also be searched. Two independent reviewers will retrieve full-text studies and extract data. The results will be presented in diagrammatic format with a narrative summary.

A Decision Support Tool to Optimize Selection of Head and Neck Cancer Patients for Proton Therapy

Simple Summary

A decision support tool was developed to select head and neck cancer patients for proton therapy. The tool uses delineation data to predict expected toxicity risk reduction with proton therapy and can be used before a treatment plan is created. The positive predictive value of the tool is >90%. This tool significantly reduces delays in commencing treatment and avoid redundant photon vs. proton treatment plan comparison.

Abstract

Selection of head and neck cancer (HNC) patients for proton therapy (PT) using plan comparison (VMAT vs. IMPT) for each patient is labor-intensive. Our aim was to develop a decision support tool to identify patients with high probability to qualify for PT, at a very early stage (immediately after delineation) to avoid delay in treatment initiation. A total of 151 HNC patients were included, of which 106 (70%) patients qualified for PT. Linear regression models for individual OARs were created to predict the D_mean to the OARs for VMAT and IMPT plans. The predictors were OAR volume percentages overlapping with target volumes. Then, actual and predicted plan comparison decisions were compared. Actual and predicted OAR D_mean (VMAT R² = 0.953, IMPT R² = 0.975) and NTCP values (VMAT R² = 0.986, IMPT R² = 0.992) were highly correlated. The sensitivity, specificity, PPV and NPV of the decision support tool were 64%, 87%, 92% and 51%, respectively. The expected toxicity reduction with IMPT can be predicted using only the delineation data. The probability of qualifying for PT is >90% when the tool indicates a positive outcome for PT. This tool will contribute significantly to a more effective selection of HNC patients for PT at a much earlier stage, reducing treatment delay.