Cancer Screening in the Elderly: A Review of Breast, Colorectal, Lung, and Prostate Cancer Screening

Screening for lung cancer: 2023 guideline update from the American Cancer Society

Lung cancer is the leading cause of mortality and person-years of life lost from cancer among US men and women. Early detection has been shown to be associated with reduced lung cancer mortality. Our objective was to update the American Cancer Society (ACS) 2013 lung cancer screening (LCS) guideline for adults at high risk for lung cancer. The guideline is intended to provide guidance for screening to health care providers and their patients who are at high risk for lung cancer due to a history of smoking. The ACS Guideline Development Group (GDG) utilized a systematic review of the LCS literature commissioned for the US Preventive Services Task Force 2021 LCS recommendation update; a second systematic review of lung cancer risk associated with years since quitting smoking (YSQ); literature published since 2021; two Cancer Intervention and Surveillance Modeling Network-validated lung cancer models to assess the benefits and harms of screening; an epidemiologic and modeling analysis examining the effect of YSQ and aging on lung cancer risk; and an updated analysis of benefit-to-radiation-risk ratios from LCS and follow-up examinations. The GDG also examined disease burden data from the National Cancer Institute's Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results program. Formulation of recommendations was based on the quality of the evidence and judgment (incorporating values and preferences) about the balance of benefits and harms. The GDG judged that the overall evidence was moderate and sufficient to support a strong recommendation for screening individuals who meet the eligibility criteria. LCS in men and women aged 50-80 years is associated with a reduction in lung cancer deaths across a range of study designs, and inferential evidence supports LCS for men and women older than 80 years who are in good health. The ACS recommends annual LCS with low-dose computed tomography for asymptomatic individuals aged 50-80 years who currently smoke or formerly smoked and have a ≥20 pack-year smoking history (strong recommendation, moderate quality of evidence). Before the decision is made to initiate LCS, individuals should engage in a shared decision-making discussion with a qualified health professional. For individuals who formerly smoked, the number of YSQ is not an eligibility criterion to begin or to stop screening. Individuals who currently smoke should receive counseling to quit and be connected to cessation resources. Individuals with comorbid conditions that substantially limit life expectancy should not be screened. These recommendations should be considered by health care providers and adults at high risk for lung cancer in discussions about LCS. If fully implemented, these recommendations have a high likelihood of significantly reducing death and suffering from lung cancer in the United States.

Factors Influencing Primary Care Practitioners' Cancer Screening Recommendations for Older Adults: a Systematic Review

BACKGROUND

Primary care practitioners (PCPs) play a key role in cancer screening decisions for older adults (≥ 65 years), but recommendations vary by cancer type and jurisdiction.

PURPOSE

To examine the factors influencing PCPs' recommendations for breast, cervical, prostate, and colorectal cancer screening for older adults.

DATA SOURCES

MEDLINE, Pre-Medline, EMBASE, PsycINFO, and CINAHL, searched from 1 January 2000 to July 2021, and citation searching in July 2022.

STUDY SELECTION

Assessed factors influencing PCPs' breast, prostate, colorectal, or cervical cancer screening decisions for older adults' (defined either as ≥ 65 years or < 10-year life expectancy).

DATA EXTRACTION

Two authors independently conducted data extraction and quality appraisal. Decisions were crosschecked and discussed where necessary.

DATA SYNTHESIS

From 1926 records, 30 studies met inclusion criteria. Twenty were quantitative, nine were qualitative, and one used a mixed method design. Twenty-nine were conducted in the USA, and one in the UK. Factors were synthesized into six categories: patient demographic characteristics, patient health characteristics, patient and clinician psycho-social factors, clinician characteristics, and health system factors. Patient preference was most reported as influential across both quantitative and qualitative studies. Age, health status, and life expectancy were also commonly influential, but PCPs held nuanced views about life expectancy. Weighing benefits/harms was also commonly reported with variation across cancer screening types. Other factors included patient screening history, clinician attitudes/personal experiences, patient/provider relationship, guidelines, reminders, and time.

LIMITATIONS

We could not conduct a meta-analysis due to variability in study designs and measurement. The vast majority of included studies were conducted in the USA.

CONCLUSIONS

Although PCPs play a role in individualizing cancer screening for older adults, multi-level interventions are needed to improve these decisions. Decision support should continue to be developed and implemented to support informed choice for older adults and assist PCPs to consistently provide evidence-based recommendations.

REGISTRATION

PROSPERO CRD42021268219.

FUNDING SOURCE

NHMRC APP1113532.

Breast cancer screening and diagnosis in older adults women in Brazil: why it is time to reconsider the recommendations

Introduction

Breast cancer screening in women of 70 years of age or older remains controversial due to a lack of studies that include women of this age.

Methods

This ecological study evaluated data from the Brazilian National Health Service (SUS) on breast cancer screening and staging in this age group compared to 50-69-year olds, for Brazil as a whole and for its geographical regions, between 2013 and 2019. A secondary database was obtained from the outpatient data system of the SUS's Informatics Department, the Brazil Oncology Panel, the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics, the Supplementary Health Agency and the Online Mortality Atlas.

Results

There was a marked reduction in screening in women ≥70 years of age (annual percent change [APC] -3.5; p < 0.001) compared to those of 50-69 years of age (APC-2.2; p = 0.010). There was a trend towards an increase in clinical staging, with a greater occurrence of stages III and IV in the ≥70 group (44.3%) compared to the women of 50-69 years of age (40.8%; p < 0.001).

Conclusion

Considering the increasing age of the Brazilian population and the heterogeneity among older adults women, screening for the over-70s within the SUS merits greater debate insofar as the implementation of public policies is concerned.

Contribution of Genetic Polymorphisms in Human Health

Human health is influenced by various factors; these include genetic inheritance, behavioral lifestyle, socioeconomic and environmental conditions, and public access to care and therapies in case of illness, with the support of the national health system. All these factors represent the starting point for the prevention and promotion of a healthy lifestyle. However, it is not yet clear to what extent these factors may actually affect the health of an entire population. The exposures to environmental and occupational factors are several, most of which might be poorly known, contributing to influencing individual health. Personal habits, including diet, smoking, alcohol, and drug consumption, together with unhealthy behaviors, may inevitably lead people to the development of chronic diseases, contributing to increasing aging and decreasing life expectancy. In this article, we highlight the role of susceptibility biomarkers, i.e., the genetic polymorphisms of individuals of different ethnicities, with particular attention to the risk factors in the response to specific exposures of Europeans. Moreover, we discuss the role of precision medicine which is representing a new way of treating and preventing diseases, taking into account the genetic variability of the individual with each own clinical history and lifestyle.

The Role of Genomics and Proteomics in Lung Cancer Early Detection and Treatment

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide, with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) being the primary type. Unfortunately, it is often diagnosed at advanced stages, when therapy leaves patients with a dismal prognosis. Despite the advances in genomics and proteomics in the past decade, leading to progress in developing tools for early diagnosis, targeted therapies have shown promising results; however, the 5-year survival of NSCLC patients is only about 15%. Low-dose computed tomography or chest X-ray are the main types of screening tools. Lung cancer patients without specific, actionable mutations are currently treated with conventional therapies, such as platinum-based chemotherapy; however, resistances and relapses often occur in these patients. More noninvasive, inexpensive, and safer diagnostic methods based on novel biomarkers for NSCLC are of paramount importance. In the current review, we summarize genomic and proteomic biomarkers utilized for the early detection and treatment of NSCLC. We further discuss future opportunities to improve biomarkers for early detection and the effective treatment of NSCLC.

Impact of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias on colorectal cancer screening utilization, knowledge, and associated health disparities

Background: Colorectal cancer screening can detect colorectal cancer at an early stage and reduce mortality. None of the existing clinical practice guidelines provide specific recommendations for colorectal cancer screening in patients with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD). Limited studies have assessed the impacts of ADRD on colorectal cancer screening use and knowledge, and no studies have focused on the associated health disparities. Objectives: To examine the utilization, knowledge, and associated health disparities of colorectal cancer screening in older adults with ADRD. Methods: This study used the Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey from 2015 to 2018. Two types of colorectal cancer screening, including fecal occult blood test (FOBT) and colonoscopy/sigmoidoscopy, were measured. The colorectal cancer screening knowledge was evaluated by asking if the participants have heard of two screening methods and whether they knew Medicare pays for colorectal cancer screenings. Logistic regression models were used to examine the impact of ADRD diagnosis on the utilization and knowledge of colorectal cancer screening. Results: The overall colorectal cancer screening rate in older adults increased from 86.4% to 88.96% from 2015 to 2018. Patients with AD were 39% (OR: 0.61; 95% CI: 0.50-0.76) less likely and those with RD were 25% (OR: 0.75; 95% CI: 0.62-0.91) less likely to use any colorectal cancer screening when compared to older adults without ADRD. The rate of knowledge of colonoscopy/sigmoidoscopy remained high between 84.23% and 84.57% while the knowledge of FOBT increased from 64.32% to 78.69% during the study period. Compared to older adults without ADRD, those with AD were 77% (OR: 1.77; 95% CI: 1.12-2.81) more likely to hear of colonoscopy/sigmoidoscopy. The rate of knowledge of Medicare pay for colorectal cancer screening increased from 42.19% to 45.27% during the study period. Compared to older adults without ADRD, those with AD were 19% (OR: 0.81; 95% CI: 0.70-0.94) less likely to know that Medicare pays for colorectal cancer screening. Conclusion: ADRD was significantly associated with colorectal cancer screening utilization and knowledge. In addition, this study identified health disparities in race/ethnicity, gender, and urban/rural residence in colorectal cancer screening use and knowledge.

Breast Cancer in the Elderly: An Observational Study Investigating Compliance of Screening Mammography in an Underserved Community

Background

The incidence of breast cancer increases with age. Individuals living in higher socioeconomic communities also have higher incidence secondary to early detection of breast cancer from increased accessibility to mammograms. This retrospective study studied the percentage of new breast cancer cases in the elderly between 2010 and 2019, and investigated the compliance of screening mammography in some of the medically underserved suburbs of southern Chicago.

Methods

The parameters used to power this study include “age greater than 70” and “2010 to present” at the time the study was first initiated. The final data set contained 381 electronic health records (EMRs) that met the parameters of interest. We specifically looked at method of diagnosis, stage at diagnosis, date of last normal screening mammogram, hormone status, histology, race, and smoking history.

Results

Thirty percent of the breast cancer patients diagnosed at our institution were over 70 years of age between 2010 and 2019. Of the 381 patients included in the overall sample, 45% were diagnosed with breast cancer by screening mammogram, and 52% of individuals in the 70 - 75 age group were diagnosed with breast cancer by screening mammography. Only 40% of individuals in the 75+ age group were diagnosed with breast cancer by screening mammogram (P = 0.0234). Furthermore, in the overall sample, 63% had a normal screening mammogram at some time prior to their breast cancer diagnosis. In the 70 - 75 age group, 76% had a normal screening mammogram at some time prior to their breast cancer diagnosis. In the 75+ age group, only 54% had a normal screening mammogram at some time prior to their breast cancer diagnosis (P < 0.0001). Individuals in both age groups were more likely to have early-stage breast cancers and luminal A hormone expression.

Conclusions

Decreased compliance to screening mammography is observed in the elderly living in underserved communities. Since the elderly are underrepresented in research, organizations do not have sufficient information to recommend screening mammography in the elderly. With increasing life expectancy, observational studies have demonstrated a mortality benefit with screening mammography by early detection of breast cancer, favorable breast cancer characteristics and potentially higher cure rates. Socioeconomic factors also affect screening compliance and likely influenced the results of our study. Future studies should investigate how individual factors influence screening mammography compliance in the elderly in underserved communities.

Patient-Reported Factors Associated With Older Adults' Cancer Screening Decision-making: A Systematic Review

IMPORTANCE

Decisions for older adults (aged ≥65 years) and their clinicians about whether to continue to screen for cancer are not easy. Many older adults who are frail or have limited life expectancy or comorbidities continue to be screened for cancer despite guidelines suggesting they should not; furthermore, many older adults have limited knowledge of the potential harms of continuing to be screened.

OBJECTIVE

To summarize the patient-reported factors associated with older adults' decisions regarding screening for breast, prostate, colorectal, and cervical cancer.

EVIDENCE REVIEW

Studies were identified by searching databases from January 2000 to June 2020 and were independently assessed for inclusion by 2 authors. Data extraction and risk of bias assessment were independently conducted by 2 authors, and then all decisions were cross-checked and discussed where necessary. Data analysis was performed from September to December 2020.

FINDINGS

The search yielded 2475 records, of which 21 unique studies were included. Nine studies were quantitative, 8 were qualitative, and 4 used mixed method designs. Of the 21 studies, 17 were conducted in the US, and 10 of 21 assessed breast cancer screening decisions only. Factors associated with decision-making were synthesized into 5 categories: demographic, health and clinical, psychological, physician, and social and system. Commonly identified factors associated with the decision to undergo screening included personal or family history of cancer, positive screening attitudes, routine or habit, to gain knowledge, friends, and a physician's recommendation. Factors associated with the decision to forgo screening included being older, negative screening attitudes, and desire not to know about cancer. Some factors had varying associations, including insurance coverage, living in a nursing home, prior screening experience, health problems, limited life expectancy, perceived cancer risk, risks of screening, family, and a physician's recommendation to stop.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

Although guidelines suggest incorporating life expectancy and health status to inform older adults' cancer screening decisions, older adults' ingrained beliefs about screening may run counter to these concepts. Communication strategies are needed that support older adults to make informed cancer screening decisions by addressing underlying screening beliefs in context with their perceived and actual risk of developing cancer.

Determinants Associated With Longitudinal Adherence to Annual Lung Cancer Screening: A Retrospective Analysis of Claims Data

OBJECTIVE

Lung cancer screening (LCS) efficacy is highly dependent on adherence to annual screening, but little is known about real-world adherence determinants. We used insurance claims data to examine associations between LCS annual adherence and demographic, comorbidity, health care usage, and geographic factors.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Insurance claims data for all individuals with an LCS low-dose CT scan were obtained from the Colorado All Payer Claims Dataset. Adherence was defined as a second claim for a screening CT 10 to 18 months after the index claim. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to define the relationship between annual adherence and age, gender, insurance type, residence location, outpatient health care usage, and comorbidity burden.

RESULTS

After exclusions, the final data set consisted of 9,056 records with 3,072 adherent, 3,570 nonadherent, and 2,414 censored (unclassifiable) individuals. Less adherence was associated with ages 55 to 59 (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.80, 99% confidence interval [CI] = 0.67-0.94), 60 to 64 (HR = 0.83, 99% CI = 0.71-0.97), and 75 to 79 (HR = 0.79, 99% CI = 0.65-0.97); rural residence (HR = 0.56, 99% CI = 0.43-0.73); Medicare fee-for-service (HR = 0.45, 99% CI = 0.39-0.51), and Medicaid (HR = 0.50, 99% CI = 0.40-0.62). A significant interaction between outpatient health care usage and comorbidity was also observed. Increased outpatient usage was associated with increased adherence and was most pronounced for individuals without comorbidities.

CONCLUSIONS

This population-based description of LCS adherence determinants provides insight into populations that might benefit from specific interventions targeted toward improving adherence and maximizing LCS benefit. Quantifying population-based adherence rates and understanding factors associated with annual adherence are critical to improving screening adherence and reducing lung cancer death.

The Relevance and Added Value of Geriatric Medicine (GM): Introducing GM to Non-Geriatricians

Geriatric Medicine (GM) holds a crucial role in promoting health and managing the complex medical, cognitive, social, and psychological issues of older people. However, basic principles of GM, essential for optimizing the care of older people, are commonly unknown or undermined, especially in countries where GM is still under development. This narrative review aims at providing insights into the role of GM to non-geriatrician readers and summarizing the main aspects of the added value of a geriatric approach across the spectrum of healthcare. Health practitioners of all specialties are frequently encountered with clinical conditions, common in older patients (such as cancer, hypertension, delirium, major neurocognitive and mental health disorders, malnutrition, and peri-operative complications), which could be more appropriately managed under the light of the approach of GM. The role of allied health professionals with specialized knowledge and skills in dealing with older people's issues is essential, and a multidisciplinary team is required for the delivery of optimal care in response to the needs and aspirations of older people. Thus, countries should assure the educational background of all health care providers and the specialized health and social care services required to meet the demands of a rapidly aging society.

Primary care clinicians' perceptions of colorectal cancer screening tests for older adults

Colonoscopy is an effective screening test for colorectal cancer but is associated with significant risks and burdens, especially in older adults. Stool tests, which are more convenient, more accessible, and less invasive, can be important tools to improve screening. How clinicians make decisions about colonoscopy versus stool tests in older patients is not well-understood. We conducted semi-structured interviews with primary care clinicians throughout Maryland in 2018-2019 to examine how clinicians considered the use of stool tests for colorectal cancer screening in their older patients. Thirty clinicians from 21 clinics participated. The mean clinician age was 48.2 years. The majority were physicians (24/30) and women (16/30). Four major themes were identified using qualitative content analysis: (1) Stool test equivalency - although many clinicians still considered colonoscopy as the test of choice, some clinicians considered stool tests equivalent options for screening. (2) Reasons for recommending stool tests - clinicians reported preferentially using stool tests in sicker/older patients or patients who declined colonoscopy. (3) Stool test overuse - some clinicians reported recommending stool tests for patients for whom guidelines do not recommend any screening. (4) Barriers to use - perceived barriers to using stool tests included lack of familiarity, un-returned stool test kits, concern for accuracy, and concern about cost. In summary, clinicians reported preferentially using stool tests in sicker and older patients and mentioned examples of potential overuse. Additional studies are needed on how to better individualize the use of different colorectal screening tests in older patients.

[Synergistic effect of polysaccharide from Trichoderma pseudokoningii and oxaliplatin on colorectal cancer cells in vitro]

OBJECTIVE

To explore the synergistic inhibitory effect of polysaccharide from Trichoderma pseudokoningii (EPS) and oxaliplatin (Oxa) on colorectal cancer (CRC) HCT116 cells.

OBJECTIVE

HCT116 cells were treated with 8 μg/mL Oxa and 100 μg/mL EPS alone or in combination, and the changes in cell viability was assessed with CCK-8 assay. CompuSyn software was used for fitting the Fa-CI curve to evaluate the combined effect of the two agents. Flow cytometry was performed to analyze cell apoptosis and cell cycle changes, and wound healing assay and Transwell assay were used to examine the migration ability of the treated cells. Oxa- and EPS-related genes and CRC-related genes were intersected for protein-protein interaction (PPI) analysis and GO and KEGG enrichment analyses.

OBJECTIVE

Treatment with Oxa alone or in combination with EPS significantly inhibited the viability of HCT116 cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner, and the two agents exhibited a significant synergistic effect (CI < 1). The combined treatment with Oxa and EPS resulted in a significantly higher total cell apoptosis rate and a higher percentage of cells in S phase than Oxa alone and the control treatment (P < 0.05). EPS and Oxa alone both inhibited the migration of HCT116 cells, and their combination produced a stronger inhibitory effect. GO enrichment analysis of the key genes related with Oxa, EPS and CRC suggested that these genes were involved mainly in such biological processes as exogenous apoptosis signaling, cell response to chemical stress, and reactive oxygen metabolism; KEGG analysis showed that these genes were involved in the pathways of drug resistance, apoptosis and angiogenesis.

OBJECTIVE

EPS and Oxa can synergistically inhibit the proliferation of HCT116 cells possibly through the PI3K-Akt, MAPK, VEGF, and p53 signaling pathways.

Cancer Screening in Older Adults: Individualized Decision-Making and Communication Strategies

Cancer screening decisions in older adults can be complex due to the unclear cancer-specific mortality benefits of screening and several known harms including false positives, overdiagnosis, and procedural complications from downstream diagnostic interventions. In this review, we provide a framework for individualized cancer screening decisions among older adults, involving accounting for overall health and life expectancy, individual values, and the risks and benefits of specific cancer screening tests. We then discuss strategies for effective communication of recommendations during clinical visits that are considered more effective, easy to understand, and acceptable by older adults and clinicians.

Thirteen-year analyses of medical oncology outpatient day clinic data: a changing field

Background

Novel treatment modalities like targeted therapy and immunotherapy are currently changing treatment strategies and protocols in the field of medical oncology.

Methods

Numbers of patients and patient contacts admitted to medical oncology day clinics of a large European academic cancer centre in the period from 2006 to 2018 were analysed using our patient administration system.

Results

A patient cohort of 9.870 consecutive individual patients with 125.679 patient contacts was descriptively and retrospectively characterised. Mean age was 59.9 years. A substantial increase in both individual patients treated per year (+45.4%; 2006: 1.100; 2018: 1.599) and annual patient contacts (+63.3%; 2006: 8.857; 2018: 14.467) between 2006 and 2018 was detected. Hence and most interestingly, the ratio of visits per patient increased by approximately one visit per patient per year over the last 12 years (+12.4%; 2006: 8.0; 2018: 9.0). Further, a decrease of patient contacts in more prevalent entities like breast cancer was found, while contacts for orphan diseases like myeloma and sarcoma increased substantially. Interestingly, female patients showed more per patient contacts as compared with men (13.5 vs 11.9). Lastly, short-term safety data of outpatient day clinic admissions are reported.

Conclusions

We present a representative and large set of patient contacts over time that indicates an increasing load in routine clinical work of outpatient cancer care. Increases observed were highest for orphan diseases, likely attributed to centralisation effects and increased treatment complexity.

An Intelligent Decision-Making Support System for the Detection and Staging of Prostate Cancer in Developing Countries

Most developing countries face huge challenges in the medical field; scarce medical resources and inadequate medical personnel will affect the development and stability of the society. Therefore, for most developing countries, the development of intelligent medical systems can greatly alleviate the social contradictions arising from this problem. In this study, a new data decision-making intelligent system for prostate cancer based on perceptron neural network is proposed, which mainly makes decisions by associating some relevant disease indicators and combining them with medical images. Through data collection, analysis and integration of medical data, as well as the disease detection and decision-making process, patients are given an auxiliary diagnosis and treatment, so as to solve the problems and social contradictions faced by most developing countries. Through the study of hospitalization information of more than 8,000 prostate patients in three hospitals, about 2,156,528 data items were collected and compiled for experiment purposes. Experimental data shows that when the patient base increases from 200 to 8,000, the accuracy of the machine-assisted diagnostic system will increase from 61% to 87%, and the doctor's diagnosis rate will be reduced to 81%. From the study, it is concluded that when the patient base reaches a certain number, the diagnostic accuracy of the machine-assisted diagnosis system will exceed the doctor's expertise. Therefore, intelligent systems can help doctors and medical experts treat patients more effectively.

Cancer Screening Among Older Adults: a Geriatrician's Perspective on Breast, Cervical, Colon, Prostate, and Lung Cancer Screening

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

We summarize the evidence of benefits, harms, and tools to assist in individualized decisions among older adults in screening for breast, prostate, colon, lung, and cervical cancer.

RECENT FINDINGS

The benefits of cancer screening in older adults remain unclear due to minimal inclusion of adults > 75 years old in most randomized controlled trials. Indirect evidence suggests that the benefits of screening seen in younger adults (< 70 years old) can be extrapolated to older adults when they have an estimated life expectancy of at least 10 years. However, older adults, especially those with limited life expectancy, may be at increased risk for experiencing harms of screening, including overdiagnosis of clinically unimportant diseases, complications from diagnostic procedures, and distress after false positive test results. We provide a framework to integrate key factors such as health status, risks and benefits of specific tests, and patient preferences to guide clinicians in cancer screening decisions in older adults.

Breast Cancer in Patients 80 Years-Old and Older

Objective

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women and one in ten patients affected are over age 80. However, this age group is mostly excluded from clinical trials and data to inform their care is sparse.

Materials and Methods

Medical records of all patients aged 80 years-old and older diagnosed and treated for breast cancer in a single center over a six-year period were retrospectively reviewed. A cohort of patients aged 65 to 75 treated for breast cancer at the same center during the same period was also reviewed for comparison.

Results

Patients in the 80 and over age group were commonly diagnosed with stage II or III disease (39.2%) compared to younger patients who were diagnosed more commonly (61.6%) with stage I disease. Sub-types of breast cancer had a similar representation in the two groups. Hormonal therapy was used equally in the two groups, but significantly fewer patients in the 80 and over age group had radiation therapy and chemotherapy as part of their treatment. Despite these differences, recurrence rates were not significantly different between the two groups.

Conclusion

Individualized treatments taking into consideration the patient's general status, comorbidities and life expectancy are feasible in the older breast cancer population and result in outcomes similar to those of younger patients in the short and intermediate terms.

Chronic Disease Decision Making and "What Matters Most"

The increasing use of the question, "What matters most to you?" is a welcome development in the effort to provide patient-centered care. However, it is difficult for clinicians to translate answers to this question into treatment plans for chronic conditions, including recognizing when to consider options other than clinical practice guideline (CPG)-directed therapy. Goal elicitation is most helpful when a patient has different treatment options with clearly identifiable trade-offs. In the face of trade-offs, goal elicitation helps patients to prioritize among potentially competing outcomes. While decision aids (DAs) focus on trade-offs by delineating options and outcomes, the robust outcome data necessary to create DAs for older patients with multimorbidity are often lacking and even mild cognitive impairment makes the use of DAs difficult. The challenges for providing chronic disease care to older patients who are at risk for adverse events from CPG-directed therapy because of multimorbidity and/or frailty are to organize the complexity of individual combinations of diseases, conditions, and syndromes into common sets of trade-offs and to identify those goals or priorities that will directly inform a plan of care. J Am Geriatr Soc 68:474-477, 2020.

A Practical Guideline for Hepatocellular Carcinoma Screening in Patients at Risk

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) arises in the context of cirrhosis and chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infections, and the diagnosis is often made at advanced stages. Because early-stage diagnosis improves survival, guidelines recommend screening patients at risk for HCC, such as patients with cirrhosis. However, adherence to screening programs is suboptimal. In this review, we discuss the value of HCC screening and provide practical guidance on patient selection and screening methods. International guidelines concordantly recommend HCC screening in patients with cirrhosis, including patients with HBV infections, hepatitis C virus infections with or without sustained virologic response, and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. There is no consensus on screening patients without cirrhosis, although patients with advanced fibrosis, HBV infections, or nonalcoholic fatty liver disease without cirrhosis have an increased risk for development of HCC. Screening for HCC improves early tumor detection, receipt of curative treatment, and overall survival in at-risk patients. However, potential harms of HCC screening have not been well quantified. Semiannual abdominal ultrasonography is the screening modality of choice. Using ultrasonography in combination with biomarkers, such as α-fetoprotein, may increase accuracy for early HCC detection. The use of magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography is limited by cost-effectiveness and practical considerations. Increased awareness of HCC screening will allow for earlier diagnosis and potentially curative treatment. We propose a comprehensive screening algorithm for patients at risk for development of HCC, recommending lifelong, semiannual ultrasonography combined with α-fetoprotein testing in patients with cirrhosis and selected patients without cirrhosis.

Are We Choosing Wisely? Older Adults' Cancer Screening Intentions and Recalled Discussions with Physicians About Stopping

BACKGROUND

National guidelines recommend against cancer screening for older individuals with less than a 10-year life expectancy, but it is unknown if this population desires ongoing screening.

OBJECTIVE

To determine (1) if older individuals with < 10-year life expectancy have future intentions for cancer screening, (2) if they recall a doctor previously suggesting that screening is no longer needed, and (3) individual characteristics associated with intentions to seek screening.

DESIGN

National Social life Health and Aging Project (2015-2016), a nationally representative, cross-sectional survey.

PARTICIPANTS

Community-dwelling adults 55-97 years old (n = 3816).

MAIN MEASURES

Self-reported: (1) mammography and PSA testing within the last 2 years, (2) future intentions to be screened, and (3) discussion with a doctor that screening is no longer needed. Ten-year life expectancy was estimated using the Lee prognostic index. Multivariate logistic regression analysis examined intentions to pursue future screening, adjusting for sociodemographic and health covariates.

KEY RESULTS

Among women 75-84 with < 10-year life expectancy, 59% intend on future mammography and 81% recall no conversation with a doctor that mammography may no longer be necessary. Among men 75-84 with < 10-year life expectancy, 54% intend on future PSA screening and 77% recall no discussions that PSA screening may be unnecessary. In adjusted analyses, those reporting recent cancer screening or no recollection that screening may not be necessary were more likely to want future mammography or PSA screening (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Over 75% of older individuals with limited life expectancy intend to continue cancer screening, and less than 25% recall discussing with physicians the need for these tests. In addition to public health and education efforts, these results suggest that older adults' recollection of being told by physicians that screening is not necessary may be a modifiable risk factor for reducing overscreening in older adults with limited life expectancy.

The utility of folate receptor-positive circulating tumor cell in cancer diagnosis in the elderly population

Purpose: Cancer mortality is relatively high in the elderly population. Folate receptor-positive circulating tumor cell (FR+CTC) has proven an effective biomarker for diagnosis of lung cancer and bladder cancer and may be suitable for other cancer types accompanied with a high expression of FR. To date, the diagnostic efficiency of FR+CTC in the elderly population has not been systematically studied. Herein, we sought to investigate the utility of FR+CTC in cancer diagnosis in the elderly population and the influence of comorbidities on FR+CTC levels in such a population.

Patients and methods: A total of 35 cancer patients (including 23 lung cancers, 8 colorectal cancers, and 4 other cancers) and 40 noncancer participants, aged between 80 and 110, were recruited in this study. Three milliliters of pretreatment peripheral blood was collected from each participant for FR+CTC analysis.

Results: Compared to previous studies, the FR+CTC level was slightly higher in the elderly population (median FR+CTC levels in cancer patients versus noncancer participants were 14.3 versus 9.2 CTC U/3 mL, respectively, P=0.0002). With 10.0 CTC U/3 mL as the cut-off value, the sensitivity and specificity of FR+CTC were 85.7% and 65.0%, respectively. In combination with established serum tumor biomarkers, the diagnostic efficiency of FR+CTC further improved (sensitivity=87.9%, specificity=71.8%). Clinical factors including diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, respiratory diseases, cerebral infarction, and cardiac, liver, and kidney function were not associated with the FR+CTC level (P>0.05).

Conclusion: In this exploratory study, we showed that FR+CTC is an effective biomarker for cancer diagnosis in the elderly population. The presence of comorbidities did not affect the diagnostic efficiency of FR+CTC.

Demographic, health, and attitudinal factors predictive of cancer screening decisions in older adults

Many older adults receive routine cancer screening even when it is no longer recommended. We sought to identify demographic, health-related, and attitudinal factors that are most predictive of continued breast, colorectal, and prostate cancer screening decisions in older adults under various scenarios. A sample of adults age 65+ (n = 1272) were recruited from a nationally representative panel in November 2016, of which 881 (69.3%) completed our survey. Participants were presented vignettes in which we experimentally varied a hypothetical patient's life expectancy, age, quality of life, and physician screening recommendation. The dependent variable was the choice to continue cancer screening in the vignette. Classification and regression tree (CART) analysis was used to identify characteristics most predictive of screening decisions; both the participants' characteristics and the hypothetical patient's characteristics in the vignettes were included in the analysis. CART analysis uses recursive partitioning to create a classification tree in which variables predictive of the outcome are included as hierarchical tree nodes. We used automated ten-fold cross-validation to select the tree with lowest misclassification and highest predictive accuracy. Participants' attitude towards cancer screening was most predictive of choosing screening. Among those who agreed with the statement "I plan to get screened for cancer for as long as I live" (n = 300, 31.9%), 73.2% chose screening and 57.2% would still choose screening if hypothetical patient had 1-year life expectancy. For this subset of older adults with enthusiasm towards screening even when presented with scenario involving limited life expectancy, efforts are needed to improve informed decision-making about screening.