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

BACKGROUND

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

MATERIALS AND METHODS

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

RESULTS

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

CONCLUSIONS

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

Fragmented Care in the Treatment of Rectal Cancer and Time to Definitive Therapy

BACKGROUND

The National Accreditation Program for Rectal Cancer (NAPRC) emphasizes a multidisciplinary approach for treating rectal cancer and has developed performance measures to ensure that patients receive standardized care. We hypothesized that rectal cancer patients receiving care at multiple centers would be less likely to receive timely and appropriate care.

STUDY DESIGN

A single institution retrospective review of a prospectively maintained database was performed. All patients undergoing proctectomy and ≤1 other treatment modality (eg radiation and/or chemotherapy) for Stage II/III rectal adenocarcinoma were included. Unified care was defined as receiving all modalities of care at our institution, and fragmented care was defined as having at least 1 treatment modality at another institution.

RESULTS

From 2009 to 2019, 415 patients met inclusion criteria, with 197 (47.5%) receiving fragmented care and 218 (52.5%) receiving unified care. The unified cohort patients were more likely to see a colorectal surgeon before starting treatment (89.0% vs 78.7%, p < 0.01) and start definitive treatment within 60 days of diagnosis (89.0% vs 79.7%, p = 0.01). On adjusted analysis, unified care patients were 2.78 times more likely to see a surgeon before starting treatment (95% CI 1.47-5.24) and 2.63 times more likely to start treatment within 60 days (95% CI 1.35-5.13). There was no difference in 90-day mortality or 5-year disease-free survival.

CONCLUSIONS

This retrospective cohort study suggests patients with rectal cancer receiving fragmented care are at an increased risk of delays in care without any impact on disease-free survival. These findings need to be considered within the context of ongoing regionalization of rectal cancer care to ensure all patients receive optimal care, irrespective of whether care is delivered across multiple institutions.

Centrifugal pumps and hemolysis in pediatric extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) patients: An analysis of Extracorporeal Life Support Organization (ELSO) registry data

PURPOSE

It is currently unclear whether centrifugal pumps cause more hemolysis than roller pumps in extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) circuits. The aim of this study was to help answer that question in pediatric patients.

METHODS

A limited deidentified data set was extracted from the international multicenter Extracorporeal Life Support Organization (ELSO) registry comprising all reported ECMO runs for patients 18years or younger between 2010 and 2015. Logistic regression was used to evaluate a possible association between hemolysis and pump type, controlling for patient demographics, circuit factors, and complications.

RESULTS

14,776 ECMO runs for 14,026 patients had pump type recorded. Centrifugal pumps were employed in 60.4% of ECMO circuits. Hemolysis was a reported complication for 1272 (14%) centrifugal pump runs and for 291 (5%) roller pump runs. 1755 (20%) centrifugal pump runs reported kidney injury as compared to 797 (14%) roller pump runs. In the full logistic regression, the odds of hemolysis were significantly greater for runs using centrifugal pumps (OR 3.3, 95% CI 2.9-3.8, p<0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

In this retrospective analysis of a large international data set, the use of centrifugal pumps was associated with increased rates of hemolysis, hyperbilirubinemia, and kidney injury.

TYPE OF STUDY

Retrospective cohort study.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level III.