Functional resilience and overall survival in adults treated for advanced non-small-cell lung cancer.

PURPOSE: As more treatments emerge for advanced, stage IV non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), oncologists have difficulty predicting functional resiliency versus functional decline throughout cancer treatment. Our study evaluates functional resilience among patients with advanced NSCLC. METHODS: Functional status was evaluated through 12 months of follow-up based on disability score using the modified EQ-5D-5L (mEQ-5D-5L) survey. Participants were classified into 4 groups: functional maintenance, decline, resilient, or variable. Characteristics of 207 participants with newly diagnosed NSCLC included demographics, comorbidities, baseline Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status (PS), mEQ-5D-5L scores, psychological symptoms, and lung cancer-specific symptoms. Treatment toxicity and grade were recorded. Resilience was defined as improvement from baseline disability scores. A 1-point increase in functional status score represents a 0.5 standard deviation change on the mEQ-5D-5L. Differences between the 4 groups were determined through Fisher's exact test or ANOVA. Kaplan-Meier curves describe overall survival (baseline through 18 months) stratified by baseline mEQ-5D-5L scores. RESULTS: Among participants, 42.0 % maintained functional status, 37.7 % experienced functional decline, 10.6 % were resilient, and 9.7 % had variable functional status. Participants with the best baseline function (score of 0) had the longest overall survival and participants with the worst baseline function (score of 5 + ) had the shortest overall survival. Among the healthiest patients, early score increases indicated shorter overall survival. Baseline ECOG PS was not associated with overall survival (p = 0.47). CONCLUSION: Baseline functional status may help better predict functional resiliency and overall survival than ECOG PS among patients receiving treatment for advanced NSCLC.

Function, cognition, and quality of life among older adults with lung cancer who live alone: A prospective cohort study.

INTRODUCTION: Among older adults without cancer, living alone is associated with poor health outcomes. However, among older adults with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who live alone, data on function, cognition, and quality of life (QOL) during systemic treatment remain limited. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We enrolled adults aged ≥65 with advanced NSCLC starting a new chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and/or targeted therapy regimen with non-curative intent. Patients completed geriatric assessments including instrumental activities of daily living (IADL), Montreal Cognitive Assessment, and QOL pretreatment and at 1, 2, 4, and 6 months, or until treatment discontinuation, whichever occurred earlier. We categorized change in IADL, cognition, and QOL as stable/improved, declined with recovery, or declined without recovery using clinically meaningful definitions of change. We used multinomial logistic regression to compare change between patients who lived alone versus with others. RESULTS: Among 149 patients, median age was 73; 21% lived alone. Pretreatment IADL, cognition, and QOL scores were similar between older adults who lived alone versus with others. During NSCLC treatment, older adults who lived alone had similar trajectories of function (52% functional decline vs 38%), cognition (43% cognitive decline vs 50%), and QOL (45% QOL decline vs 44%) compared with those who lived with others. In unadjusted analyses, patients who lived alone were more likely to develop functional decline with recovery (reference category: stable/improved function) than those who lived with others (relative risk ratio 4.07, 95% CI 1.14-14.6, p = 0.03). However, this association was not observed after adjusting for age, race, prior NSCLC treatment, current treatment group, and pretreatment geriatric assessment differences. There were no differences in cognitive or QOL trajectories in unadjusted or adjusted analyses. DISCUSSION: Approximately half of older adults with advanced NSCLC who lived alone were able to maintain their function, cognition, and QOL during NSCLC treatment, which was similar to older adults who lived with others. Many older adults with advanced NSCLC who live alone can receive systemic treatment with individualized supportive care.

Strength of Evidence Underlying the CMS-FDA Parallel Review of Comprehensive Genomic Profiling Tests in the Cancer Setting.

BACKGROUND: Although use of comprehensive genomic profiling (CGP) was approved by a novel CMS/FDA parallel review process, the quality of the supporting evidence is unclear. We evaluated the rigor of the peer-reviewed literature cited in the National Coverage Determination Memorandum for the FoundationOne CDx (F1CDx). METHODS: We identified studies cited in the memorandum. Two independent researchers evaluated each study and applied a modified version of the Fryback and Thornbury hierarchy[1], an established framework for evaluating the efficacy of diagnostic tests. Studies focused on clinical outcomes were then categorized by study design, guided by recommendations from the Center for Medical Technology Policy. RESULTS: The sample included 113 scientific studies. The majority (n = 60, 53.1%) used CGP outside the course of clinical care, and there was significant heterogeneity in the cancer types assessed and sequencing depth. We found 8 (7.1%) studies that assessed whether clinical care had changed due to CGP testing, and 38 (33.6%) assessed clinical outcomes. After excluding studies that tested for five or fewer genomic alterations, 25 remained in the clinical outcomes sample: Of these, only one included a comparator group that did not receive CGP testing. Only four studies used F1CDx as the primary genomic test, none of which compared the outcomes of patients who did vs did not receive the F1CDx test. CONCLUSIONS: The findings indicate gaps in the supporting evidence for broad CGP use in patients with solid tumors. More rigorous studies that assess clinical utility would better inform the approval process for novel diagnostic tests.

Lung cancer patients' illness perceptions: Prognostic for psychological and physical health trajectories.

OBJECTIVE: Advanced nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is associated with the highest burden of mental and physical symptoms. Across illnesses, patients' subjective illness beliefs (i.e., illness perceptions [IPs]) correlate with psychological and physical health status. Despite this, IPs in NSCLC patients are understudied. To address this gap, previous research identified three profiles characterizing IPs of newly diagnosed NSCLC patients: "coping" (those more positive perceptions of NSCLC); "coping but concerned" (similar positive perceptions but high concern); and "struggling" (uniformly negative perceptions; Valentine et al., 2022). This extension seeks to determine if IPs are predictive. Would patients' psychological and physical health trajectories differ by IP profile? METHOD: Patients with Stage IV NSCLC (N = 186) from a prospective cohort (2017-2019; NCT03199651) enrolled at diagnosis participated and completed an IP measure and anxiety, depression, physical symptom, and health status outcome measures monthly for 8 months. Linear mixed models tested profile membership (see above) as predictive of outcome trajectories, with those "struggling" having the poorest outcomes. RESULTS: Eight-month trajectories for anxiety and some physical symptoms showed significant improvement, whereas depression, dyspnea, pain, and self-rated health did not. As anticipated, profile membership was predictive: "struggling" profile patients reported significantly worse anxiety and depression symptoms, physical symptoms, and health compared to "coping" patients. There were no interactions between profile and time. Generalization to samples from U.S. states with greater racial/ethnic diversity is unknown. CONCLUSION: Novel data show "struggling" profile patients to have uniformly negative outcomes and specify IP content relevant for inclusion in cognitive behavioral therapies. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

A video intervention to improve patient understanding of tumor genomic testing in patients with cancer.

INTRODUCTION: Tumor genomic testing (TGT) is standard-of-care for most patients with advanced/metastatic cancer. Despite established guidelines, patient education prior to TGT is frequently omitted. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of a concise 4 min video for patient education prior to TGT. METHODS: Based on a quality improvement cycle, an animated video was created to be applicable to any cancer type, incorporating culturally diverse images, available in English and Spanish. Patients undergoing standard-of-care TGT were enrolled at a tertiary academic institution and completed survey instruments prior to video viewing (T1) and immediately post-viewing (T2). Instruments included: (1) 10-question objective genomic knowledge; (2) 10-question video message-specific knowledge; (3) 11-question Trust in Provider; (4) attitudes regarding TGT. RESULTS: A total of 150 participants were enrolled. For the primary objective, there was a significant increase in video message-specific knowledge (median 10 point increase; p < 0.0001) with no significant change in genomic knowledge/understanding (p = 0.89) or trust in physician/provider (p = 0.59). Results for five questions significantly improved, including the likelihood of TGT impact on treatment decision, incidental germline findings, and cost of testing. Improvement in video message-specific knowledge was consistent across demographic groups, including age, income, and education. CONCLUSIONS: A concise, 3-4 min, broadly applicable video incorporating culturally diverse images administered prior to TGT significantly improved video message-specific knowledge across all demographic groups. This resource is publicly available at http://www.tumor-testing.com, with a goal to efficiently educate and empower patients regarding TGT while addressing guidelines within the flow of clinical practice.

Resiliency among older adults receiving lung cancer treatment (ROAR-LCT): A novel supportive care intervention for older adults with advanced lung cancer.

INTRODUCTION: Novel supportive care interventions designed for an aging population with lung cancer are urgently needed. We aimed to determine the feasibility of a novel supportive care physical therapy (PT) plus progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) intervention delivered to older adults with advanced lung cancer in the United States (US). MATERIALS AND METHODS: This clinical trial, Resiliency Among Older Adults Receiving Lung Cancer Treatment (ROAR-LCT: NCT04229381), recruited adults aged ≥60 years with unresectable stage III/IV non-small cell (NSCLC) or small cell lung cancer (SCLC) receiving cancer treatment at The James Thoracic Oncology Center (planned enrollment, N = 20). There were no exclusion criteria pertaining to performance status, laboratory values, prior cancer diagnoses, comorbidities, or brain metastases. Participants were evaluated by PT and psychology and given an exercise pedaler, resistance bands, a relaxation voice recording, and instructions at study initiation. Participants were evaluated in-person by PTs and psychologists at the start and end of the 12-session intervention, with the intervening sessions conducted via virtual health. Participants completed self-reported measures of functional status, symptoms, and mood longitudinally with the following instruments: EQ-5D-5L, Patient Health Questionnaire-9, and General Anxiety Disorder-7. PT assessments included the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) and the two-minute walk test. Feasibility was defined as at least 60% of participants completing at least 70% of all intervention sessions. Optional gut microbiome samples and activity monitoring data (ActiGraph®) were also collected. RESULTS: The ROAR-LCT study concluded after consenting 22 patients. Among the 22 consented, 18 (81.8%) started the intervention; 11 participants (61.1%) completed at least 70% of all study sessions. All participants with SCLC completed the intervention. Reasons for withdrawal included progression of disease or hospitalization. The majority (88.9%) of patients who started were able to complete at least one virtual health session. Participants' functional status, SPPB, depression, and anxiety scores were stable from pre- to post-intervention. Participants who withdrew had worse baseline scores across domains. Seven microbiome and six ActiGraph® samples were collected. DISCUSSION: This is one of the first PT + PMR supportive care interventions using virtual health among older adults with advanced lung cancer to achieve feasibility in the US.

Safety and efficacy outcomes of early cessation of anti-PD1 therapy in patients 80 years or older: A retrospective cohort study.

Older patients have similar immune checkpoint inhibitor efficacy and rates of adverse events as younger patients, but appear to have decreased tolerability, particularly in the oldest patient cohort (>80 years), often leading to early cessation of therapy. We aimed to determine whether early discontinuation impacts efficacy of anti-PD-1 therapy in patients ≥80 years old. In this retrospective, multicenter, international cohort study, we examined 773 patients with 4 tumor types who were at least 80 years old and treated with anti-PD-1 therapy. We determined response rate, overall survival (OS), and progression-free survival (PFS) in patients who discontinued therapy early (<12 months) for reasons other than progression or death. We used descriptive statistics for demographics, response, and toxicity rates. Survival statistics were described using Kaplan Meier curves. Median (range) age at anti-PD-1 initiation was 83.0 (75.8-97.0) years. The cancer types included were melanoma (n = 286), non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) (n = 345), urothelial cell carcinoma (UCC) (n = 108), and renal cell carcinoma (RCC) (n = 34). Of these, 102 met the primary endpoint of <12 months to discontinuation for reasons other than death or progression. Median PFS and OS, respectively, for these patients were 34.4 months and 46.6 months for melanoma, 15.8 months and 23.4 months for NSCLC, and 10.4 months and 15.8 months for UCC. This study suggests geriatric patients who have demonstrated therapeutic benefit and discontinued anti-PD-1 therapy at less than 12 months of duration for reasons other than progression may have durable clinical benefit without additional therapy.

A theoretical explanation for how a nutrition counseling and medically tailored meal delivery program benefitted participants living with lung cancer.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to assess participants' perceptions and experiences while participating in a Food is Medicine medically tailored meal plus intensive nutrition counseling intervention to create a theoretical explanation about how the intervention worked. METHODS: This interpretive qualitative study included the use of semi-structured interviews with active participants in a randomized controlled trial aimed at understanding how a medically tailored meal plus nutrition counseling intervention worked for vulnerable individuals with lung cancer treated at four cancer centers across the USA. During the 8-month long study, participants in the intervention arm were asked to be interviewed, which were recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using conventional content analysis with principles of grounded theory. RESULTS: Twenty individuals participated. Data analysis resulted in a theoretical explanation of the intervention's mechanism of action. The explanatory process includes three linked and propositional categories leading to patient resilience: engaging in treatment, adjusting to diagnosis, and active coping. The medically tailored meals plus nutrition counseling engaged participants throughout treatment, which helped participants adjust to their diagnosis, leading to active coping through intentional self-care, behavior change, and improved quality of life. CONCLUSIONS: These findings provide evidence that a Food is Medicine intervention may buffer some of the adversity related to the diagnosis of lung cancer and create a pathway for participants to experience post-traumatic growth, develop resilience, and change behaviors to actively cope with lung cancer. Medically tailored meals plus intensive nutrition counseling informed by motivational interviewing supported individuals' adjustment to their diagnosis and resulted in perceived positive behavior change.

The FITNESS study: longitudinal geriatric assessment, treatment toxicity, and biospecimen collection to assess functional disability among older adults with lung cancer.

Introduction: Older adults with chronic disease prioritize functional independence. We aimed to describe the feasibility of capturing functional disability and treatment toxicity among older adults with lung cancer using a longitudinal comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) and molecular biomarkers of aging. Methods: This prospective study included adults ≥60 years with any newly diagnosed non-small-cell lung cancer. Participants were recruited from central Ohio (2018-2020). Study assessments included the Cancer and Aging Research Group CGA (CARG-CGA), short physical performance battery (SPPB), and the blessed orientation-memory concentration (BOMC) test at baseline, 3, 6, and 12 months. Activities of daily living (ADLs) and instrumental ADLs (IADLs), quality of life (QoL, PROMIS 10), and treatment toxicity were captured monthly. Stool and blood were collected to characterize the gut microbiome and age-related blood biomarkers. Results: This study enrolled 50 participants with an average age of 71.7 years. Ninety-two percent of participants were Caucasian, 58% were male, and all were non-Hispanic. Most had advanced stage (stage III/IV: 90%; stage I/II: 10%), with adenocarcinoma the predominant histologic subtype (68% vs. 24% squamous). First-line treatments included chemotherapy (44%), immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs, 22%), chemotherapy and ICIs (30%), or tyrosine kinase inhibitors (4%). The median baseline CARG toxicity score was 8 (range 2-12). Among patients with treatment-related toxicity (n = 49), 39 (79.6%) cases were mild (grade 1-2), and 10 (20.4%) were moderate to severe (≥ grade 3). Treatment toxicity was greater among those with a CARG score ≥8 (28.0% vs. 13.6%). Higher IADL independence, QoL, and SPPB scores at baseline were positively associated with Candidatus Gastranaerophilales bacterium, Lactobacillus rogosae, and Enterobacteria phage P4. Romboutsia ilealis, Streptococcus, and Lachnoclostridium sp An138 and T cell lag3 and cd8a were associated with worse IADLs, QoL, and SPPB scores at baseline. Discussion: A longitudinal CGA and biomarker collection is feasible among older adults undergoing lung cancer treatment. Gut microbe and T cell gene expression changes correlated with subjective and objective functional status assessments. Future research will test causality in these associations to improve outcomes through novel supportive care interventions to prevent functional disability.

Survivorship in Advanced Lung Cancer: Understanding a New Landscape and Opportunities.

People with advanced lung cancer represent a distinct group whose needs remain understudied, especially compared with people diagnosed with limited-stage disease. Fortunately, novel treatments such as tyrosine kinase inhibitors and immune checkpoint inhibitors are leading to significant advances in prognosis and survival, even among those with advanced disease at the time of diagnosis. However, there are known gaps in symptom management, psychosocial and nutritional support, complex care coordination, health behavior coaching, and health care delivery efforts among patients living with advanced lung cancer. Many of these patients would benefit from survivorship and palliative care approaches. In particular, survivorship care may include health care maintenance, treatment of immune-related adverse events and late- or long-term effects, frailty assessment and rehabilitation, and care coordination. Palliative care may be best suited to discuss ongoing symptom management, advanced care planning, and end-of-life considerations, as well as psychosocial well-being. To this end, we share a review of the current status of the palliative and survivorship care infrastructure for patients with advanced lung cancer and provide suggestions across the care continuum for this diverse group of patients and families.

Trajectories of Health Care Contact Days for Patients With Stage IV Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.

Importance: Patients with stage IV non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) experience substantial morbidity and mortality. Contact days (ie, the number of days with health care contact outside the home) measure how much of a person's life is consumed by health care, yet little is known about patterns of contact days for patients with NSCLC. Objective: To describe the trajectories of contact days in patients with stage IV NSCLC and how trajectories vary by receipt of cancer-directed treatment in routine practice. Design, Setting, and Participants: A retrospective, population-based decedent cohort study was conducted in Ontario, Canada. Participants included adults aged 20 years or older who were diagnosed with stage IV NSCLC (January 1, 2014, to December 31, 2017) and died (January 1, 2014, to December 31, 2019); there was a maximum 2-year follow-up. Data analysis was conducted from February 22 to August 16, 2023. Exposure: Systemic cancer-directed therapy (yes or no) and type of therapy (chemotherapy vs immunotherapy vs targeted therapy). Main Outcomes and Measures: Contact days (days with health care contact, outpatient or institution-based, outside the home) were identified through administrative data. The weekly percentage of contact days and fitted models with cubic splines were quantified to describe trajectories from diagnosis until death. Results: A total of 5785 decedents with stage IV NSCLC were included (median age, 70 [IQR 62-77] years; 3108 [53.7%] were male, and 1985 [34.3%] received systemic therapy). The median overall survival was 108 (IQR, 49-426) days, median contact days were 36 (IQR, 21-62), and the median percentage that were contact days was 33.3%. A median of 5 (IQR, 2-10) days were spent with specialty palliative care. Patients who did not receive systemic therapy had a median overall survival of 66 (IQR, 34-130) days and median contact days of 28 (IQR, 17-44), of which a median of 5 (IQR, 2-9) days were spent with specialty palliative care. Overall and for subgroups, normalized trajectories followed a U-shaped distribution: contact days were most frequent immediately after diagnosis and before death. Patients who received targeted therapy had the lowest contact day rate during the trough (10.6%; vs immunotherapy, 15.4%; vs chemotherapy, 17.7%). Conclusions and Relevance: In this cohort study, decedents with stage IV NSCLC had a median survival in the order of 3.5 months and spent 1 in every 3 days alive interacting with the health care system outside the home. These results highlight the need to better support patients and care partners, benchmark appropriateness, and improve care delivery.

Lung cancer screening use among screening-eligible adults with disabilities.

BACKGROUND: Lung cancer screening (LCS) use among adults with disabilities has not been well characterized. We estimated the prevalence of LCS use by disability types and counts and investigated the association between disability counts and LCS utilization among LCS-eligible adults. METHODS: We used cross-sectional data from the 2019 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, Lung Cancer Screening Module. Based on the 2013 US Preventive Services Task Force criteria for LCS, the sample included 4407 LCS-eligible adults, aged 55-79 years, with current or former (quit smoking in the past 15 years) tobacco use history of at least 30 pack-years. Disability types included limitations in hearing, vision, cognition, mobility, self-care, and independent living. We also categorized respondents by number of disabilities (no disability, 1 disability, 2 disabilities, 3+ disabilities). We utilized descriptive statistics and multivariable logistic regression analyses to determine the association between disability counts and the receipt of LCS (yes/no) in the past 12 months. RESULTS: In 2019, 16.4% of LCS-eligible adults were screened for lung cancer. Overall, 49.6% of participants had no disability, and 14.5% had >3 disabilities. Mobility was the most prevalent disability type (35.4%), followed by cognitive impairment (18.2%) and hearing (16.6%). LCS was more prevalent in adults with disability in self-care versus no disability in self-care (24.0% vs. 15.5%, p = 0.01), disability in independent living versus no disability in independent living (22.2% vs. 15.4%, p = 0.02), and cognitive impairment disability versus no cognitive impairment (22.1% vs. 15.3%, p = 0.03). The prevalence rates of LCS among groups of LCS-eligible adults with different disability counts were not significant (p = 0.17). CONCLUSIONS: Despite the lack of clinical guidelines on LCS among individuals with disabilities, some individuals with disabilities are being screened for lung cancer. Future research should address this knowledge gap to determine clinical benefit versus harm of LCS among those with disabilities.

How a Medically Tailored Meal Intervention with Intensive Nutrition Counseling Created Active Coping with Behavior Change for Vulnerable Patients with Lung Cancer.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess participants' perceptions and experiences while participating in a Food is Medicine medically tailored meal plus nutrition counseling intervention to create a theoretical explanation about how the intervention worked. Methods: This interpretive qualitative study included the use of semi-structured interviews with active intervention participants. Purposeful sampling included vulnerable (uninsured, rural zip code residency, racial/ethnic minority, 65 years old, and/or low-income) individuals with lung cancer treated at four cancer centers across the United States. Interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using conventional content analysis with principles of grounded theory. Results: Twenty individuals participated. Data analysis resulted in a theoretical explanation of the intervention's mechanism of action. The explanatory process includes 3 linked and propositional categories leading to patient resilience: engaging in treatment, adjusting to diagnosis, and active coping. The medically tailored meals plus intensive nutrition counseling engaged participants throughout treatment, which helped participants adjust to their diagnosis, leading to active coping through intentional self-care, behavior change, and improved quality of life. Conclusions: These findings provide evidence that a food is medicine intervention may buffer some of the adversity related to the diagnosis of lung cancer and create a pathway for participants to experience post-traumatic growth, develop resilience, and change behaviors to actively cope with lung cancer. Medically tailored meals plus intensive nutrition counseling informed by motivational interviewing supported individuals' adjustment to their diagnosis and resulted in perceived positive behavior change.

A Video Intervention to Improve Patient Understanding of Tumor Genomic Testing in Patients with Cancer.

Background: Tumor genomic testing (TGT) has become standard-of-care for most patients with advanced/metastatic cancer. Despite established guidelines, patient education prior to TGT is variable or frequently omitted. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of a concise (3-4 minute) video for patient education prior to TGT. Methods: Based on a quality improvement cycle, an animated video was created to be applicable to any cancer type, incorporating culturally diverse images, available in English and Spanish. Patients undergoing standard-of care TGT were enrolled at a tertiary academic institution and completed validated survey instruments immediately prior to video viewing (T1) and immediately post-viewing (T2). Instruments included: 1) 10-question objective genomic knowledge/understanding; 2) 10-question video message-specific knowledge/recall; 3) 11-question Trust in Physician/Provider; 4) attitudes regarding TGT. The primary objective was change in outcomes from before to after the video was assessed with Wilcoxon signed rank test. Results: From April 2022 to May 2023, a total of 150 participants were enrolled (MBC n=53, LC n=38, OC n=59). For the primary endpoint, there was a significant increase in video message-specific knowledge (median 10 point increase; p<0.0001) with no significant change in genomic knowledge/understanding (p=0.89) or Trust in Physician/Provider (p=0.59). Results for five questions significantly improved, including the likelihood of TGT impact on treatment decision, incidental germline findings, and cost of testing. Improvement in video message-specific knowledge was consistent across demographic groups, including age, income, and education. Individuals with less educational attainment had had greater improvement from before to after video viewing. Conclusions: A concise, 3-4 minute, broadly applicable video incorporating culturally diverse images administered prior to TGT significantly improved video message-specific knowledge across all demographic groups. This resource is publicly available at http://www.tumor-testing.com, with a goal to efficiently educate and empower patients regarding TGT while addressing guidelines within the flow of clinical practice. Clinical Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05215769.

Association Between Pretreatment Chest Imaging and Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Pneumonitis Among Patients With Lung Cancer.

BACKGROUND: Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are a first-line and perioperative treatment for lung cancer. Pneumonitis is a potentially life-threatening complication of ICI treatment in 2% to 5% of patients; however, risk factors for developing ICI pneumonitis (ICI-p) remain undefined. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of consecutive patients with lung cancer who received at least one dose of ICI from 2015 through 2020 at The Ohio State University. Pneumonitis cases were documented by the treating oncologist and retrospectively evaluated for agreement between an oncologist and a pulmonologist. Patient demographic and clinical characteristics were recorded and summarized between those with and without pneumonitis for the overall cohort. Univariate and multivariable survival analyses using the Fine-Gray competing risk model were used to examine the associations. RESULTS: A total of 471 patients with lung cancer were included, of which 402 had non-small cell lung cancer and 69 had small cell lung cancer; 39 (8%) patients in the overall cohort developed ICI-p. Preexisting interstitial abnormalities and prior chest radiation were both significantly associated with ICI-p on univariate analysis (hazard ratio [HR], 8.91; 95% CI, 4.69-16.92; P<.001; and HR, 2.81; 95% CI, 1.50-5.28; P=.001). On multivariable analyses, interstitial abnormalities remained a strong independent risk factor for ICI-p when controlling for chest radiation and type of immunotherapy (HR, 9.77; 95% CI, 5.17-18.46; P<.001). Among patients with ICI-p (n=39), those with severe (grade 3-5) pneumonitis had worse overall survival compared with those with mild (grade 1 or 2) pneumonitis (P=.001). Abnormal pulmonary function test results at both 12 and 18 months prior to ICI initiation were not significantly associated with ICI-p. CONCLUSIONS: Preexisting interstitial abnormalities on chest CT and prior chest radiation are independent risk factors that are strongly associated with ICI-p in patients with lung cancer. These findings highlight a potential need for closer observation for ICI-p among patients with these risk factors.

Disparities in outcomes between Black and White patients in North America with thoracic malignancies and COVID-19 infection (TERAVOLT).

BACKGROUND: Patients with thoracic malignancies who develop COVID-19 infection have a higher hospitalization rate compared to the general population and to those with other cancer types, but how this outcome differs by race and ethnicity is relatively understudied. METHODS: The TERAVOLT database is an international, multi-center repository of cross-sectional and longitudinal data studying the impact of COVID-19 on individuals with thoracic malignancies. Patients from North America with thoracic malignancies and confirmed COVID-19 infection were included for this analysis of racial and ethnic disparities. Patients with missing race data or races and ethnicities with fewer than 50 patients were excluded from analysis. Multivariable analyses for endpoints of hospitalization and death were performed on these 471 patients. RESULTS: Of the 471 patients, 73% were White and 27% were Black. The majority (90%) were non-Hispanic ethnicity, 5% were Hispanic, and 4% were missing ethnicity data. Black patients were more likely to have an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) Performance Status ≥ 2 (p-value = 0.04). On multivariable analysis, Black patients were more likely than White patients to require hospitalization (Odds Ratio (OR): 1.69, 95% CI: 1.01-2.83, p-value = 0.044). These differences remained across different waves of the pandemic. However, no statistically significant difference in mortality was found between Black and White patients (OR 1.29, 95% CI: 0.69-2.40, p-value = 0.408). CONCLUSIONS: Black patients with thoracic malignancies who acquire COVID-19 infection are at a significantly higher risk of hospitalization compared to White patients, but there is no significant difference in mortality. The underlying drivers of racial disparity among patients with thoracic malignancies and COVID-19 infection require ongoing investigation.

Changes in physical function in older women with endometrial cancer with or without adjuvant therapy.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate changes in physical function (PF) for older women with endometrial cancer (EC) + / - adjuvant therapy in the Women's Health Initiative Life and Longevity after Cancer cohort. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study examined women ≥ 70 years of age with EC with available treatment records. Change in PF was measured using the RAND-36 and compared between groups using Wilcoxon rank-sum tests. Multivariable median regression was used to compare the changes in scores while adjusting for confounding variables. RESULTS: Included in the study were 287 women, 150 (52.3%) women who did not receive adjuvant therapy and 137 (47.7%) who received adjuvant therapy. When comparing PF scores, there was a statistically significant difference in the median percent change in functional decline, with a greater decline in those who received adjuvant therapy (- 5.9% [- 23.5 to 0%]) compared to those who did not (0 [- 18.8 to + 6.7%]), p = 0.02). Results were not statistically significant after multivariable adjustment, but women who underwent chemotherapy had a greater percent change (median ∆ - 13.8% [- 35.5 to 0%]) compared to those who received radiation alone (median ∆ - 5.9% [- 31.3 to 0%]) or chemotherapy and radiation (median ∆ - 6.5% [- 25.8 to + 5.7%]. CONCLUSIONS: Older women with EC who received adjuvant therapy experienced greater change in PF than those who did not receive adjuvant therapy, particularly women who received chemotherapy. These results were not statistically significant on multivariate analysis. IMPLICATIONS FOR CANCER SURVIVORS: EC survivors may experience changes in PF because of chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy. Additional supportive care may need to be provided to older women to mitigate functional decline.