RESUMO
The National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines provide evidence-based consensus for optimal individual site- and stage-specific treatments. This is a cohort study of 11,121 late-stage oral cancer patients in the National Cancer Database from 2010 to 2016. We hypothesized that patient travel distance may affect treatment choices and impact outcome. We split travel distance (miles) into quartiles (D1-4) and assessed treatment choices, type of facility, and survival outcome in relation to distance traveled. Univariate and multivariate analyses addressed contributions of specific variables. White patients were most likely to travel farthest (D4) for treatment compared to Black patients (D1). Urban area patients traveled shorter distances than those from rural areas. Greater travel distance was associated with patients undergoing surgical-based therapies and treatment at academic centers. Patients in D1 had the lowest median survival of all distance quartiles. Surgery-based multimodality treatment (surgery and radiation) had a median survival significantly greater than for non-surgical therapy. Several factors including travel distance and treatment facility were associated with survival outcomes for late-stage oral cavity cancers. Consideration of these factors may help improve the outcome for this patient population.
RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: Symptoms of endometriosis, including pelvic pain, back and nerve pain, and gastrointestinal pain, often begin in adolescence. Yet, research on the experience of these debilitating symptoms among young people is scarce. Of particular concern is the influence of adolescent girls' social context. This study qualitatively examined how, among adolescents, endometriosis and symptoms suggestive of endometriosis is perceived at the family, peer/school and community/society levels. DESIGN: Eight focus groups were conducted; vignettes were used to elicit participants' perceptions of factors that may shape girls' experiences of endometriosis. Data were analysed using constant comparison analysis. PARTICIPANTS: An ethnically diverse sample of girls and boys ages 14-18 (n=54) residing in New York City. RESULTS: Fifteen themes emerged and were distilled to eight cross-cutting factors that influence perceptions of endometriosis at different levels of the ecological model: distrust of community healthcare providers, societal stigma of menstruation, peer stigma of endometriosis symptoms, distrust of school healthcare providers, lack of endometriosis knowledge among peers and school personnel, inequitable gender norms, invisibility of symptoms and the stigma of teen sex among parents. Further, these factors may compound symptoms' impact on individual girl's social, educational and emotional well-being. CONCLUSIONS: Findings underscore the importance of understanding the social environment of girls experiencing symptoms suggestive of endometriosis and educating and engaging their peers, family and school personnel to create a supportive, informed social climate. Efforts should specifically include stigma reduction campaigns targeted towards female and male adolescents.