Reducing emergency department (ED) computed tomography (CT) utilization in women treated for gynecologic cancers.

OBJECTIVES: The objective of this quality improvement (QI) project was to decrease the rate of low-value computed tomography (CT) imaging in established gynecologic oncology patients presenting to the emergency department (ED). METHODS: This was a cohort study with a before and after design that evaluated implementation of a QI project designed to decrease CT utilization in established gynecologic oncology patients in the ED. The pre-intervention cohort included patients admitted through the ED from 4/1/17 to 5/31/18, while the post-intervention cohort was from 6/1/18 to 5/31/19. The intervention included gynecologic oncology consultation before CT on patients who had imaging within the prior 3 weeks. Details regarding CT, ED length of stay (LOS), and oncologic history were abstracted. The value of CT was determined by consensus from 2 reviewers. Prospective data monitoring evaluated for patient safety. RESULTS: Prior to intervention, there were 129 unique ED encounters in gynecologic oncology patients leading to admission. CT scans were performed in 101 (78.3%) encounters, 57.7% of which were deemed to be of low-value. Following implementation, the CT utilization rate decreased significantly from median monthly rate of 75.2% to 49.1% (p < 0.00001), and the ED LOS decreased from 8.1 to 6.9 h (p = 0.0102). The number of CT scans deemed to be low-value in the post-intervention group decreased to 2 (3.8%). CONCLUSIONS: Implementation of an early consultation policy and imaging guidelines led to a significant decrease in unnecessary CT utilization and shorter ED LOS in gynecologic oncology patients presenting to the ED.

Treatment of low-grade endometrial stromal sarcoma in a nulligravid woman.

A 32 year-old nulligravid woman with a uterine mass underwent exploratory laparotomy with myomectomy. Final pathology revealed a low-grade endometrial stromal sarcoma (ESS) with positive margins. She subsequently underwent definitive robotic hysterectomy and bilateral salpingectomy with ovarian preservation. She was diagnosed with a stage IB low-grade ESS. She is currently undergoing observation. Discussion of classification, surgical options, and adjuvant therapy is presented.

Do differences in medical comorbidities and treatment impact racial disparities in epithelial ovarian cancer?

BACKGROUND: Population-based studies of women with epithelial ovarian cancer suggest that black women have worse survival compared to white women. The primary objective of this study was to determine if, at a National Cancer Institute (NCI)-Designated Comprehensive Cancer Center (CCC) serving a diverse racial and socioeconomic population, race is independently associated with differences in survival. METHODS: A retrospective review of women with EOC diagnosed between 2004-2009 undergoing treatment with follow-up at our institution was performed. Records were reviewed for demographics, comorbidities (as defined by the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI)), tumor characteristics, treatment, progression-free (PFS), and overall survival (OS). Survival was calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method and compared with the log-rank test. Multivariate survival analysis was performed with Cox (proportional hazards) model. RESULTS: 367 patients met inclusion criteria. 54 (15%) were black and 308 (84%) were white. Compared to white women, black women had higher BMI, lower rates of optimal surgical cytoreduction, lower rates of intraperitoneal chemotherapy, and higher CCI scores. The median PFS for black and white women were 9.7 and 14.6months, respectively (p=0.033). The median overall survival was 21.7months for black women and 42.6months for white women (p<0.001). On multivariate analysis, black race independently correlated with a worse overall survival (HR 1.61, 95% CI 1.06-2.43). CONCLUSION: In this cohort, racial disparities may be due to higher medical comorbidities and lower rates of optimal surgical cytoreduction. After accounting for these differences, race remained an independent predictor of worse overall survival.

Cost-effectiveness of opportunistic salpingectomy for ovarian cancer prevention.

OBJECTIVES: Data suggesting a link between the fallopian tube and ovarian cancer have led to an increase in rates of salpingectomy at the time of pelvic surgery, a practice known as opportunistic salpingectomy (OS). However, the potential benefits, risks and costs for this new practice are not well established. Our objective was to assess the cost-effectiveness of opportunistic salpingectomy at the time of laparoscopic permanent contraception or hysterectomy for benign indications. METHODS: We created two models to compare the cost-effectiveness of salpingectomy versus usual care. The hypothetical study population is 50,000 women aged 45 undergoing laparoscopic hysterectomy with ovarian preservation for benign indications, and 300,000 women aged 35 undergoing laparoscopic permanent contraception. SEER data were used for probabilities of ovarian cancer cases and deaths. The ovarian cancer risk reduction, complication rates, utilities and associated costs were obtained from published literature. Sensitivity analyses and Monte Carlo simulation were performed, and incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) were calculated to determine the cost per quality adjusted life year (QALY) gained. RESULTS: In the laparoscopic hysterectomy cohort, OS is cost saving and would yield $23.9 million in health care dollars saved. In the laparoscopic permanent contraception cohort, OS is cost-effective with an ICER of $31,432/QALY compared to tubal ligation, and remains cost-effective as long as it reduces ovarian cancer risk by 54%. Monte Carlo simulation demonstrated cost-effectiveness with hysterectomy and permanent contraception in 62.3% and 55% of trials, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Opportunistic salpingectomy for low-risk women undergoing pelvic surgery may be a cost-effective strategy for decreasing ovarian cancer risk at time of hysterectomy or permanent contraception. In our model, salpingectomy was cost-effective with both procedures, but the advantage greater at time of hysterectomy.

Quality corner: Safely using cephalosporins in almost all patients with penicillin allergies: Mini-review and suggested protocol to improve efficacy and surgical outcomes.

Surgical site infections (SSI) are one of the most common gynecologic oncology postoperative complications and they have a significant deleterious impact on the healthcare system and in patients' outcomes. Cefazolin is the recommended antibiotic in women undergoing gynecologic surgical procedures that require that require prophylaxis. However, 10-20% of patients may report a penicillin allergy which can result in administration of a less effective antibiotic. This quality review evaluated the literature around this common perioperative issue and demonstrated that healthcare teams should consider the implementation of a protocol to safely use cefazolin in most patients with a penicillin allergy. Overall, literature shows this is a safe adjustment and would improve antimicrobial stewardship, decrease SSI rates, avoid acute kidney injury, and increase cost savings.

Barriers and facilitators affecting presentation in women with early versus advanced stage cervical cancer.

Background: This study was performed to evaluate the barriers and facilitators associated with patient presentation for early stage (ES) versus advanced stage (AS) cervical cancer (CC). Methods: A mixed-method approach was used to collect quantitative (i.e., demographics and medical/screening histories) and qualitative data (individual interviews assessing patients' perceptions regarding their general health, HPV and CC screening, and barriers and facilitators to CC care). Two separate investigators coded the interviews for major themes that occurred with an agreement that 50% or more of the themes would be included. Results: Twenty-five women agreed to participate in the study with 80% completing the interview. Patients with ES disease were classified as Stage IA1-Stage IB3; patients with Stage IIA-IVB disease were classified with AS disease. Frequent barriers in the ES group were lack of knowledge, competing priorities, feeling healthy, lack of time or health insurance, and being embarrassed/uncomfortable. Frequent barriers in the AS group were lack of knowledge, competing priorities, avoidance/procrastination, fear of the healthcare system or finding something wrong, and lack of perceived risk to CC. Facilitators for ES included understanding the importance of the Pap test, having an abnormal Pap test, and knowing someone with CC. Having abnormal symptoms was the only facilitator for AS patients. Conclusions: Structural and intrapersonal barriers to CC care persist but differ between ES and AS patients. Multi-level interventions are needed to address the wide array of issues that women highlighted in this study including potential innovative methods to increase access to care and engagement with the healthcare system.

Increased disparities associated with black women and abnormal cervical cancer screening follow-up.

Background: To determine whether race and ethnicity impacts patient adherence to follow-up for colposcopy after abnormal cervical cancer screening. Methods: This retrospective chart review included women that were randomly selected from patients presenting to our colposcopy clinic from 1/2019 to 12/2019. Inclusion criteria were females age ≥21 years-old and appropriate referral for colposcopy. Patients were grouped into three categories: (1) ADHERENT to follow-up if they came to their first scheduled appointment; (2) DELAYED if they presented more than three months from their original referral (usually missing 1-3 appointments); and (3) NOT ADHERENT if they did not show for their appointment after referral. Analysis was performed using SPSS v.26. Results: 284 women met inclusion criteria for the study. The majority of women were Black (65.2 %) followed by non-Hispanic Whites (20.0 %) and Latinx (14.8 %). Overall, 39.1 % were ADHERENT, 18.6 % were DELAYED, and 42.3 % were NOT ADHERENT. When compared with non-Hispanic White women, there was a significant difference between race/ethnicity and timing of follow-up (p = 0.03). Blacks were more likely to be NOT ADHERENT (45.9 %; p = 0.03), and Latinx and Blacks were the most likely to be DELAYED (35.7 % and 21.1 %; p = 0.03). Private insurance patients were more likely to be ADHERENT for care compared with un-/underinsured patients (78.9 vs 27.8 %, p = 0.0001). Conclusion: There is inadequate follow-up after abnormal cervical cancer screening across all races/ethnicities; however, lack of adherence is higher in Black patients. Moreover, 25% of Hispanic and Black women present in a delayed fashion. Culturally relevant assessments and interventions are needed to understand and address these gaps.