Prostate cancer in transgender women: A propensity score-matched analysis of disease severity and survival.

BACKGROUND: Despite the rise in gender-affirming care, our understanding of prostate cancer (PCa) in transgender women (TGW) remains in its infancy. Health disparities and lack of PCa awareness and screening are possible barriers to providing quality care for this population. In addition, the implication of hormonal manipulation for the aggressiveness of PCa in TGW is yet to be determined. Here, this study sought to compare oncological characteristics and survival outcomes between transgender and cisgender (CG) patients with PCa via two national data sets. METHODS: The Veterans Affairs Informatics and Computing Infrastructure database (1999-2020) and the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results-Medicare database (2010-2017) were reviewed. Demographic and clinical details were analyzed. Logistic regression analysis was performed on propensity score-matched groups to identify predictors of high-risk disease and metastasis in patients with PCa. Groups were matched 5:1 (CG:TGW) on the basis of age, race, year of diagnosis, and Charlson Comorbidity Index score. Primary outcomes included metastatic presentation, high-risk localized disease, overall survival (OS), and prostate cancer-specific mortality (PCSM). RESULTS: A total of 1194 patients were included (199 TGW; 995 CG). Associations between transgender identity and metastatic presentation (odds ratio [OR], 0.38; p = .2), high-risk localized disease (OR, 1.19; p = .50), or PCSM (hazard ratio [HR], 0.65; p = .3) were not detected. Transgender identity was associated with improved OS (HR, 0.67; p = .014). CONCLUSIONS: PCa-specific outcomes seem comparable between TGW and CG men, although the study was underpowered to detect modest differences. Further investigation into the incidence and outcomes of PCa in TGW is warranted.

Association between prediagnostic prostate-specific antigen and prostate cancer probability in Black and non-Hispanic White men.

BACKGROUND: Although Black men are more likely than non-Hispanic White men to develop and die from prostate cancer, limited data exist to guide prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening protocols in Black men. This study investigated whether the risk for prostate cancer was higher than expected among self-identified Black than White veterans based on prebiopsy PSA level. METHODS: Multivariable logistic regression models were estimated to predict the likelihood of prostate cancer diagnosis on first biopsy for 75,295 Black and 207,658 White male veterans. Self-identified race, age at first PSA test, prebiopsy PSA, age at first biopsy, smoking status, statin use, and socioeconomic factors were used as predictors. The adjusted predicted probabilities of cancer detection on first prostate biopsy from the logistic models at different PSA levels were calculated. RESULTS: After controlling for PSA and other covariates, Black veterans were 50% more likely to receive a prostate cancer diagnosis on their first prostate biopsy than White veterans (odds ratio [OR], 1.50; 95% CI, 1.47-1.53; p < .001). At a PSA level of 4.0 ng/mL, the probability of prostate cancer for a Black man was 49% compared with 39% for a White man. This model indicated that Black veterans with a PSA of 4.0 ng/mL have an equivalent risk of prostate cancer as White veterans with a PSA of 13.4 ng/mL. CONCLUSIONS: The findings indicate that, at any given PSA level, Black men are more likely to harbor prostate cancer than White men. Prospective studies are needed to better evaluate risks and benefits of PSA screening in Black men and other high-risk populations.

Healthy lifestyle and prostate cancer risk in the Million Veteran Program.

BACKGROUND: This study aims to assess the impact of healthy lifestyle on prostate cancer (PCa) risk in a diverse population. METHODS: Data for 281,923 men from the Million Veteran Program (MVP), a nationwide, health system-based cohort study, were analyzed. Self-reported information at enrollment included smoking status, exercise, diet, family history of PCa, and race/ethnicity. Body mass index (BMI) was obtained from clinical records. Genetic risk was assessed via a validated polygenic score. Cox proportional hazards models were used to assess associations with PCa outcomes. RESULTS: After accounting for ancestry, family history, and genetic risk, smoking was associated with an increased risk of metastatic PCa (hazard ratio [HR], 1.83; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.64-2.02; p < 10-16) and fatal PCa (HR, 2.73; 95% CI, 2.36-3.25; p < 10-16). Exercise was associated with a reduced risk of fatal PCa (HR, 0.86; 95% CI, 0.76-0.98; p = .03). Higher BMI was associated with a slightly reduced risk of fatal PCa, and diet score was not independently associated with any end point. Association with exercise was strongest among those who had nonmetastatic PCa at MVP enrollment. Absolute reductions in the risk of fatal PCa via lifestyle factors were greatest among men of African ancestry (1.7% for nonsmokers vs. 6.1% for smokers) or high genetic risk (1.4% for nonsmokers vs. 4.3% for smokers). CONCLUSIONS: Healthy lifestyle is minimally related to the overall risk of developing PCa but is associated with a substantially reduced risk of dying from PCa. In multivariable analyses, both exercise and not smoking remain independently associated with reduced metastatic and fatal PCa.

Comparison of outcomes for Hispanic and non-Hispanic patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma in the International Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma Database.

BACKGROUND: Existing data on the impact of Hispanic ethnicity on outcomes for patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is mixed. The authors investigated outcomes of Hispanic and non-Hispanic White (NHW) patients with advanced RCC receiving systemic therapy at large academic cancer centers using the International Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma Database (IMDC). METHODS: Eligible patients included non-Black Hispanic and NHW patients with locally advanced or metastatic RCC initiating systemic therapy. Overall survival (OS) and time to first-line treatment failure (TTF) were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method. The effect of ethnicity on OS and TTF were estimated by Cox regression hazard ratios (HRs). RESULTS: A total of 1563 patients (181 Hispanic and 1382 NHW) (mostly males [73.8%] with clear cell RCC [81.5%] treated with tyrosine kinase inhibitor [TKI] monotherapy [69.9%]) were included. IMDC risk groups were similar between groups. Hispanic patients were younger at initial diagnosis (median 57 vs. 59 years, p = .015) and less likely to have greater than one metastatic site (60.8% vs. 76.8%, p < .001) or bone metastases (23.8% vs. 33.4%, p = .009). Median OS and TTF was 38.0 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 28.1-59.2) versus 35.7 months (95% CI, 31.9-39.2) and 7.8 months (95% CI, 6.2-9.0) versus 7.5 months (95% CI, 6.9-8.1), respectively, in Hispanic versus NHW patients. In multivariable Cox regression analysis, no statistically significant differences were observed in OS (adjusted hazard ratio [HR], 1.07; 95% CI, 0.86-1.31, p = .56) or TTF (adjusted HR, 1.06; 95% CI, 0.89-1.26, p = .50). CONCLUSIONS: The authors did not observe statistically significant differences in OS or TTF between Hispanic and NHW patients with advanced RCC. Receiving treatment at tertiary cancer centers may mitigate observed disparities in cancer outcomes.

Prostate-Specific Antigen Stratification for Predicting Advanced Prostate Cancer Events in Men Approaching Age Limits for Recommended Screening.

PURPOSE: Our goal was to quantify the ability of various PSA values in predicting the likelihood of developing metastatic or fatal prostate cancer in older men. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We used a random sample of patients in the US Veterans Health Administration to identify 80,706 men who had received PSA testing between ages 70 to 75. Our primary end point was time to development of either metastatic prostate cancer or death from prostate cancer. We used cumulative/dynamic modeling to account for competing events (death from non-prostate cancer causes) in studying both the discriminative ability of PSA as well as for positive predictive value and negative predictive value at 3 time points. RESULTS: PSA demonstrated time-dependent predictive discrimination, with receiver operating characteristic AUC at 5, 10, and 14 years decreasing from 0.83 to 0.77 to 0.73, respectively, but without statistically significant difference when stratified by race. At PSA thresholds between 1 and 8 ng/mL, the positive predictive value of developing advanced prostate cancer was significantly greater in Black than White patients. For instance, at a PSA > 3, at 5, 10, and 14 years, White patients had 2.4%, 2.9%, and 3.7% risk of an event, whereas Black patients had 4.3%, 6.5%, and 8.3% risk. CONCLUSIONS: In men aged 70 to 75 deciding whether to cease PSA testing with borderline-elevated PSA values, the risk of developing metastatic or fatal prostate cancer is quantifiable and relatively low. Risk assessment in this setting must account for the higher incidence of prostate cancer in Black men.

Agent orange exposure and prostate cancer risk in the million veteran program.

BACKGROUND: The US government considers veterans to have been exposed to Agent Orange if they served in Vietnam while the carcinogen was in use, and these veterans are often deemed at high risk of prostate cancer (PCa). Here, we assess whether presumed Agent Orange exposure is independently associated with increased risk of any metastatic or fatal PCa in a diverse Veteran cohort still alive in the modern era (at least 2011), when accounting for race/ethnicity, family history, and genetic risk. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Participants in the Million Veteran Program (MVP; enrollment began in 2011) who were on active duty during the Vietnam War era (August 1964-April 1975) were included (n = 301,470). Agent Orange exposure was determined using the US government definition. Genetic risk was assessed via a validated polygenic hazard score. Associations with age at diagnosis of any PCa, metastatic PCa, and death from PCa were assessed via Cox proportional hazards models. RESULTS AND INTERPRETATION: On univariable analysis, exposure to Agent Orange was not associated with increased PCa (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.02, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.00-1.04, p = 0.06), metastatic PCa (HR: 0.98, 95% CI: 0.91-1.05, p = 0.55), or fatal PCa (HR: 0.94, 95% CI: 0.79-1.09, p = 0.41). When accounting for race/ethnicity and family history, Agent Orange exposure was independently associated with slightly increased risk of PCa (HR: 1.06, 95% CI: 1.04-1.09, <10-6) but not with metastatic PCa (HR: 1.07, 95% CI: 0.98-1.15, p = 0.10) or PCa death (HR: 1.02, 95% CI: 0.83-1.23, p = 0.09). Similar results were found when accounting for genetic risk. Agent Orange exposure history may not improve modern PCa risk stratification.

Patient perspectives of prostate cancer screening vary by race following 2018 guideline changes.

BACKGROUND: The 2018 US Preventive Services Task Force guidelines recommend individualizing prostate cancer screening in 55- to 69-year-old men. Given the higher incidence of prostate cancer in African American (AA) compared to non-Hispanic White (NHW) men, this study compared reported rates of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening hypothesizing that it would not be commensurate with the relative risk between these two groups. METHODS: Using the 2020 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, we identified 43,685 men (40,301 NHW and 3384 AA) interviewed about PSA screening. RESULTS: AA men had an odds ratio (OR) of 0.80 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.69-0.93; p = .004) of reporting PSA screening; sequentially correcting for access to care, smoking, and age had minimal effect on this finding, but when correcting for income significantly attenuated this difference (OR, 0.95; 95% CI, 0.81-1.12). Further adding education level eliminated the effect size of AA race entirely with OR, 0.99 (95% CI, 0.84-1.17; p = .91). Further analysis found significant interaction between education and race, with college-educated AA men having 1.42 OR of receiving screening compared to college-educated NHW men. CONCLUSIONS: Despite prostate cancer being more common and having higher population-level mortality in AA than NHW men, PSA screening and education patterns do not reflect this increased risk even when adjusting for health access disparities. The authors' findings of significant effect from both income and education suggest that systemic racism is an important factor in the observed difference in PSA screening between AA men and NHW men. LAY SUMMARY: In the United States, prostate cancer is more common in African American men New guidelines from 2018 encourage physicians to consider risk factors in deciding whether or not to recommend screening, but overall African American men continue to be screened at a lower rate than non-Hispanic White men This effect disappears when correcting for income and education level, suggesting that several factors including systemic racism, medical mistrust, and self-advocacy may impact this observed difference.

Actionable Genomic Alterations in Prostate Cancer Among Black and White United States Veterans.

Black Veterans have higher a incidence of localized and metastatic prostate cancer compared to White Veterans yet are underrepresented in reports of frequencies of somatic and germline alterations. This retrospective analysis of somatic and putative germline alterations was conducted in a large cohort of Veterans with prostate cancer (N = 835 Black, 1613 White) who underwent next generation sequencing through the VA Precision Oncology Program, which facilitates molecular testing for Veterans with metastatic cancer. No differences were observed in gene alterations for FDA approved targetable therapies (13.5% in Black Veterans vs. 15.5% in White Veterans, P = .21), nor in any potentially actionable alterations (25.5% vs. 28.7%, P =.1). Black Veterans had higher rates of BRAF (5.5% vs. 2.6%, P < .001) alterations, White Veterans TMPRSS2 fusions (27.2% vs. 11.7%, P < .0001). Putative germline alteration rates were higher in White Veterans (12.0% vs. 6.1%, P < .0001). Racial disparities in outcome are unlikely attributable to acquired somatic alterations in actionable pathways.

Treatment Landscape of Renal Cell Carcinoma.

OPINION STATEMENT: The treatment landscape of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) has evolved significantly over the past three decades. Active surveillance and tumor ablation are alternatives to extirpative therapy in appropriately selected patients. Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) is an emerging noninvasive alternative to treat primary RCC tumors. The advent of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) has greatly improved the overall survival of advanced RCC, and now the ICI-based doublet (dual ICI-ICI doublet; or ICI in combination with a vascular endothelial growth factor tyrosine kinase inhibitor, ICI-TKI doublet) has become the standard frontline therapy. Based on unprecedented outcomes in the metastatic with ICIs, they are also being explored in the neoadjuvant and adjuvant setting for patients with high-risk disease. Adjuvant pembrolizumab has proven efficacy to reduce the risk of RCC recurrence after nephrectomy. Historically considered a radioresistant tumor, SBRT occupies an expanding role to treat RCC with oligometastasis or oligoprogression in combination with systemic therapy. Furthermore, SBRT is being investigated in combination with ICI-doublet in the advanced disease setting. Lastly, given the treatment paradigm is shifting to adopt ICIs at earlier disease course, the prospective studies guiding treatment sequencing in the post-ICI setting is maturing. The effort is ongoing in search of predictive biomarkers to guide optimal treatment option in RCC.

Disparities and trends in the participation of minorities, women, and the elderly in breast, colorectal, lung, and prostate cancer clinical trials.

BACKGROUND: This study was done to determine the representation of minorities, women, and the elderly in National Cancer Institute (NCI) clinical trials. METHODS: This is an analysis in the NCI Clinical Data Update System. Patients were evaluated in breast, colorectal, lung, and prostate cancer trials from 2000 to 2019. Representation in a trial was determined by race/ethnicity, sex, and age. Secondarily, the change in trial participation by multivariable analysis by comparing years 2000 through 2004 to 2015 through 2019 was evaluated. RESULTS: The cohort included 242,720 participants: 197,320 Non-Hispanic White (81.3%), 21,190 Black (8.7%), 11,587 Hispanic (4.8%), and 6880 Asian/Pacific Islander (2.8%). Black and Hispanic patients were underrepresented for colorectal (odds ratio [OR], 0.58; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.50-0.67; P < .001 and OR, 0.74; 95% CI, 0.64-0.87; P < .001, respectively), lung (OR, 0.83; 95% CI, 0.76-0.91; P < .001 and 0.66; 95% CI, 0.57-0.77; P < .001, respectively), and prostate cancer trials (OR, 0.85; 95% CI, 0.79-0.92; P < .001 and OR, 0.58; 95% CI, 0.51-0.66; P < .001) between 2015 and 2019. The odds of participation in 2015 to 2019 increased among Black patients in breast (OR, 2.19; 95% CI, 2.07-%2.32; P < .001), lung (OR, 1.54; 95% CI, 1.38-1.73; P < .001), and prostate cancer trials (OR, 1.14; 95% CI, 1.04-1.26; P < .001). The odds of participation in a trial among Hispanic patients increased for breast (OR, 3.32; 95% CI, 3.09-3.56; P < .001), colorectal (OR, 2.46; 95% CI, 2.04-2.96; P < .001), lung (OR, 3.88; 95% CI, 3.20-4.69; P < .001), and prostate cancer (OR, 1.70; 95% CI, 1.42-2.04; P = .005). CONCLUSIONS: This study identified that Black and Hispanic patients remain underrepresented in trials, but in recent years, participation has increased. These findings indicate that minority participation has increased over time, but further efforts are needed.

Differential regulation of TNFα and IL-6 expression contributes to immune evasion in prostate cancer.

BACKGROUND: The role of the inflammatory milieu in prostate cancer progression is not well understood. Differences in inflammatory signaling between localized and metastatic disease may point to opportunities for early intervention. METHODS: We modeled PCa disease progression by analyzing RNA-seq of localized vs. metastatic patient samples, followed by CIBERSORTx to assess their immune cell populations. The VHA CDW registry of PCa patients was analyzed for anti-TNF clinical outcomes. RESULTS: We observed statistically significant opposing patterns of IL-6 and TNFα expression between localized and metastatic disease. IL-6 was robustly expressed in localized disease and downregulated in metastatic disease. The reverse was observed with TNFα expression. Metastatic disease was also characterized by downregulation of adhesion molecule E-selectin, matrix metalloproteinase ADAMTS-4 and a shift to M2 macrophages whereas localized disease demonstrated a preponderance of M1 macrophages. Treatment with anti-TNF agents was associated with earlier stage disease at diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS: Our data points to clearly different inflammatory contexts between localized and metastatic prostate cancer. Primary localized disease demonstrates local inflammation and adaptive immunity, whereas metastases are characterized by immune cold microenvironments and a shift towards resolution of inflammation and tissue repair. Therapies that interfere with these inflammatory networks may offer opportunities for early intervention in monotherapy or in combination with immunotherapies and anti-angiogenic approaches.

PRState: Incorporating genetic ancestry in prostate cancer risk scores for men of African ancestry.

BACKGROUND: Prostate cancer (PrCa) is one of the most genetically driven solid cancers with heritability estimates as high as 57%. Men of African ancestry are at an increased risk of PrCa; however, current polygenic risk score (PRS) models are based on European ancestry groups and may not be broadly applicable. The objective of this study was to construct an African ancestry-specific PrCa PRS (PRState) and evaluate its performance. METHODS: African ancestry group of 4,533 individuals in ELLIPSE consortium was used for discovery of African ancestry-specific PrCa SNPs. PRState was constructed as weighted sum of genotypes and effect sizes from genome-wide association study (GWAS) of PrCa in African ancestry group. Performance was evaluated using ROC-AUC analysis. RESULTS: We identified African ancestry-specific PrCa risk loci on chromosomes 3, 8, and 11 and constructed a polygenic risk score (PRS) from 10 African ancestry-specific PrCa risk SNPs, achieving an AUC of 0.61 [0.60-0.63] and 0.65 [0.64-0.67], when combined with age and family history. Performance dropped significantly when using ancestry-mismatched PRS models but remained comparable when using trans-ancestry models. Importantly, we validated the PRState score in the Million Veteran Program (MVP), demonstrating improved prediction of PrCa and metastatic PrCa in individuals of African ancestry. CONCLUSIONS: African ancestry-specific PRState improves PrCa prediction in African ancestry groups in ELLIPSE consortium and MVP. This study underscores the need for inclusion of individuals of African ancestry in gene variant discovery to optimize PRSs and identifies African ancestry-specific variants for use in future studies.

Metastasis and Mortality in Men With Low- and Intermediate-Risk Prostate Cancer on Active Surveillance.

BACKGROUND: Active surveillance (AS) is a safe treatment option for men with low-risk, localized prostate cancer. However, the safety of AS for patients with intermediate-risk prostate cancer remains unclear. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We identified men with NCCN-classified low-risk and favorable and unfavorable intermediate-risk prostate cancer diagnosed between 2001 and 2015 and initially managed with AS in the Veterans Health Administration. We analyzed progression to definitive treatment, metastasis, prostate cancer-specific mortality (PCSM), and all-cause mortality using cumulative incidences and multivariable competing-risks regression. RESULTS: The cohort included 9,733 men, of whom 1,007 (10.3%) had intermediate-risk disease (773 [76.8%] favorable, 234 [23.2%] unfavorable), followed for a median of 7.6 years. The 10-year cumulative incidence of metastasis was significantly higher for patients with favorable (9.6%; 95% CI, 7.1%-12.5%; P<.001) and unfavorable intermediate-risk disease (19.2%; 95% CI, 13.4%-25.9%; P<.001) than for those with low-risk disease (1.5%; 95% CI, 1.2%-1.9%). The 10-year cumulative incidence of PCSM was also significantly higher for patients with favorable (3.7%; 95% CI, 2.3%-5.7%; P<.001) and unfavorable intermediate-risk disease (11.8%; 95% CI, 6.8%-18.4%; P<.001) than for those with low-risk disease (1.1%; 95% CI, 0.8%-1.4%). In multivariable competing-risks regression, favorable and unfavorable intermediate-risk patients had significantly increased risks of metastasis and PCSM compared with low-risk patients (all P<.001). CONCLUSIONS: Compared with low-risk patients, those with favorable and unfavorable intermediate-risk prostate cancer managed with AS are at increased risk of metastasis and PCSM. AS may be an appropriate option for carefully selected patients with favorable intermediate-risk prostate cancer, though identification of appropriate candidates and AS protocols should be tested in future prospective studies.

Validation of an oncology-specific opioid risk calculator in cancer survivors.

BACKGROUND: Clinical guidelines recommend that providers risk-stratify patients with cancer before prescribing opioids. Prior research has demonstrated that a simple cancer opioid risk score might help identify to patients with cancer at the time of diagnosis with a high likelihood of long-term posttreatment opioid use. This current project validates this cancer opioid risk score in a generalizable, population-based cohort of elderly cancer survivors. METHODS: This study identified 44,932 Medicare beneficiaries with cancer who had received local therapy. Longitudinal opioid use was ascertained from Medicare Part D data. A risk score was calculated for each patient, and patients were categorized into low-, moderate-, and high-risk groups on the basis of the predicted probability of persistent opioid use. Model discrimination was assessed with receiver operating characteristic curves. RESULTS: In the study cohort, 5.2% of the patients were chronic opioid users 1 to 2 years after the initiation of cancer treatment. The majority of the patients (64%) were at low risk and had a 1.2% probability of long-term opioid use. Moderate-risk patients (33% of the cohort) had a 5.6% probability of long-term opioid use. High-risk patients (3.5% of the cohort) had a 75% probability of long-term opioid use. The opioid risk score had an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.869. CONCLUSIONS: This study found that a cancer opioid risk score could accurately identify individuals with a high likelihood of long-term opioid use in a large, generalizable cohort of cancer survivors. Future research should focus on the implementation of these scores into clinical practice and how this could affect prescriber behavior and patient outcomes. LAY SUMMARY: A novel 5-question clinical decision tool allows physicians treating patients with cancer to accurately predict which patients will persistently be using opioid medications after completing therapy.

Association of race and health care system with disease stage and survival in veterans with larynx cancer.

BACKGROUND: Black patients with laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) historically have inferior outcomes in comparison with White patients. The authors investigated these racial disparities within the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), an equal-access system, and within the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) program, which is representative of the US hybrid-payer system. METHODS: Patients with invasive (T1 or greater) LSCC were included from SEER (2004-2015) and the VHA (2000-2017). The primary outcomes of overall survival (OS) and larynx cancer-specific survival (LCS) were evaluated in Cox and Fine-Gray models. RESULTS: In the SEER cohort (7122 patients: 82.6% White and 17.4% Black), Black patients were more likely to present with advanced disease and had inferior OS (hazard ratio [HR], 1.37; 95% CI, 1.26-1.50; P < .0001) in a multivariable analysis. Black LCS was worse in a univariable analysis (HR, 1.42; 95% CI, 1.27-1.58; P < .0001), but this effect was attenuated by 83% when the authors controlled for the TNM category and was found to be insignificant in a multivariable analysis (HR, 1.05; 95% CI, 0.93-1.18; P = .42). In the VHA cohort (9248 patients: 79.7% White and 20.3% Black), the 2 racial cohorts presented with similar tumor characteristics and similar OS (HR, 0.95; 95% CI, 0.89-1.02; P = .14). Black LCS was similar in univariable (HR, 1.10; 95% CI, 1.00-1.22; P = .05) and multivariable analyses (HR, 1.02; 95% CI, 0.92-1.14; P = .67). CONCLUSIONS: Black patients with LSCC had a tumor burden at diagnosis and survival outcomes comparable to those of White patients within the VHA; this was counter to what was observed in the SEER analysis and prior national trends. This study's findings point toward the notable role of health care access in contributing to racial health disparities in the realm of larynx cancer.

Outcomes of Black men with prostate cancer treated with radiation therapy in the Veterans Health Administration.

BACKGROUND: Population-based studies demonstrate that Black men in the United States have an increased risk of death from prostate cancer. Determinants of racial disparities are multifactorial, including socioeconomic and biologic factors. METHODS: The authors conducted a pooled analysis of patients derived from 152 centers within the Veterans Health Administration. The cohort included men who had nonmetastatic prostate diagnosed between 2001 and 2015 and received definitive radiation therapy. The primary endpoint was prostate cancer-specific mortality (PCSM). Secondary endpoints included all-cause mortality (ACM) and the time from a prostate-specific antigen level ≥4 ng/mL to biopsy and radiation therapy. A Cox regression model was performed to adjust for differences between clinical parameters. RESULTS: Among the 31,131 patients included in the cohort, 9584 (30.8%) were Black. The 10-year cumulative incidence of death from prostate cancer was lower in Black men compared with White men (4.0% vs 4.8%; P = .004). In a competing risk model, Black race was associated with a decreased risk of PCSM (subdistribution hazard ratio, 0.79; 95% CI, 0.69-0.92; P = .002). Similarly, the 10-year cumulative incidence of death from any cause was lower in Black men (27.6% vs 31.8%; P < .001). In multivariable analysis, Black men had a 10% decreased risk of ACM (hazard ratio, 0.90; 95% CI, 0.85-0.95; P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: The current results indicate relatively lower PCSM and ACM among Black men who were included in a large Veterans Health Administration cohort and received radiation therapy as primary treatment for nonmetastatic prostate cancer. There is an ongoing need to continue to understand and mitigate the factors associated with disparities in health care outcomes.

Active surveillance for intermediate-risk prostate cancer in African American and non-Hispanic White men.

BACKGROUND: The safety of active surveillance (AS) for African American men compared with non-Hispanic White (White) men with intermediate-risk prostate cancer is unclear. METHODS: The authors identified patients with modified National Comprehensive Cancer Network favorable ("low-intermediate") and unfavorable ("high-intermediate") intermediate-risk prostate cancer diagnosed between 2001 and 2015 and initially managed with AS in the Veterans Health Administration database. They analyzed definitive treatment, disease progression, metastases, prostate cancer-specific mortality (PCSM), and all-cause mortality by using cumulative incidences and multivariable competing-risks (disease progression, metastasis, and PCSM) or Cox (all-cause mortality) regression. RESULTS: The cohort included 1007 men (African Americans, 330 [32.8%]; Whites, 677 [67.2%]) followed for a median of 7.7 years; 773 (76.8%) had low-intermediate-risk disease, and 234 (23.2%) had high-intermediate-risk disease. The 10-year cumulative incidences of definitive treatment were not significantly different (African Americans, 83.5%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 78.5%-88.7%; Whites, 80.6%; 95% CI, 76.6%-84.4%; P = .17). Among those with low-intermediate-risk disease, there were no significant differences in the 10-year cumulative incidences of disease progression (African Americans, 46.8%; 95% CI, 40.0%-53.3%; Whites, 46.9%; 95% CI, 42.1%-51.5%; P = .91), metastasis (African Americans, 7.1%; 95% CI, 3.7%-11.8%; Whites, 10.8%; 95% CI, 7.6%-14.6%; P = .17), or PCSM (African Americans, 3.8%; 95% CI, 1.6%-7.5%; Whites, 3.8%; 95% CI, 2.0%-6.3%; P = .69). In a multivariable regression including the entire cohort, African American race was not associated with increased risks of definitive treatment, disease progression, metastasis, PCSM, or all-cause mortality (all P > .30). CONCLUSIONS: Outcomes in the Veterans Affairs Health System were similar for African American and White men treated for low-intermediate-risk prostate cancer with AS.

Prospects for daily online adaptive radiotherapy via ethos for prostate cancer patients without nodal involvement using unedited CBCT auto-segmentation.

PURPOSE:  Implementing new online adaptive radiation therapy technologies is challenging because extra clinical resources are required particularly expert contour review. Here, we provide the first assessment of Varian's Ethos™ adaptive platform for prostate cancer using no manual edits after auto-segmentation to minimize this impact on clinical efficiency. METHODS: Twenty-five prostate patients previously treated at our clinic were re-planned using an Ethos™ emulator. Clinical target volumes (CTV) included intact prostate and proximal seminal vesicles. The following clinical margins were used: 3 mm posterior, 5 mm left/right/anterior, and 7 mm superior/inferior. Adapted plans were calculated for 10 fractions per patient using Ethos's auto-segmentation and auto-planning workflow without manual contouring edits. Doses and auto-segmented structures were exported to our clinical treatment planning system where contours were modified as needed for all 250 CTVs and organs-at-risk. Dose metrics from adapted plans were compared to unadapted plans to evaluate CTV and OAR dose changes. RESULTS: Overall 96% of fractions required auto-segmentation edits, although corrections were generally minor (<10% of the volume for 70% of CTVs, 88% of bladders, and 90% of rectums). However, for one patient the auto-segmented CTV failed to include the superior portion of prostate that extended into the bladder at all 10 fractions resulting in under-contouring of the CTV by 31.3% ± 6.7%. For the 24 patients with minor auto-segmentation corrections, adaptation improved CTV D98% by 2.9% ± 5.3%. For non-adapted fractions where bladder or rectum V90% exceeded clinical thresholds, adaptation reduced them by 13.1% ± 1.0% and 6.5% ± 7.3%, respectively. CONCLUSION:  For most patients, Ethos's online adaptive radiation therapy workflow improved CTV D98% and reduced normal tissue dose when structures would otherwise exceed clinical thresholds, even without time-consuming manual edits. However, for one in 25 patients, large contour edits were required and thus scrutiny of the daily auto-segmentation is necessary and not all patients will be good candidates for adaptation.

Survival of African American and non-Hispanic white men with prostate cancer in an equal-access health care system.

BACKGROUND: African American (AA) men in the general US population are more than twice as likely to die of prostate cancer (PC) compared with non-Hispanic white (NHW) men. The authors hypothesized that receiving care through the Veterans Affairs (VA) health system, an equal-access medical system, would attenuate this disparity. METHODS: A longitudinal, centralized database of >20 million veterans was used to assemble a cohort of 60,035 men (18,201 AA men [30.3%] and 41,834 NHW men [69.7%]) who were diagnosed with PC between 2000 and 2015. RESULTS: AA men were more likely to live in regions with a lower median income ($40,871 for AA men vs $48,125 for NHW men; P < .001) and lower high school graduation rates (83% for AA men vs 88% for NHW men; P < .001). At the time of diagnosis, AA men were younger (median age, 63.0 years vs 66.0 years; P < .001) and had a higher prostate-specific antigen level (median, 6.7 ng/mL vs 6.2 ng/mL; P < .001), but were less likely to have Gleason score 8 to 10 disease (18.8% among AA men vs 19.7% among NHW men; P < .001), a clinical T classification ≥3 (2.2% vs 2.9%; P < .001), or distant metastatic disease (2.7% vs 3.1%; P = 0.01). The 10-year PC-specific mortality rate was slightly lower for AA men (4.4% vs 5.1%; P = .005), which was confirmed in multivariable competing-risk analysis (subdistribution hazard ratio, 0.85; 95% CI, 0.78-0.93; P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: AA men diagnosed with PC in the VA health system do not appear to present with more advanced disease or experience worse outcomes compared with NHW men, in contrast to national trends, suggesting that access to care is an important determinant of racial equity.

Palliative Radiotherapy Versus Esophageal Stent Placement in the Management of Patients With Metastatic Esophageal Cancer.

BACKGROUND: Patients with advanced esophageal cancer often experience pain and dysphagia, yet the optimal palliative management remains unclear. This retrospective study evaluated outcomes and adverse effects of palliative radiotherapy (RT) compared with esophageal stenting among a cohort of U.S. veterans with metastatic esophageal cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We identified 1,957 veterans in the United States with metastatic esophageal cancer who received palliative RT to the esophagus or esophageal stenting, and assessed the risks of severe adverse effects, including esophageal fistula formation, perforation, obstruction, hemorrhage, and esophagitis. We determined palliative efficacy by evaluating pain and dysphagia scores before and after intervention. Multivariable analyses were used to control for potential confounding factors. RESULTS: In our cohort, 1,593 patients underwent RT and 364 underwent esophageal stenting. The cumulative incidence of any severe adverse effect at 6 months was higher among patients who received stents compared with those who received RT (21.7% vs 12.4%; P<.0010). In multivariable analysis, patients who received stents had an increased risk of any severe adverse effect, including fistula, perforation, and hemorrhage (all P<.0500). Multivariable analysis also showed that, compared with stenting, RT was associated with more rapid and durable pain relief (P<.0010) with no difference in relief of dysphagia over time when accounting for pretreatment dysphagia scores (P=.1029). CONCLUSIONS: Compared with esophageal stenting, RT was associated with a decreased risk of adverse effects, greater pain relief, and equivalent relief of moderate to severe dysphagia over time. Unmeasured patient- or tumor-related factors could have influenced the choice of intervention, thereby impacting our study outcomes. To our knowledge, this is the largest study to date analyzing the comparative risks and benefits of palliative RT and esophageal stenting among patients with metastatic esophageal cancer.