Health Care Access Dimensions and Racial Disparities in End-of-Life Care Quality among Patients with Ovarian Cancer.

This study investigated the association between health care access (HCA) dimensions and racial disparities in end-of-life (EOL) care quality among non-Hispanic Black (NHB), non-Hispanic White (NHW), and Hispanic patients with ovarian cancer. This retrospective cohort study used the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results-linked Medicare data for women diagnosed with ovarian cancer from 2008 to 2015, ages 65 years and older. Health care affordability, accessibility, and availability measures were assessed at the census tract or regional levels, and associations between these measures and quality of EOL care were examined using multivariable-adjusted regression models, as appropriate. The final sample included 4,646 women [mean age (SD), 77.5 (7.0) years]; 87.4% NHW, 6.9% NHB, and 5.7% Hispanic. In the multivariable-adjusted models, affordability was associated with a decreased risk of intensive care unit stay [adjusted relative risk (aRR) 0.90, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.83-0.98] and in-hospital death (aRR 0.91, 95% CI: 0.84-0.98). After adjustment for HCA dimensions, NHB patients had lower-quality EOL care compared with NHW patients, defined as: increased risk of hospitalization in the last 30 days of life (aRR 1.16, 95% CI: 1.03-1.30), no hospice care (aRR 1.23, 95% CI: 1.04-1.44), in-hospital death (aRR 1.27, 95% CI: 1.03-1.57), and higher counts of poor-quality EOL care outcomes (count ratio:1.19, 95% CI: 1.04-1.36). HCA dimensions were strong predictors of EOL care quality; however, racial disparities persisted, suggesting that additional drivers of these disparities remain to be identified. SIGNIFICANCE: Among patients with ovarian cancer, Black patients had lower-quality EOL care, even after adjusting for three structural barriers to HCA, namely affordability, availability, and accessibility. This suggests an important need to investigate the roles of yet unexplored barriers to HCA such as accommodation and acceptability, as drivers of poor-quality EOL care among Black patients with ovarian cancer.

Racial disparities in initiation of chemotherapy among breast cancer patients with discretionary treatment indication in the state of Georgia.

PURPOSE: The majority of breast cancer patients are diagnosed with early-stage estrogen receptor (ER) positive disease. Despite effective treatments for these cancers, Black women have higher mortality than White women. We investigated demographic and clinical factors associated with receipt of chemotherapy among those with a discretionary indication who are at risk for overtreatment. METHODS: Using Georgia Cancer Registry data, we identified females diagnosed with ER positive breast cancer who had a discretionary indication for chemotherapy (2010-2017). We used logistic regression to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) associating patient demographic and clinical characteristics with chemotherapy initiation overall, and comparing non-Hispanic Black (NHB) with non-Hispanic White (NHW) women within strata of patient factors. RESULTS: We identified 11,993 ER positive breast cancer patients with a discretionary indication for chemotherapy. NHB patients were more likely to initiate chemotherapy compared with NHW women (OR = 1.41, 95% CI: 1.28, 1.56). Race differences in chemotherapy initiation were pronounced among those who did not receive Oncotype DX testing (OR = 1.47, 95% CI: 1.31, 1.65) and among those residing in high socioeconomic status neighborhoods (OR = 2.48, 95% CI: 1.70, 3.61). However, we observed equitable chemotherapy receipt among patients who received Oncotype DX testing (OR = 0.90, 95% CI: 0.71, 1.14), were diagnosed with grade 1 disease (OR = 1.00, 95% CI: 0.74, 1.37), and those resided in rural areas (OR = 1.01, 95% CI: 0.76, 1.36). CONCLUSION: We observed racial disparities in the initiation of chemotherapy overall and by sociodemographic and clinical factors, and more equitable outcomes when clinical guidelines were followed.

Historical Redlining, Persistent Mortgage Discrimination, and Race in Breast Cancer Outcomes.

Importance: Inequities created by historical and contemporary mortgage discriminatory policies have implications for health disparities. The role of persistent mortgage discrimination (PMD) in breast cancer (BC) outcomes has not been studied. Objective: To estimate the race-specific association of historical redlining (HRL) with the development of BC subtypes and late-stage disease and a novel measure of PMD in BC mortality. Design, Setting, and Participants: This population-based cohort study used Georgia Cancer Registry data. A total of 1764 non-Hispanic Black and White women with a BC diagnosis and residing in an area graded by the Home Owners' Loan Corporation (HOLC) in Georgia were included. Patients were excluded if they did not have a known subtype or a derived American Joint Committee on Cancer stage or if diagnosed solely by death certificate or autopsy. Participants were diagnosed with a first primary BC between January 1, 2010, to December 31, 2017, and were followed through December 31, 2019. Data were analyzed between May 1, 2022, and August 31, 2023. Exposures: Scores for HRL were examined dichotomously as less than 2.5 (ie, nonredlined) vs 2.5 or greater (ie, redlined). Contemporary mortgage discrimination (CMD) scores were calculated, and PMD index was created using the combination of HRL and CMD scores. Main Outcomes and Measures: Estrogen receptor (ER) status, late stage at diagnosis, and BC-specific death. Results: This study included 1764 women diagnosed with BC within census tracts that were HOLC graded in Georgia. Of these, 856 women (48.5%) were non-Hispanic Black and 908 (51.5%) were non-Hispanic White; 1148 (65.1%) were diagnosed at 55 years or older; 538 (30.5%) resided in tracts with HRL scores less than 2.5; and 1226 (69.5%) resided in tracts with HRL scores 2.5 or greater. Living in HRL areas with HRL scores 2.5 or greater was associated with a 62% increased odds of ER-negative BC among non-Hispanic Black women (odds ratio [OR], 1.62 [95% CI, 1.01-2.60]), a 97% increased odds of late-stage diagnosis among non-Hispanic White women (OR, 1.97 [95% CI, 1.15-3.36]), and a 60% increase in BC mortality overall (hazard ratio, 1.60 [95% CI, 1.17-2.18]). Similarly, PMD was associated with BC mortality among non-Hispanic White women but not among non-Hispanic Black women. Conclusions and Relevance: The findings of this cohort study suggest that historical racist policies and persistent discrimination have modern-day implications for BC outcomes that differ by race. These findings emphasize the need for a more nuanced investigation of the social and structural drivers of disparate BC outcomes.

Association of Major Adverse Financial Events and Later-Stage Cancer Diagnosis in the United States.

PURPOSE: This study assessed the prevalence of specific major adverse financial events (AFEs)-bankruptcies, liens, and evictions-before a cancer diagnosis and their association with later-stage cancer at diagnosis. METHODS: Patients age 20-69 years diagnosed with cancer during 2014-2015 were identified from the Seattle, Louisiana, and Georgia SEER population-based cancer registries. Registry data were linked with LexisNexis consumer data to identify patients with a history of court-documented AFEs before cancer diagnosis. The association of AFEs and later-stage cancer diagnoses (stages III/IV) was assessed using separate sex-specific multivariable logistic regression. RESULTS: Among 101,649 patients with cancer linked to LexisNexis data, 36,791 (36.2%) had a major AFE reported before diagnosis. The mean and median timing of the AFE closest to diagnosis were 93 and 77 months, respectively. AFEs were most common among non-Hispanic Black, unmarried, and low-income patients. Individuals with previous AFEs were more likely to be diagnosed with later-stage cancer than individuals with no AFE (males-odds ratio [OR], 1.09 [95% CI, 1.03 to 1.14]; P < .001; females-OR, 1.18 [95% CI, 1.13 to 1.24]; P < .0001) after adjusting for age, race, marital status, income, registry, and cancer type. Associations between AFEs prediagnosis and later-stage disease did not vary by AFE timing. CONCLUSION: One third of newly diagnosed patients with cancer had a major AFE before their diagnosis. Patients with AFEs were more likely to have later-stage diagnosis, even accounting for traditional measures of socioeconomic status that influence the stage at diagnosis. The prevalence of prediagnosis AFEs underscores financial vulnerability of patients with cancer before their diagnosis, before any subsequent financial burden associated with cancer treatment.

A Comparison of Three Area-Level Indices of Neighborhood Deprivation and Socioeconomic Status and their Applicability to Breast Cancer Mortality.

Neighborhood deprivation indices are widely used in research, but the performance of these indices has rarely been directly compared in the same analysis. We examined the Area Deprivation Index, Neighborhood Deprivation Index, and Yost index, and compared their associations with breast cancer mortality. Indices were constructed for Georgia census block groups using 2011-2015 American Community Survey data. Pearson correlation coefficients and percent agreement were calculated. Associations between each index and breast cancer mortality were estimated among 36,795 women diagnosed with breast cancer using Cox proportional hazards regression. The indices were strongly correlated (absolute value of correlation coefficients > 0.77), exhibited moderate (41.4%) agreement, and were similarly associated with a 36% increase in breast cancer mortality. The similar associations with breast cancer mortality suggest the indices measure the same underlying construct, despite only moderate agreement. By understanding their correlations, agreement, and associations with health outcomes, researchers can choose the most appropriate index for analysis.

Use of the Decipher genomic classifier among men with prostate cancer in the United States.

BACKGROUND: Management of localized or recurrent prostate cancer since the 1990s has been based on risk stratification using clinicopathological variables, including Gleason score, T stage (based on digital rectal exam), and prostate-specific antigen (PSA). In this study a novel prognostic test, the Decipher Prostate Genomic Classifier (GC), was used to stratify risk of prostate cancer progression in a US national database of men with prostate cancer. METHODS: Records of prostate cancer cases from participating SEER (Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results) program registries, diagnosed during the period from 2010 through 2018, were linked to records of testing with the GC prognostic test. Multivariable analysis was used to quantify the association between GC scores or risk groups and use of definitive local therapy after diagnosis in the GC biopsy-tested cohort and postoperative radiotherapy in the GC-tested cohort as well as adverse pathological findings after prostatectomy. RESULTS: A total of 572 545 patients were included in the analysis, of whom 8927 patients underwent GC testing. GC biopsy-tested patients were more likely to undergo active active surveillance or watchful waiting than untested patients (odds ratio [OR] =2.21, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 2.04 to 2.38, P < .001). The highest use of active surveillance or watchful waiting was for patients with a low-risk GC classification (41%) compared with those with an intermediate- (27%) or high-risk (11%) GC classification (P < .001). Among National Comprehensive Cancer Network patients with low and favorable-intermediate risk, higher GC risk class was associated with greater use of local therapy (OR = 4.79, 95% CI = 3.51 to 6.55, P < .001). Within this subset of patients who were subsequently treated with prostatectomy, high GC risk was associated with harboring adverse pathological findings (OR = 2.94, 95% CI = 1.38 to 6.27, P = .005). Use of radiation after prostatectomy was statistically significantly associated with higher GC risk groups (OR = 2.69, 95% CI = 1.89 to 3.84). CONCLUSIONS: There is a strong association between use of the biopsy GC test and likelihood of conservative management. Higher genomic classifier scores are associated with higher rates of adverse pathology at time of surgery and greater use of postoperative radiotherapy.In this study the Decipher Prostate Genomic Classifier (GC) was used to analyze a US national database of men with prostate cancer. Use of the GC was associated with conservative management (ie, active surveillance). Among men who had high-risk GC scores and then had surgery, there was a 3-fold higher chance of having worrisome findings in surgical specimens.

Primary care provider attitudes about and tendency to use non-recommended surveillance tests after curative breast cancer treatment.

PURPOSE: Little is known about the factors contributing to the receipt of non-recommended surveillance testing among early-stage breast cancer survivors. We assessed primary care providers (PCP) attitudes about and tendency to order non-recommended surveillance testing for asymptomatic early-stage breast cancer survivors post-adjuvant chemotherapy. METHODS: A stratified random sample of PCPs identified by early-stage breast cancer survivors were surveyed (N = 518, 61% response rate). PCPs were asked how likely they would be to order bone scans, imaging and/or tumor marker testing using a clinical vignette of an early-stage asymptomatic patient where these tests are non-recommended. A composite tendency to order score was created and categorized by tertiles (low, moderate, high). PCP-reported factors associated with high and moderate tendency to order non-recommended testing (vs. low) were estimated using multivariable, multinomial logistic regression. RESULTS: In this sample, 26% reported a high tendency to order non-recommended surveillance tests during survivorship for early-stage breast cancer survivors. PCPs who identified as family practice physicians and PCPs reporting more confidence in ordering surveillance testing were more likely to report a high tendency to order non-recommended testing (vs. low) ((aOR family practice 2.09, CI 1.2, 3.8; aOR more confidence 1.9, CI 1.1, 3.3). CONCLUSIONS: In this population-based sample of PCPs caring for breast cancer survivors, over a quarter of PCPs reported they would order non-recommended surveillance testing for asymptomatic early-stage breast cancer survivors. Efforts to better support PCPs and disseminate information about appropriate surveillance for cancer survivors are warranted.

Germline Genetic Testing After Cancer Diagnosis.

Importance: Germline genetic testing is recommended by practice guidelines for patients diagnosed with cancer to enable genetically targeted treatment and identify relatives who may benefit from personalized cancer screening and prevention. Objective: To describe the prevalence of germline genetic testing among patients diagnosed with cancer in California and Georgia between 2013 and 2019. Design, Setting, and Participants: Observational study including patients aged 20 years or older who had been diagnosed with any type of cancer between January 1, 2013, and March 31, 2019, that was reported to statewide Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results registries in California and Georgia. These patients were linked to genetic testing results from 4 laboratories that performed most germline testing for California and Georgia. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome was germline genetic testing within 2 years of a cancer diagnosis. Testing trends were analyzed with logistic regression modeling. The results of sequencing each gene, including variants associated with increased cancer risk (pathogenic results) and variants whose cancer risk association was unknown (uncertain results), were evaluated. The genes were categorized according to their primary cancer association, including breast or ovarian, gastrointestinal, and other, and whether practice guidelines recommended germline testing. Results: Among 1 369 602 patients diagnosed with cancer between 2013 and 2019 in California and Georgia, 93 052 (6.8%) underwent germline testing through March 31, 2021. The proportion of patients tested varied by cancer type: male breast (50%), ovarian (38.6%), female breast (26%), multiple (7.5%), endometrial (6.4%), pancreatic (5.6%), colorectal (5.6%), prostate (1.1%), and lung (0.3%). In a logistic regression model, compared with the 31% (95% CI, 30%-31%) of non-Hispanic White patients with male breast cancer, female breast cancer, or ovarian cancer who underwent testing, patients of other races and ethnicities underwent testing less often: 22% (95% CI, 21%-22%) of Asian patients, 25% (95% CI, 24%-25%) of Black patients, and 23% (95% CI, 23%-23%) of Hispanic patients (P < .001 using the χ2 test). Of all pathogenic results, 67.5% to 94.9% of variants were identified in genes for which practice guidelines recommend testing and 68.3% to 83.8% of variants were identified in genes associated with the diagnosed cancer type. Conclusions and Relevance: Among patients diagnosed with cancer in California and Georgia between 2013 and 2019, only 6.8% underwent germline genetic testing. Compared with non-Hispanic White patients, rates of testing were lower among Asian, Black, and Hispanic patients.

31-Gene Expression Profile Testing in Cutaneous Melanoma and Survival Outcomes in a Population-Based Analysis: A SEER Collaboration.

PURPOSE: The DecisionDx-Melanoma 31-gene expression profile (31-GEP) test is validated to classify cutaneous malignant melanoma (CM) patient risk of recurrence, metastasis, or death as low (class 1A), intermediate (class 1B/2A), or high (class 2B). This study aimed to examine the effect of 31-GEP testing on survival outcomes and confirm the prognostic ability of the 31-GEP at the population level. METHODS: Patients with stage I-III CM with a clinical 31-GEP result between 2016 and 2018 were linked to data from 17 SEER registries (n = 4,687) following registries' operation procedures for linkages. Melanoma-specific survival (MSS) and overall survival (OS) differences by 31-GEP risk category were examined using Kaplan-Meier analysis and the log-rank test. Crude and adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) were calculated using Cox regression model to evaluate variables associated with survival. 31-GEP tested patients were propensity score-matched to a cohort of non-31-GEP tested patients from the SEER database. Robustness of the effect of 31-GEP testing was assessed using resampling. RESULTS: Patients with a 31-GEP class 1A result had higher 3-year MSS and OS than patients with a class 1B/2A or class 2B result (MSS: 99.7% v 97.1% v 89.6%, P < .001; OS: 96.6% v 90.2% v 79.4%, P < .001). A class 2B result was an independent predictor of MSS (HR, 7.00; 95% CI, 2.70 to 18.00) and OS (HR, 2.39; 95% CI, 1.54 to 3.70). 31-GEP testing was associated with a 29% lower MSS mortality (HR, 0.71; 95% CI, 0.53 to 0.94) and 17% lower overall mortality (HR, 0.83; 95% CI, 0.70 to 0.99) relative to untested patients. CONCLUSION: In a population-based, clinically tested melanoma cohort, the 31-GEP stratified patients by their risk of dying from melanoma.

Tailoring capture-recapture methods to estimate registry-based case counts based on error-prone diagnostic signals.

Surveillance research is of great importance for effective and efficient epidemiological monitoring of case counts and disease prevalence. Taking specific motivation from ongoing efforts to identify recurrent cases based on the Georgia Cancer Registry, we extend recently proposed "anchor stream" sampling design and estimation methodology. Our approach offers a more efficient and defensible alternative to traditional capture-recapture (CRC) methods by leveraging a relatively small random sample of participants whose recurrence status is obtained through a principled application of medical records abstraction. This sample is combined with one or more existing signaling data streams, which may yield data based on arbitrarily non-representative subsets of the full registry population. The key extension developed here accounts for the common problem of false positive or negative diagnostic signals from the existing data stream(s). In particular, we show that the design only requires documentation of positive signals in these non-anchor surveillance streams, and permits valid estimation of the true case count based on an estimable positive predictive value (PPV) parameter. We borrow ideas from the multiple imputation paradigm to provide accompanying standard errors, and develop an adapted Bayesian credible interval approach that yields favorable frequentist coverage properties. We demonstrate the benefits of the proposed methods through simulation studies, and provide a data example targeting estimation of the breast cancer recurrence case count among Metro Atlanta area patients from the Georgia Cancer Registry-based Cancer Recurrence Information and Surveillance Program (CRISP) database.

Characteristics of prostate cancer patients captured by facility-based versus geography-based cancer registries.

PURPOSE: We determined differences in demographics, tumor factors, and treatment patterns of prostate cancer patients in a geographic-based cancer registry based on eligibility for a facility-based cancer registry system. METHODS: We identified prostate cancer patients captured by the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database from 2018 to 2019. Our exposure was receipt of cancer care at a facility accredited by the American College of Surgeons' Commission on Cancer (CoC) providing eligibility for inclusion in the National Cancer Database (NCDB). Outcomes included patient demographics, tumor factors (e.g., biopsy grade), and treatment with radical prostatectomy. RESULTS: We identified 113,733 prostate cancer patients of whom 65,708 (57%) were NCDB-eligible with an analytic abstract, and 11,010 (10%) were NCDB-eligible without an analytic abstract. NCDB-eligible men were younger (67.0 vs. 68.1 years, P < 0.001), less likely to be Hispanic/Latino (8.7% vs. 13.2%, P < 0.001), and more likely in a county with median income over $75,000 (40.9% vs. 30.0%, P < 0.001). NCDB eligibility varied widely by registry, from 95.9% in Connecticut to 42.6% in Utah. NCDB-ineligible patients were more likely to have unknown stage (17.2% vs. 2.9% NCDB-eligible) and missing PSA (22.9% vs 9.3% NCDB-eligible). NCDB-eligible men were less likely to have Grade Group 1 cancer on biopsy (28.2% vs. 39.2%, P < 0.001). Treatment with prostatectomy was more common among NCDB-eligible patients for low-risk (19.6% vs. 8.8%, adjusted OR 2.30, 95% CI 1.72-6.66) and high-risk tumors (43.5% vs. 26.0%, adjusted OR 1.95, 95% CI 1.33-2.86). CONCLUSION: Compared NCDB-ineligible patients, those eligible for inclusion in the NCDB have important differences in demographics, eligibility for active surveillance, and treatment patterns. Generalizations related to epidemiologic trends, practice patterns, and outcomes for this select population should be interpreted with caution.

Financial Toxicity and Its Association With Health-Related Quality of Life Among Partners of Colorectal Cancer Survivors.

Importance: Partners of colorectal cancer (CRC) survivors play a critical role in diagnosis, treatment, and survivorship. While financial toxicity (FT) is well documented among patients with CRC, little is known about long-term FT and its association with health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among their partners. Objective: To understand long-term FT and its association with HRQoL among partners of CRC survivors. Design, Setting, and Participants: This survey study incorporating a mixed-methods design consisted of a mailed dyadic survey with closed- and open-ended responses. In 2019 and 2020, we surveyed survivors who were 1 to 5 years from a stage III CRC diagnosis and included a separate survey for their partners. Patients were recruited from a rural community oncology practice in Montana, an academic cancer center in Michigan, and the Georgia Cancer Registry. Data analysis was performed from February 2022 to January 2023. Exposures: Three components of FT, including financial burden, debt, and financial worry. Main Outcomes and Measures: Financial burden was assessed with the Personal Financial Burden scale, whereas debt and financial worry were each assessed with a single survey item. We measured HRQoL using the PROMIS-29+2 Profile, version 2.1. We used multivariable regression analysis to assess associations of FT with individual domains of HRQoL. We used thematic analysis to explore partner perspectives on FT, and we merged quantitative and qualitative findings to explain the association between FT and HRQoL. Results: Of the 986 patients eligible for this study, 501 (50.8%) returned surveys. A total of 428 patients (85.4%) reported having a partner, and 311 partners (72.6%) returned surveys. Four partner surveys were returned without a corresponding patient survey, resulting in a total of 307 patient-partner dyads for this analysis. Among the 307 partners, 166 (56.1%) were aged younger than 65 years (mean [SD] age, 63.7 [11.1] years), 189 (62.6%) were women, and 263 (85.7%) were White. Most partners (209 [68.1%]) reported adverse financial outcomes. High financial burden was associated with worse HRQoL in the pain interference domain (mean [SE] score, -0.08 [0.04]; P = .03). Debt was associated with worse HRQoL in the sleep disturbance domain (-0.32 [0.15]; P = .03). High financial worry was associated with worse HRQoL in the social functioning (mean [SE] score, -0.37 [0.13]; P = .005), fatigue (-0.33 [0.15]; P = .03), and pain interference (-0.33 [0.14]; P = .02) domains. Qualitative findings revealed that in addition to systems-level factors, individual-level behavioral factors were associated with partner financial outcomes and HRQoL. Conclusions and Relevance: This survey study found that partners of CRC survivors experienced long-term FT that was associated with worse HRQoL. Multilevel interventions for both patients and partners are needed to address factors at individual and systemic levels and incorporate behavioral approaches.

Linking population-based cohorts with cancer registries in LMIC: a case study and lessons learnt in India.

OBJECTIVES: In resource-constrained settings, cancer epidemiology research typically relies on self-reported diagnoses. To test a more systematic alternative approach, we assessed the feasibility of linking a cohort with a cancer registry. SETTING: Data linkage was performed between a population-based cohort in Chennai, India, with a local population-based cancer registry. PARTICIPANTS: Data set of Centre for Cardiometabolic Risk Reduction in South-Asia (CARRS) cohort participants (N=11 772) from Chennai was linked with the cancer registry data set for the period 1982-2015 (N=140 986). METHODS AND OUTCOME MEASURES: Match*Pro, a probabilistic record linkage software, was used for computerised linkages followed by manual review of high scoring records. The variables used for linkage included participant name, gender, age, address, Postal Index Number and father's and spouse's name. Registry records between 2010 and 2015 and between 1982 and 2015, respectively, represented incident and all (both incident and prevalent) cases. The extent of agreement between self-reports and registry-based ascertainment was expressed as the proportion of cases found in both data sets among cases identified independently in each source. RESULTS: There were 52 self-reported cancer cases among 11 772 cohort participants, but 5 cases were misreported. Of the remaining 47 eligible self-reported cases (incident and prevalent), 37 (79%) were confirmed by registry linkage. Among 29 self-reported incident cancers, 25 (86%) were found in the registry. Registry linkage also identified 24 previously not reported cancers; 12 of those were incident cases. The likelihood of linkage was higher in more recent years (2014-2015). CONCLUSIONS: Although linkage variables in this study had limited discriminatory power in the absence of a unique identifier, an appreciable proportion of self-reported cases were confirmed in the registry via linkages. More importantly, the linkages also identified many previously unreported cases. These findings offer new insights that can inform future cancer surveillance and research in low-income and middle-income countries.

Cascade Genetic Risk Education and Testing in Families With Hereditary Cancer Syndromes: A Pilot Study.

PURPOSE: Cascade genetic risk evaluation in families with hereditary cancer can reduce the burden of disease but the rate of germline genetic testing in relatives of patients at risk is low. METHODS: We identified all 277 women diagnosed with breast cancer in Georgia in 2017 who linked to a clinically actionable germline pathogenic variant through a Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results registry-variant linkage initiative. We surveyed them, and then invited eligible respondents to an online platform hosted by a navigator that offered cancer genetic risk education and germline genetic testing to untested relatives. We randomly assigned patient-family clusters at the time of the patient enrollment offer to free versus $50 (USD) test cost. Patients invited relatives to join the study through personalized e-mail. Enrolled relatives received online cancer genetic education and the opportunity to order clinical germline genetic testing through the platform. The primary outcome was the number of relatives who ordered genetic testing. RESULTS: One hundred twenty-five of 277 patients completed surveys (45.2%). Most respondents were eligible for the trial offer (113 of 125; 90.4%). In the free testing arm, 20 of 56 eligible patients participated (35.7% of eligible respondents) and they invited 28 relatives: 12 relatives enrolled and 10 ordered testing. In the $50 (USD) arm, 16 of 57 eligible patients participated (28.1%) and they invited 38 relatives: 18 relatives enrolled and 17 ordered testing. CONCLUSION: Cascade genetic testing in families with hereditary cancer syndromes accrued through a population-based cancer registry can be achieved through an online platform that offers genetic risk education and low-cost testing to relatives. A modest charge did not appear to influence the percentage of participating patients, numbers of participating relatives, and numbers of relatives who received genetic testing.

Health-care access dimensions and ovarian cancer survival: SEER-Medicare analysis of the ORCHiD study.

BACKGROUND: Racial and ethnic disparities in ovarian cancer (OC) survival are well-documented. However, few studies have investigated how health-care access (HCA) contributes to these disparities. METHODS: To evaluate the influence of HCA on OC mortality, we analyzed 2008-2015 Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results-Medicare data. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the association between HCA dimensions (affordability, availability, accessibility) and OC-specific and all-cause mortality, adjusting for patient characteristics and treatment receipt. RESULTS: The study cohort included 7590 OC patients: 454 (6.0%) Hispanic, 501 (6.6%) Non-Hispanic (NH) Black, and 6635 (87.4%) NH White. Higher affordability (HR = 0.90, 95% CI = 0.87 to 0.94), availability (HR = 0.95, 95% CI = 0.92 to 0.99), and accessibility scores (HR = 0.93, 95% CI = 0.87 to 0.99) were associated with lower risk of OC mortality after adjusting for demographic and clinical factors. Racial disparities were observed after additional adjustment for these HCA dimensions: NH Black patients experienced a 26% higher risk of OC mortality compared with NH White patients (HR = 1.26, 95% CI = 1.11 to 1.43) and a 45% higher risk among patients who survived at least 12 months (HR = 1.45, 95% CI = 1.16 to 1.81). CONCLUSIONS: HCA dimensions are statistically significantly associated with mortality after OC and explain some, but not all, of the observed racial disparity in survival of patients with OC. Although equalizing access to quality health care remains critical, research on other HCA dimensions is needed to determine additional factors contributing to disparate OC outcomes by race and ethnicity and advance the field toward health equity.

Factor Analysis of Health Care Access With Ovarian Cancer Surgery and Gynecologic Oncologist Consultation.

Importance: Poor health care access (HCA) is associated with racial and ethnic disparities in ovarian cancer (OC) survival. Objective: To generate composite scores representing health care affordability, availability, and accessibility via factor analysis and to evaluate the association between each score and key indicators of guideline-adherent care. Design, Setting, and Participants: This retrospective cohort study used data from patients with OC diagnosed between 2008 and 2015 in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Medicare database. The SEER Medicare database uses cancer registry data and linked Medicare claims from 12 US states. Included patients were Hispanic, non-Hispanic Black, and non-Hispanic White individuals aged 65 years or older diagnosed from 2008 to 2015 with first or second primary OC of any histologic type (International Classification of Diseases for Oncology, 3rd Edition [ICD-O-3] code C569). Data were analyzed from June 2020 to June 2022. Exposures: The SEER-Medicare data set was linked with publicly available data sets to obtain 35 variables representing health care affordability, availability, and accessibility. A composite score was created for each dimension using confirmatory factor analysis followed by a promax (oblique) rotation on multiple component variables. Main Outcomes and Measures: The main outcomes were consultation with a gynecologic oncologist for OC and receipt of OC-related surgery in the 2 months prior to or 6 months after diagnosis. Results: The cohort included 8987 patients, with a mean (SD) age of 76.8 (7.3) years and 612 Black patients (6.8%), 553 Hispanic patients (6.2%), and 7822 White patients (87.0%). Black patients (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.75; 95% CI, 0.62-0.91) and Hispanic patients (aOR, 0.81; 95% CI, 0.67-0.99) were less likely to consult a gynecologic oncologist compared with White patients, and Black patients were less likely to receive surgery after adjusting for demographic and clinical characteristics (aOR, 0.76; 95% CI, 0.62-0.94). HCA availability and affordability were each associated with gynecologic oncologist consultation (availability: aOR, 1.16; 95% CI, 1.09-1.24; affordability: aOR, 1.13; 95% CI, 1.07-1.20), while affordability was associated with receipt of OC surgery (aOR, 1.08; 95% CI, 1.01-1.15). In models mutually adjusted for availability, affordability, and accessibility, Black patients remained less likely to consult a gynecologic oncologist (aOR, 0.80; 95% CI, 0.66-0.97) and receive surgery (aOR, 0.80; 95% CI, 0.65-0.99). Conclusions and Relevance: In this cohort study of Hispanic, non-Hispanic Black, and non-Hispanic White patients with OC, HCA affordability and availability were significantly associated with receiving surgery and consulting a gynecologic oncologist. However, these dimensions did not fully explain racial and ethnic disparities.

Healthcare Access Domains Mediate Racial Disparities in Ovarian Cancer Treatment Quality in a US Patient Cohort: A Structural Equation Modelling Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Ovarian cancer survival disparities have persisted for decades, driven by lack of access to quality treatment. We conducted structural equation modeling (SEM) to define latent variables representing three healthcare access (HCA) domains: affordability, availability, and accessibility, and evaluated the direct and indirect associations between race and ovarian cancer treatment mediated through the HCA domains. METHODS: Patients with ovarian cancer ages 65 years or older diagnosed between 2008 and 2015 were identified from the SEER-Medicare dataset. Generalized SEM was used to estimate latent variables representing HCA domains by race in relation to two measures of ovarian cancer-treatment quality: gynecologic oncology consultation and receipt of any ovarian cancer surgery. RESULTS: A total of 8,987 patients with ovarian cancer were included in the analysis; 7% were Black. The affordability [Ω: 0.876; average variance extracted (AVE) = 0.689], availability (Ω: 0.848; AVE = 0.636), and accessibility (Ω: 0.798; AVE = 0.634) latent variables showed high composite reliability in SEM analysis. Black patients had lower affordability and availability, but higher accessibility compared with non-Black patients. In fully adjusted models, there was no direct effect observed between Black race to receipt of surgery [ß: -0.044; 95% confidence interval (CI), -0.264 to 0.149]; however, there was an inverse total effect (ß: -0.243; 95% CI, -0.079 to -0.011) that was driven by HCA affordability (ß: -0.025; 95% CI, -0.036 to -0.013), as well as pathways that included availability and consultation with a gynecologist oncologist. CONCLUSIONS: Racial differences in ovarian cancer treatment appear to be driven by latent variables representing healthcare affordability, availability, and accessibility. IMPACT: Strategies to mitigate disparities in multiple HCA domains will be transformative in advancing equity in cancer treatment.

Impact of multi-agent systemic therapy on all-cause and disease-specific survival for people living with HIV who are diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma: population-based analyses from the state of Georgia.

For people living with HIV (PLWH) who are subsequently diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), we investigate the impact of standard-of-care (SoC) cancer treatment on all-cause, NHL-specific, and HIV-specific survival outcomes. The focus is on a registry-derived, population-based sample of HIV + adults diagnosed with NHL within 2004-2012 in the state of Georgia. SoC treatment is defined as receipt of multi-agent systemic therapy (MAST). In multivariable survival analyses, SoC cancer treatment is significantly associated with better all-cause and NHL-specific survival, but not better HIV-specific survival across 2004-2017. Having a CD4 count <200 near the time of cancer diagnosis and Ann Arbor stage III/IV disease are associated with worse all-cause and HIV-specific survival; the effects on NHL survival trend negative but are not significant. Future work should expand the geographic base and cancers examined, deepen the level of clinical detail brought to bear, and incorporate the perspectives and recommendations of patients and providers.

Healthcare Access Dimensions and Guideline-Concordant Ovarian Cancer Treatment: SEER-Medicare Analysis of the ORCHiD Study.

BACKGROUND: Racial disparities exist in receipt of guideline-concordant treatment of ovarian cancer (OC). However, few studies have evaluated how various dimensions of healthcare access (HCA) contribute to these disparities. METHODS: We analyzed data from non-Hispanic (NH)-Black, Hispanic, and NH-White patients with OC diagnosed in 2008 to 2015 from the SEER-Medicare database and defined HCA dimensions as affordability, availability, and accessibility, measured as aggregate scores created with factor analysis. Receipt of guideline-concordant OC surgery and chemotherapy was defined based on the NCCN Guidelines for Ovarian Cancer. Multivariable-adjusted modified Poisson regression models were used to assess the relative risk (RR) for guideline-concordant treatment in relation to HCA. RESULTS: The study cohort included 5,632 patients: 6% NH-Black, 6% Hispanic, and 88% NH-White. Only 23.8% of NH-White patients received guideline-concordant surgery and the full cycles of chemotherapy versus 14.2% of NH-Black patients. Higher affordability (RR, 1.05; 95% CI, 1.01-1.08) and availability (RR, 1.06; 95% CI, 1.02-1.10) were associated with receipt of guideline-concordant surgery, whereas higher affordability was associated with initiation of systemic therapy (hazard ratio, 1.09; 95% CI, 1.05-1.13). After adjusting for all 3 HCA scores and demographic and clinical characteristics, NH-Black patients remained less likely than NH-White patients to initiate systemic therapy (hazard ratio, 0.86; 95% CI, 0.75-0.99). CONCLUSIONS: Multiple HCA dimensions predict receipt of guideline-concordant treatment but do not fully explain racial disparities among patients with OC. Acceptability and accommodation are 2 additional HCA dimensions which may be critical to addressing these disparities.

A dyadic survey study of partner engagement in and patient receipt of guideline-recommended colorectal cancer surveillance.

BACKGROUND: We investigated whether partner (spouse or intimate partner) engagement in colorectal cancer (CRC) surveillance is associated with patient receipt of surveillance. METHODS: From 2019 to 2020 we surveyed Stage III CRC survivors diagnosed 2014-2018 at an academic cancer center, a community oncology practice and the Georgia SEER registry, and their partners. Partner engagement was measured across 3 domains: Informed about; Involved in; and Aware of patient preferences around surveillance. We evaluated bivariate associations between domains of partner engagement and independent partner variables. Analysis of variance and multivariable logistic regression were used to compare domains of engagement with patient-reported receipt of surveillance. RESULTS: 501 patients responded (51% response rate); 428 had partners. 311 partners responded (73% response rate). Partners were engaged across all domains. Engagement varied by sociodemographics. Greater partner involvement was associated with decreased odds of receipt of composite surveillance (OR 0.67, 95% CI 0.48-0.93) and trended towards significance for decreased odds of receipt of endoscopy (OR 0.60, 95% CI 0.34-1.03) and CEA (OR 0.75, 95% CI 0.55-1.04). Greater partner awareness was associated with increased odds of patients' receipt of endoscopy (OR 2.18, 95% CI 1.15-4.12) and trended towards significance for increased odds of receipt of composite surveillance (OR 1.30, 95% CI 0.91-2.04). CONCLUSION: Partners are engaged (informed, involved, and aware) in CRC surveillance. Future research to develop dyadic interventions that capitalize on the positive aspects of partner engagement may help partners effectively engage in surveillance to improve patient care.