Disease Profile and Oncologic Outcomes After Delayed Diagnosis of Human Papillomavirus-Associated Oropharyngeal Cancer.

OBJECTIVE: Diagnostic delay in human papillomavirus-associated oropharynx squamous cell carcinoma (HPV(+)OPSCC) is common due to nonspecific symptoms. We aim to describe the disease burden and oncologic outcomes of patients with HPV(+)OPSCC diagnosed >12 months after symptom onset. STUDY DESIGN: This is a retrospective cohort study of HPV(+)OPSCC patients receiving intent-to-cure treatment (including surgery ± adjuvant therapy or primary chemoradiation). SETTING: 2006-2016, tertiary care center. METHODS: Tumor stage was compared between patients with and without delayed diagnosis using χ2 tests. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis with univariate and multivariable Cox regressions were used to determine the effect of diagnostic delay on oncologic outcomes. RESULTS: In total, 664 patients were included. Compared to patients diagnosed <12 months from symptom onset (n = 601), those diagnosed at >12 months (n = 63) were more likely to have T4 disease and higher overall American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) clinical stage at presentation (P < .01 for both). At 5 years, rates of overall survival, cancer-specific survival, progression-free survival, and distant metastases-free survival in the delayed diagnosis cohort were 80%, 90%, 80%, and 89%, respectively. A >12-month delay in diagnosis did not significantly impact overall survival (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 1.16; 95% CI, 0.58-2.31), cancer-specific survival (aHR, 0.83; 95% CI, 0.29-2.39), progression-free survival (aHR, 1.15; 95% CI, 0.56-2.37), or distant metastases-free survival (aHR, 1.00; 95% CI, 0.42-2.40) after adjusting for age, sex, and clinical AJCC stage (P > .05 for all). CONCLUSIONS: Delayed diagnosis of HPV(+)OPSCC is associated with greater burden of disease at presentation, but oncologic outcomes remain favorable across treatment modalities. When appropriate, intent-to-cure therapy should be pursued despite diagnostic delay. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III.

Costs of Definitive Chemoradiation, Surgery, and Adjuvant Radiation Versus De-Escalated Adjuvant Radiation per MC1273 in HPV+ Cancer of the Oropharynx.

PURPOSE: De-escalated treatment for human papillomavirus (HPV)+ oropharynx squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) has shown promising initial results. Health-care policy is increasingly focusing on high-value care. This analysis compares the cost of care for HPV+ OPSCC treated with definitive chemoradiation (CRT), surgery and adjuvant radiation (RT), and surgery and de-escalated CRT on MC1273. METHODS AND MATERIALS: MC1273 is a prospective, phase 2 study evaluating adjuvant CRT to 30 to 36 Gy plus docetaxel for HPV+ OPSCC after surgery for high-risk patients. Matched standard-of-care control groups were retrospectively identified for patients treated with definitive CRT or adjuvant RT. Standardized costs were evaluated before radiation, during treatment (during RT), and at short-term (6 month) and long-term (7-24 month) follow-up periods. RESULTS: A total of 56 definitive CRT, 101 adjuvant RT, and 66 MC1273 patients were included. The CRT arm had more T3-4 disease (63% vs 17-21%) and higher N2c-N3 disease (52% vs 20-24%) vs both other groups. The total treatment costs in the CRT, adjuvant RT, and MC1273 groups were $47,763 (standard deviation [SD], $19,060], $57,845 (SD, $17,480), and $46,007 (SD, $9019), respectively, and the chemotherapy and/or RT costs were $39,936 (SD, $18,480), $26,603 (SD, $12,542), and $17,864 (SD, $3288), respectively. The per-patient, per-month, average short-term follow-up costs were $3860 (SD, $10,525), $1072 (SD, $996), and $972 (SD, $833), respectively, and the long-term costs were $978 (SD, $2294), $485 (SD, $1156), and $653 (SD, $1107), respectively. After adjustment for age, T-stage, and N-stage, treatment costs remained lower for CRT and MC1273 versus adjuvant RT ($45,450 and $47,114 vs $58,590, respectively; P < .001), whereas the total per-patient, per-month follow-up costs were lower in the MC1273 study group and adjuvant RT versus CRT ($853 and $866 vs $2030, respectively; P = .03). CONCLUSIONS: MC1273 resulted in 10% and 20% reductions in global costs compared with standard-of-care adjuvant RT and definitive CRT treatments. Substantial cost savings may be an added benefit to the already noted low toxicity and maintained quality of life of treatment per MC1273.

The Effect of Implementing Gene Expression Classifier on Outcomes of Thyroid Nodules with Indeterminate Cytology.

Thyroid nodules are classified into six cytological categories under the Bethesda classification system. Two of these categories, atypical of undetermined significance (AUS) and suspicious for a follicular neoplasm (SFN), are further labeled as "indeterminate" diagnosis. Starting in June, 2012, Kansas University-Wichita Endocrine clinic implemented Afirma® Gene Expression Classifier (AGEC) to evaluate the need for surgical resection of thyroid nodules in patients with an indeterminate diagnosis. Electronic medical records of patients who underwent thyroid nodule fine-needle aspiration from 2004-2014 were reviewed. The aim of this study was to find whether implementing AGEC was associated with decreased surgical recommendation rate, decreased cost, and increased incidence of thyroid malignancy diagnosed by surgery in patients with indeterminate diagnosis. A total of 299 consecutive patients' charts were screened. Sixty-one (20 %) patients had an indeterminate diagnosis. Out of these, 27 (44 %) patients underwent evaluation before and 34 (56 %) patients underwent evaluation after AGEC implementation, respectively. Surgical recommendation for patients with indeterminate finding decreased from 81.5 to 50 % (p = 0.01) after AGEC implementation. Surgical pathology was read as malignant in 20 and 85.7 % (p < 0.01) of patients before and after AGEC implementation, respectively. Primary cost-benefit estimate showed implementing AGEC has saved $1048/patient in medical evaluation and initial management of patients with indeterminate diagnosis. AGEC implementation has decreased the number of surgical recommendations, has lowered financial burden, and has increased incidence of thyroid malignancy diagnosed by surgical pathology in patients with indeterminate diagnosis of thyroid nodules.