Predicting Incident Adenocarcinoma of the Esophagus or Gastric Cardia Using Machine Learning of Electronic Health Records.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Tools that can automatically predict incident esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) and gastric cardia adenocarcinoma (GCA) using electronic health records to guide screening decisions are needed. METHODS: The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Corporate Data Warehouse was accessed to identify Veterans with 1 or more encounters between 2005 and 2018. Patients diagnosed with EAC (n = 8430) or GCA (n = 2965) were identified in the VHA Central Cancer Registry and compared with 10,256,887 controls. Predictors included demographic characteristics, prescriptions, laboratory results, and diagnoses between 1 and 5 years before the index date. The Kettles Esophageal and Cardia Adenocarcinoma predictioN (K-ECAN) tool was developed and internally validated using simple random sampling imputation and extreme gradient boosting, a machine learning method. Training was performed in 50% of the data, preliminary validation in 25% of the data, and final testing in 25% of the data. RESULTS: K-ECAN was well-calibrated and had better discrimination (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve [AuROC], 0.77) than previously validated models, such as the Nord-Trøndelag Health Study (AuROC, 0.68) and Kunzmann model (AuROC, 0.64), or published guidelines. Using only data from between 3 and 5 years before index diminished its accuracy slightly (AuROC, 0.75). Undersampling men to simulate a non-VHA population, AUCs of the Nord-Trøndelag Health Study and Kunzmann model improved, but K-ECAN was still the most accurate (AuROC, 0.85). Although gastroesophageal reflux disease was strongly associated with EAC, it contributed only a small proportion of gain in information for prediction. CONCLUSIONS: K-ECAN is a novel, internally validated tool predicting incident EAC and GCA using electronic health records data. Further work is needed to validate K-ECAN outside VHA and to assess how best to implement it within electronic health records.

Effectiveness of Behavioral and Pharmacologic Interventions for Depressive Symptoms After Spinal Cord Injury: Findings From a Systematic Review.

OBJECTIVE: To summarize and evaluate evidence regarding the efficacy of interventions for depressive symptoms in adults living with spinal cord injury (SCI) and comorbid major depressive disorder or significant depressive symptoms to inform the development of clinical practice guidelines. DATA SOURCES: Articles published since 2013 and available in Medline, The Cochrane Library, Embase, Scopus, CINAHL, or PsycINFO. Databases were searched in June 2022 and updated November 2023. STUDY SELECTION: Inclusion criteria: age 18 years or older, traumatic SCI, and clinically significant depression (Population), mental health interventions including behavioral, pharmacologic, and complementary and alternative medicine (Intervention), inclusion of a control group (Comparator), with a primary outcome of depression symptom reduction (Outcome). Criteria were applied by multiple reviewers and disagreements were reconciled via unanimous decision among the entire research team. Eight articles of 2780 screened met the selection criteria. DATA EXTRACTION: Data were extracted independently by multiple reviewers. Two reviewers independently assigned a quality score using the guidelines described by Hawker and associates and independently evaluated the risk of bias of each article using version 2 of the Cochrane risk-of-bias tool. DATA SYNTHESIS: All studies assessed depressive symptoms during participant recruitment, screening, and/or at a baseline assessment stage. Pharmacotherapy with venlafaxine XR and several behavioral interventions appear promising, including an online mindfulness course and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy. Remote interventions may be effective in reaching individuals who are unable to travel to in-person therapy sessions. CONCLUSIONS: This systematic review provides valuable information for clinicians who treat individuals with SCI and comorbid major depressive disorder or significant depressive symptoms. It highlights the importance of considering a variety of interventions and individualizing treatment to meet individuals' needs and preferences. Future research should aim to identify effective interventions for treating depressive symptoms in individuals with SCI and optimal delivery methods for these interventions.

Outcomes after definitive radiation therapy for localized prostate cancer in a national health care delivery system.

PURPOSE: Accurate information regarding real-world outcomes after contemporary radiation therapy for localized prostate cancer is important for shared decision-making. Clinically relevant end points at 10 years among men treated within a national health care delivery system were examined. METHODS: National administrative, cancer registry, and electronic health record data were used for patients undergoing definitive radiation therapy with or without concurrent androgen deprivation therapy within the Veterans Health Administration from 2005 to 2015. National Death Index data were used through 2019 for overall and prostate cancer-specific survival and identified date of incident metastatic prostate cancer using a validated natural language processing algorithm. Metastasis-free, prostate cancer-specific, and overall survival using Kaplan-Meier methods were estimated. RESULTS: Among 41,735 men treated with definitive radiation therapy, the median age at diagnosis was 65 years and median follow-up was 8.7 years. Most had intermediate (42%) and high-risk (33%) disease, with 40% receiving androgen deprivation therapy as part of initial therapy. Unadjusted 10-year metastasis-free survival was 96%, 92%, and 80% for low-, intermediate-, and high-risk disease. Similarly, unadjusted 10-year prostate cancer-specific survival was 98%, 97%, and 90% for low-, intermediate-, and high-risk disease. The unadjusted overall survival was lower across increasing disease risk categories at 77%, 71%, and 62% for low-, intermediate-, and high-risk disease (p < .001). CONCLUSIONS: These data provide population-based 10-year benchmarks for clinically relevant end points, including metastasis-free survival, among patients with localized prostate cancer undergoing radiation therapy using contemporary techniques. The survival rates for high-risk disease in particular suggest that outcomes have recently improved.

Yield of Repeat Endoscopy for Barrett's Esophagus After Normal Index Endoscopy.

INTRODUCTION: Guidelines suggest 1-time screening with esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) for Barrett's esophagus (BE) in individuals at an increased risk of esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC). We aimed to estimate the yield of repeat EGD performed at prolonged intervals after a normal index EGD. METHODS: We conducted a national retrospective analysis within the U S Veterans Health Administration, identifying patients with a normal index EGD between 2003 and 2009 who subsequently had a repeat EGD. We tabulated the proportion with a new diagnosis of BE, EAC, or esophagogastric junction adenocarcinoma (EGJAC) and conducted manual chart review of a sample. We fitted logistic regression models for the odds of a new diagnosis of BE/EAC/EGJAC. RESULTS: We identified 71,216 individuals who had a repeat EGD between 1 and 16 years after an index EGD without billing or cancer registry codes for BE/EAC/EGJAC. Of them, 4,088 had a new billing or cancer registry code for BE/EAC/EGJAC after the repeat EGD. On manual review of a stratified sample, most did not truly have new BE/EAC/EGJAC. A longer duration between EGD was associated with greater odds of a new diagnosis (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] for each 5 years 1.31; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.19-1.44), particularly among those who were younger during the index EGD (ages 19-29 years: aOR 3.92; 95% CI 1.24-12.4; ages 60-69 years: aOR 1.19; 95% CI 1.01-1.40). DISCUSSION: The yield of repeat EGD for BE/EAC/EGJAC seems to increase with time after a normal index EGD, particularly for younger individuals. Prospective studies are warranted to confirm these findings.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome as a Test Case for Value Assessment During the Presurgical Period: The Impact of Structure and Processes of Care.

BACKGROUND: Few performance measures assess presurgical value (quality and utilization). OBJECTIVES: Using carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) as a case study: (1) develop a model to evaluate presurgical quality and utilization and (2) identify opportunities for value improvement. RESEARCH DESIGN: A retrospective cohort study utilizing Veterans Affairs (VA) national administrative data. SUBJECTS: Patients who were evaluated in a VA primary care clinic on at least 1 occasion for CTS and received carpal tunnel release over a 7-year period. MEASURES: We modeled facility-level performance on 2 outcomes: surgical delay (marker of quality) and number of presurgical encounters (utilization) for CTS, and examined association between patient, facility, and care process variables and performance. RESULTS: Among 41,912 Veterans undergoing carpal tunnel release at 127 VA medical centers, the median facility-level predicted probability of surgical delay was 48%, with 16 (13%) facilities having significantly less delay than the median and 13 (10%) facilities having greater delay. The median facility-level predicted number of presurgical encounters was 8.8 visits, with 22 (17%) facilities having significantly fewer encounters and 22 (17%) facilities having more. Care processes had a stronger association with both outcomes than structural variables included in the models. Processes associated with the greatest deviations in predicted delay and utilization included receipt of repeat electrodiagnostic testing, use of 2 or more nonoperative treatments, and community referral outside of VA. CONCLUSIONS: Using CTS as a test case, this study demonstrates the potential to assess presurgical value and identify modifiable care processes associated with presurgical delay and utilization performance.

Virological and Serological Assessment of US Army Trainees Isolated for Coronavirus Disease 2019.

BACKGROUND: Laboratory screening for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a key mitigation measure to avoid the spread of infection among recruits starting basic combat training in a congregate setting. Because viral nucleic acid can be detected persistently after recovery, we evaluated other laboratory markers to distinguish recruits who could proceed with training from those who were infected. METHODS: Recruits isolated for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) were serially tested for SARS-CoV-2 subgenomic ribonucleic acid (sgRNA), and viral load (VL) by reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and for anti- SARS-CoV-2. Cluster and quadratic discriminant analyses of results were performed. RESULTS: Among 229 recruits isolated for COVID-19, those with a RT-PCR cycle threshold >30.49 (sensitivity 95%, specificity 96%) or having sgRNA log10 RNA copies/mL <3.09 (sensitivity and specificity 96%) at entry into isolation were likely SARS-CoV-2 uninfected. Viral load >4.58 log10 RNA copies/mL or anti-SARS-CoV-2 signal-to-cutoff ratio <1.38 (VL: sensitivity and specificity 93%; anti-SARS-CoV-2: sensitivity 83%, specificity 79%) had comparatively lower sensitivity and specificity when used alone for discrimination of infected from uninfected. CONCLUSIONS: Orthogonal laboratory assays used in combination with RT-PCR may have utility in determining SARS-CoV-2 infection status for decisions regarding isolation.

NCCN Guidelines® Insights: Hodgkin Lymphoma, Version 2.2022.

Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) is an uncommon malignancy of B-cell origin. Classical HL (cHL) and nodular lymphocyte-predominant HL are the 2 main types of HL. The cure rates for HL have increased so markedly with the advent of modern treatment options that overriding treatment considerations often relate to long-term toxicity. These NCCN Guidelines Insights discuss the recent updates to the NCCN Guidelines for HL focusing on (1) radiation therapy dose constraints in the management of patients with HL, and (2) the management of advanced-stage and relapsed or refractory cHL.

Breast Cancer, Version 3.2022, NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology.

The therapeutic options for patients with noninvasive or invasive breast cancer are complex and varied. These NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines for Breast Cancer include recommendations for clinical management of patients with carcinoma in situ, invasive breast cancer, Paget disease, phyllodes tumor, inflammatory breast cancer, and management of breast cancer during pregnancy. The content featured in this issue focuses on the recommendations for overall management of ductal carcinoma in situ and the workup and locoregional management of early stage invasive breast cancer. For the full version of the NCCN Guidelines for Breast Cancer, visit NCCN.org.

NCCN Guidelines® Insights: Head and Neck Cancers, Version 1.2022.

The NCCN Guidelines for Head and Neck Cancers address tumors arising in the oral cavity (including mucosal lip), pharynx, larynx, and paranasal sinuses. Occult primary cancer, salivary gland cancer, and mucosal melanoma (MM) are also addressed. The specific site of disease, stage, and pathologic findings guide treatment (eg, the appropriate surgical procedure, radiation targets, dose and fractionation of radiation, indications for systemic therapy). The NCCN Head and Neck Cancers Panel meets at least annually to review comments from reviewers within their institutions, examine relevant new data from publications and abstracts, and reevaluate and update their recommendations. These NCCN Guidelines Insights summarize the panel's most recent recommendations regarding management of HPV-positive oropharynx cancer and ongoing research in this area.

Blocking olfactory input alters aggression in male and female California mice (Peromyscus californicus).

Olfactory input into the brain can be disrupted by a variety of environmental factors, including exposure to pathogens or environmental contaminants. Olfactory cues are often eliminated in laboratory rats and mice through highly invasive procedures like olfactory bulbectomy, which may also disrupt accessory olfactory pathways and detection of non-volatile odors. In the present study, we tested whether inducing anosmia through intranasal infusion of zinc gluconate alters aggression in a monogamous, biparental rodent species, the California mouse (Peromyscus californicus). This less invasive method of manipulating olfaction selectively targets the olfactory epithelium and reduces the detection of volatile odors. Treatment with zinc gluconate extended the time required for male and female California mice to find hidden pieces of apple and reduced the amount of time spent investigating bedding that was soiled by unfamiliar males. Moreover, inhibition of olfaction with zinc gluconate reduced aggressiveness in both sexes as demonstrated by an increased attack latency in the resident-intruder test among same-sex dyads from the same treatment group. These results suggest that volatile olfactory cues are necessary for agonistic responses in both male and female California mice. Therefore, even in species with complex social systems that include territorial aggression and monogamy, volatile olfactory cues modulate agonistic behavior.

Retrospective review of atrial fibrillation in Standardbred racehorses at a tertiary care facility in Atlantic Canada.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most clinically relevant cardiac arrhythmia identified in the Standardbred racehorse. However, there is limited literature regarding athletic ability in Standardbred racehorses following AF conversion. To investigate this issue, the objectives of this review were to: i) determine the success rate in using quinidine sulphate to treat AF in a population of hospitalized equine patients in Atlantic Canada between January 2008 and December 2019; and ii) measure return to athletic ability (using racetrack earnings and top-3 finishes) following cardioversion with quinidine sulphate in a population of Standardbred racehorses. Overall, 73% (16/22) of AF instances in this study were successfully treated with enteral quinidine sulphate. No significant difference was detected in racetrack earnings or number of top-3 finishes for each horse that raced at least 5 times pre- and post-conversion. Key clinical message: To the authors' knowledge, this is the first published review to assess the athletic ability of Standardbred racehorses following cardioversion with enteral quinidine sulphate. Based on the current information, it does not appear that treatment of AF with quinidine sulphate affects future athletic performance in horses that achieved cardioversion.

Examen rétrospectif de la fibrillation auriculaire chez des chevaux de course Standardbred dans un établissement de soins tertiaires au Canada Atlantique. La fibrillation auriculaire (FA) est l'arythmie cardiaque la plus cliniquement pertinente identifiée chez le cheval de course Standardbred. Cependant, il existe peu de littérature concernant la capacité athlétique des chevaux de course Standardbred après la conversion de l'FA. Pour étudier cette question, les objectifs de cette revue étaient de : i) déterminer le taux de réussite de l'utilisation du sulfate de quinidine pour traiter la FA dans une population de patients équins hospitalisés au Canada Atlantique entre janvier 2008 et décembre 2019; et ii) mesurer le retour à la capacité athlétique (en utilisant les gains en hippodrome et les trois premiers résultats) après une cardioversion avec du sulfate de quinidine dans une population de chevaux de course Standardbred. Dans l'ensemble, 73 % (16/22) des cas de FA dans cette étude ont été traités avec succès avec du sulfate de quinidine entérale. Aucune différence significative n'a été détectée dans les revenus de l'hippodrome ou le nombre de classements parmi les trois premiers pour chaque cheval ayant couru au moins cinq fois avant et après la conversion.Message clinique clé :À la connaissance des auteurs, il s'agit de la première revue publiée évaluant la capacité athlétique des chevaux de course Standardbred après une cardioversion avec sulfate de quinidine entérale. Sur la base des informations actuelles, il ne semble pas que le traitement de la FA avec du sulfate de quinidine affecte les performances sportives futures des chevaux ayant cardioversion réussie.(Traduit par Dr Serge Messier).

Factors influencing treatment of veterans with advanced prostate cancer.

BACKGROUND: Treatments for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) differ in toxicity, administration, and evidence. In this study, clinical and nonclinical factors associated with the first-line treatment for CRPC in a national delivery system were evaluated. METHODS: National electronic laboratory and clinical data from the Veterans Health Administration were used to identify patients with CRPC (ie, rising prostate-specific antigen [PSA] on androgen deprivation) who received abiraterone, enzalutamide, docetaxel, or ketoconazole from 2010 through 2017. It was determined whether clinical (eg, PSA) and nonclinical factors (eg, race, facility) were associated with the first-line treatment selection using multilevel, multinomial logistic regression. The average marginal effects (AMEs) were calculated of patient, disease, and facility characteristics on ketoconazole versus more appropriate CRPC therapy. RESULTS: There were 4998 patients identified with CRPC who received first-line ketoconazole, docetaxel, abiraterone, or enzalutamide. After adjustment, increasing age was associated with receipt of abiraterone (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.07; 95% credible interval [CrI], 1.06-1.09) or enzalutamide (aOR, 1.10; 95% CrI, 1.08-1.11) versus docetaxel. Greater preexisting comorbidity was associated with enzalutamide versus abiraterone (aOR, 1.53; 95% CrI, 1.23-1.91). Patients with higher PSA values at the start of treatment were more likely to receive docetaxel than oral agents and less likely to receive ketoconazole than other oral agents. African American men were more likely to receive ketoconazole than abiraterone, enzalutamide, or docetaxel (AME, 2.8%; 95% CI, 0.7%-4.9%). This effect was attenuated when adjusting for facility characteristics (AME, 1.9%; 95% CI, -0.4% to 4.1%). CONCLUSIONS: Clinical factors had an expected effect on the first-line treatment selection. Race may be associated with the receipt of a guideline-discordant first-line treatment.

A Phase 1 Study of the Safety, Tolerability, and Pharmacokinetics of Single and Multiple Oral Doses of V-7404 in Healthy Adult Volunteers.

V-7404, a direct-acting enterovirus (EV) 3C protease inhibitor, is being developed as a treatment option for serious EV infections, including infections in immunodeficient people excreting vaccine-derived polioviruses. V-7404 may be combined with pocapavir (V-073), a capsid inhibitor, to treat these infections. A phase 1 single ascending dose (SAD; n = 36) and multiple ascending dose (MAD; n = 40) study was conducted to assess the safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetics (PK) of V-7404 in healthy adult volunteers following oral doses starting at 200 mg and escalating to 2,000 mg once daily (QD) and 2,000 mg twice daily (BID). Adverse events (AEs), vital signs, electrocardiographic findings, physical examinations, clinical laboratory values, and PK of blood samples were assessed. No notable differences in demographic and baseline characteristics were observed across the dose cohorts. A total of 35/36 participants (97.2%) completed the SAD study (1 withdrew in the placebo group), and 37/41 participants (90.2%) completed the MAD study (1 withdrew from the 2,000 mg QD and 3 withdrew from the 2,000 mg BID cohorts). No serious AEs or deaths were reported. Treatment-emergent AEs were mild or moderate in severity. Oral doses of V-7404 in all cohorts were readily absorbed and showed no significant accumulation. PK exposure increased in an approximately dose-proportional manner and appeared to be independent of time. Overall, V-7404 was well tolerated and exhibited an acceptable safety and PK profile, supporting further clinical investigation of V-7404 for the treatment of serious EV infections.

Seasonal resource pulses and the foraging depth of a Southern Ocean top predator.

Seasonal resource pulses can have enormous impacts on species interactions. In marine ecosystems, air-breathing predators often drive their prey to deeper waters. However, it is unclear how ephemeral resource pulses such as near-surface phytoplankton blooms alter the vertical trade-off between predation avoidance and resource availability in consumers, and how these changes cascade to the diving behaviour of top predators. We integrated data on Weddell seal diving behaviour, diet stable isotopes, feeding success and mass gain to examine shifts in vertical foraging throughout ice break-out and the resulting phytoplankton bloom each year. We also tested hypotheses about the likely location of phytoplankton bloom origination (advected or produced in situ where seals foraged) based on sea ice break-out phenology and advection rates from several locations within 150 km of the seal colony. In early summer, seals foraged at deeper depths resulting in lower feeding rates and mass gain. As sea ice extent decreased throughout the summer, seals foraged at shallower depths and benefited from more efficient energy intake. Changes in diving depth were not due to seasonal shifts in seal diets or horizontal space use and instead may reflect a change in the vertical distribution of prey. Correspondence between the timing of seal shallowing and the resource pulse was variable from year to year and could not be readily explained by our existing understanding of the ocean and ice dynamics. Phytoplankton advection occurred faster than ice break-out, and seal dive shallowing occurred substantially earlier than local break-out. While there remains much to be learned about the marine ecosystem, it appears that an increase in prey abundance and accessibility via shallower distributions during the resource pulse could synchronize life-history phenology across trophic levels in this high-latitude ecosystem.

The LEAP Program: Quality Improvement Training to Address Team Readiness Gaps Identified by Implementation Science Findings.

BACKGROUND: Integrating evidence-based innovations (EBIs) into sustained use is challenging; most implementations in health systems fail. Increasing frontline teams' quality improvement (QI) capability may increase the implementation readiness and success of EBI implementation. OBJECTIVES: Develop a QI training program ("Learn. Engage. Act. Process." (LEAP)) and evaluate its impact on frontline obesity treatment teams to improve treatment delivered within the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). DESIGN: This was a pre-post evaluation of the LEAP program. MOVE! coordinators (N = 68) were invited to participate in LEAP; 24 were randomly assigned to four starting times. MOVE! coordinators formed teams to work on improvement aims. Pre-post surveys assessed team organizational readiness for implementing change and self-rated QI skills. Program satisfaction, assignment completion, and aim achievement were also evaluated. PARTICIPANTS: VHA facility-based MOVE! teams. INTERVENTIONS: LEAP is a 21-week QI training program. Core components include audit and feedback reports, structured curriculum, coaching and learning community, and online platform. MAIN MEASURES: Organizational readiness for implementing change (ORIC); self-rated QI skills before and after LEAP; assignment completion and aim achievement; program satisfaction. KEY RESULTS: Seventeen of 24 randomized teams participated in LEAP. Participants' self-ratings across six categories of QI skills increased after completing LEAP (p< 0.0001). The ORIC measure showed no statistically significant change overall; the change efficacy subscale marginally improved (p < 0.08), and the change commitment subscale remained the same (p = 0.66). Depending on the assignment, 35 to 100% of teams completed the assignment. Nine teams achieved their aim. Most team members were satisfied or very satisfied (81-89%) with the LEAP components, 74% intended to continue using QI methods, and 81% planned to continue improvement work. CONCLUSIONS: LEAP is scalable and does not require travel or time away from clinical responsibilities. While QI skills improved among participating teams and most completed the work, they struggled to do so amid competing clinical priorities.

Pediatric Hodgkin Lymphoma, Version 3.2021.

Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) is a highly curable form of cancer, and current treatment regimens are focused on improving treatment efficacy while decreasing the risk of late effects of treatment. The NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology (NCCN Guidelines) for pediatric HL provide recommendations on the workup, diagnostic evaluation, and treatment of classic HL, including principles of pathology, imaging, staging, systemic therapy, and radiation therapy. This portion of the NCCN Guidelines focuses on the management of pediatric classic HL in the upfront and relapsed/refractory settings.

Ovarian Cancer, Version 2.2020, NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology.

Epithelial ovarian cancer is the leading cause of death from gynecologic cancer in the United States and is the country's fifth most common cause of cancer mortality in women. A major challenge in treating ovarian cancer is that most patients have advanced disease at initial diagnosis. These NCCN Guidelines discuss cancers originating in the ovary, fallopian tube, or peritoneum, as these are all managed in a similar manner. Most of the recommendations are based on data from patients with the most common subtypes─high-grade serous and grade 2/3 endometrioid. The NCCN Guidelines also include recommendations specifically for patients with less common ovarian cancers, which in the guidelines include the following: carcinosarcoma, clear cell carcinoma, mucinous carcinoma, low-grade serous, grade 1 endometrioid, borderline epithelial, malignant sex cord-stromal, and malignant germ cell tumors. This manuscript focuses on certain aspects of primary treatment, including primary surgery, adjuvant therapy, and maintenance therapy options (including PARP inhibitors) after completion of first-line chemotherapy.

NCCN Guidelines® Insights: Breast Cancer, Version 4.2021.

The NCCN Guidelines for Breast Cancer include up-to-date guidelines for clinical management of patients with carcinoma in situ, invasive breast cancer, Paget disease, phyllodes tumor, inflammatory breast cancer, male breast cancer, and breast cancer during pregnancy. These guidelines are developed by a multidisciplinary panel of representatives from NCCN Member Institutions with breast cancer-focused expertise in the fields of medical oncology, surgical oncology, radiation oncology, pathology, reconstructive surgery, and patient advocacy. These NCCN Guidelines Insights focus on the most recent updates to recommendations for adjuvant systemic therapy in patients with nonmetastatic, early-stage, hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer.

Facility-level conditions leading to higher reach: a configurational analysis of national VA weight management programming.

BACKGROUND: While the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) MOVE! weight management program is effective in helping patients lose weight and is available at every VHA medical center across the United States, reaching patients to engage them in treatment remains a challenge. Facility-based MOVE! programs vary in structures, processes of programming, and levels of reach, with no single factor explaining variation in reach. Configurational analysis, based on Boolean algebra and set theory, represents a mathematical approach to data analysis well-suited for discerning how conditions interact and identifying multiple pathways leading to the same outcome. We applied configurational analysis to identify facility-level obesity treatment program arrangements that directly linked to higher reach. METHODS: A national survey was fielded in March 2017 to elicit information about more than 75 different components of obesity treatment programming in all VHA medical centers. This survey data was linked to reach scores available through administrative data. Reach scores were calculated by dividing the total number of Veterans who are candidates for obesity treatment by the number of "new" MOVE! visits in 2017 for each program and then multiplied by 1000. Programs with the top 40 % highest reach scores (n = 51) were compared to those in the lowest 40 % (n = 51). Configurational analysis was applied to identify specific combinations of conditions linked to reach rates. RESULTS: One hundred twenty-seven MOVE! program representatives responded to the survey and had complete reach data. The final solution consisted of 5 distinct pathways comprising combinations of program components related to pharmacotherapy, bariatric surgery, and comprehensive lifestyle intervention; 3 of the 5 pathways depended on the size/complexity of medical center. The 5 pathways explained 78 % (40/51) of the facilities in the higher-reach group with 85 % consistency (40/47). CONCLUSIONS: Specific combinations of facility-level conditions identified through configurational analysis uniquely distinguished facilities with higher reach from those with lower reach. Solutions demonstrated the importance of how local context plus specific program components linked together to account for a key implementation outcome. These findings will guide system recommendations about optimal program structures to maximize reach to patients who would benefit from obesity treatment such as the MOVE!

Hodgkin Lymphoma, Version 2.2020, NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology.

The NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology for Hodgkin Lymphoma (HL) provide recommendations for the management of adult patients with HL. The NCCN panel meets at least annually to review comments from reviewers within their institutions, examine relevant data, and reevaluate and update their recommendations. Current management of classic HL involves initial treatment with chemotherapy alone or combined modality therapy followed by restaging with PET/CT to assess treatment response. Overall, the introduction of less toxic and more effective regimens has significantly advanced HL cure rates. This portion of the NCCN Guidelines focuses on the management of classic HL.