At the Intersection of Intersectionality: Race and Gender Diversity Among Surgical Faculty and Trainees.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the representation of intersectional (ie, racial/ethnic and gender) identities among surgical faculty versus medical students. BACKGROUND: Health disparities are pervasive in medicine, but diverse physicians may help the medical profession achieve health equity. METHODS: Data from the Association of American Medical Colleges for 140 programs (2011/2012-2019/2020) were analyzed for students and full-time surgical faculty. Underrepresented in medicine (URiM) was defined as Black/African American, American Indian/Alaskan Native, Hispanic/Latino/Spanish Origin, or Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander. Non-White included URiM plus Asian, multiracial, and non-citizen permanent residents. Linear regression was used to estimate the association of year and proportions of URiM and non-White female and male faculty with proportions of URiM and non-White students. RESULTS: Medical students were comprised of more White (25.2% vs 14.4%), non-White (18.8% vs 6.6%), and URiM (9.6% vs 2.8%) women and concomitantly fewer men across all groups versus faculty (all P < 0.01). Although the proportion of White and non-White female faculty increased over time (both P ≤ 0.001), there was no significant change among non-White URiM female faculty, nor among non-White male faculty, regardless of whether they were URiM or not. Having more URiM male faculty was associated with having more non-White female students (estimate = +14.5% students/100% increase in faculty, 95% CI: 1.0% to 8.1%, P = 0.04), and this association was especially pronounced for URiM female students (estimate = +46.6% students/100% increase in faculty, 95% CI: 36.9% to 56.3%, P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: URiM faculty representation has not improved despite a positive association between having more URiM male faculty and having more diverse students.

Rates of price disclosure associated with the surgical treatment of early-stage breast cancer one year after implementation of federal regulations.

PURPOSE: Mastectomy, breast reconstruction (BR) and breast conserving therapy (BCT) are core components of the treatment paradigm for early-stage disease but are differentially associated with significant financial burdens. Given recent price transparency regulations, we sought to characterize rates of disclosure for breast cancer-related surgery, including mastectomy, BCT, and BR (oncoplastic reconstruction, implant, pedicled flap and free flap) and identify associated factors. METHODS: For this cross-sectional analysis, cost reports were obtained from the Turquoise Health price transparency platform for all U.S. hospitals meeting national accreditation standards for breast cancer care. The Healthcare Cost Report Information System was used to collect facility-specific data. Addresses were geocoded to identify hospital referral and census regions while data from CMS was also used to identify the geographic practice cost index. We leveraged a Poisson regression model and relevant Medicare billing codes to analyze factors associated with price disclosure and the availability of an OOP price estimator. RESULTS: Of 447 identified hospitals, 221 (49.4%) disclosed prices for mastectomy and 188 42.1%) disclosed prices for both mastectomy and some form of reconstruction including oncoplastic reduction (n = 184, 97.9%), implants (n = 187, 99.5%), pedicled flaps (n = 89, 47.3%), and free flaps (n = 81, 43.1%). Non-profit status and increased market competition were associated with price nondisclosure. 121 hospitals (27.1%) had an out-of-pocket price estimator that included at least one breast surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Most eligible hospitals did not disclose prices for breast cancer surgery. Distinct hospital characteristics were associated with price disclosure. Breast cancer patients face persistent difficulty in accessing costs.

Guideline-Concordant Surgical Care for Lobular Versus Ductal Inflammatory Breast Cancer.

INTRODUCTION: Quality of surgical care is understudied for lobular inflammatory breast cancer (IBC), which is less common, more chemotherapy-resistant, and more mammographically occult than ductal IBC. We compared guideline-concordant surgery (modified radical mastectomy [MRM] without immediate reconstruction following chemotherapy) for lobular versus ductal IBC. METHODS:  Female individuals with cT4dM0 lobular and ductal IBC were identified in the National Cancer Database (NCDB) from 2010-2019. Modified radical mastectomy receipt was identified via codes for "modified radical mastectomy" or "mastectomy" and "≥10 lymph nodes removed" (proxy for axillary lymph node dissection). Descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and t-tests were used. RESULTS: A total of 1456 lobular and 10,445 ductal IBC patients were identified; 599 (41.1%) with lobular and 4859 (46.5%) with ductal IBC underwent MRMs (p = 0.001). Patients with lobular IBC included a higher proportion of individuals with cN0 disease (20.5% lobular vs. 13.7% ductal) and no lymph nodes examined at surgery (31.2% vs. 24.5%) but were less likely to be node-negative at surgery (12.7% vs. 17.1%, all p < 0.001). Among those who had lymph nodes removed at surgery, patients with lobular IBC also had fewer lymph nodes excised versus patients with ductal IBC (median [interquartile range], 7 (0-15) vs. 9 (0-17), p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Lobular IBC patients were more likely to present with node-negative disease and less likely to be node-negative at surgery, despite having fewer, and more frequently no, lymph nodes examined versus ductal IBC patients. Future studies should investigate whether these treatment disparities are because of surgical approach, pathologic assessment, and/or data quality as captured in the NCDB.

The Landmark Series-Addressing Disparities in Breast Cancer Screening: New Recommendations for Black Women.

Randomized, clinical trials have established the efficacy of screening mammography in improving survival from breast cancer for women through detection of early, asymptomatic disease. However, disparities in survival rates between black women and women from other racial and ethnic groups following breast cancer diagnosis persist. Various professional groups have different, somewhat conflicting, guidelines with regards to recommended age for commencing screening as well as recommended frequency of screening exams, but the trials upon which these recommendations are based were not specifically designed to examine benefit among black women. Furthermore, these recommendations do not appear to incorporate the unique epidemiological circumstances of breast cancer among black women, including higher rates of diagnosis before age 40 years and greater likelihood of advanced stage at diagnosis, into their formulation. In this review, we examined the epidemiologic and socioeconomic factors that are associated with breast cancer among black women and assess the implications of these factors for screening in this population. Specifically, we recommend that by no later than age 25 years, all black women should undergo baseline assessment for future risk of breast cancer utilizing a model that incorporates race (e.g., Breast Cancer Risk Assessment Tool [BCRAT], formerly the Gail model) and that this assessment should be conducted by a breast specialist or a healthcare provider (e.g., primary care physician or gynecologist) who is trained to assess breast cancer risk and is aware of the increased risks of early (i.e., premenopausal) and biologically aggressive (e.g., late-stage, triple-negative) breast cancer among black women.

Temporal Trends and Factors Associated with Receipt of Post-mastectomy Radiation After Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy in Women with cT3 Breast Cancer.

INTRODUCTION: Given the potential impact of increasingly effective neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) on post-mastectomy radiotherapy (PMRT) recommendations, we examined temporal trends in post-NACT PMRT for cT3 breast cancer. METHODS: We identified women ≥ 18 years in the National Cancer Database (NCDB) diagnosed 2004-2019 with cT3N0-1M0 breast cancer treated with chemotherapy and mastectomy. Multivariable logistic regression and Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate associations between pathologic NACT response [complete response (CR), partial response (PR), or no response (NR); or disease progression (DP)] and PMRT and between PMRT and overall survival (OS), respectively. RESULTS: We identified 39,901 women (Asian/Pacific Islander 1731, Black 5875, Hispanic 3265, White 27,303). Among cN0 patients with CR, PMRT rates declined from 67% in 2004 to 35% in 2019 but remained unchanged for patients with DP. Relative to NR, CR [odds ratio (OR) 0.36, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.29-0.46] and PR (OR 0.44, 95% CI 0.36-0.55) in cN0 patients were associated with lower odds of PMRT while DP (OR 1.33, 95% CI 1.05-1.69) was associated with higher odds. Among cN1 patients, PMRT rates decreased from 90% to 73% for CR between 2005 and 2019 and increased from 76% to 82% for DP between 2004 and 2019. Relative to NR, CR (OR 0.78, 95% CI 0.63-0.95) was associated with lower odds of PMRT while DP (OR 1.93, 95% CI 1.58-2.37) was associated with higher odds. PMRT was associated with improved OS among cN1 patients (hazard ratio (HR) 0.77, 95% CI 0.67-0.88). CONCLUSION: CR was associated with decreased PMRT receipt over time, while temporal trends following PR and DP differed by cN status, suggesting that nodal involvement guided PMRT receipt more than in-breast disease.

Impact of Patient Comorbidities on Presentation Stage of Breast and Colon Cancers.

BACKGROUND: While patients with multiple comorbidities may have frequent contact with medical providers, it is unclear whether their healthcare visits translate into earlier detection of cancers, specifically breast and colon cancers. METHODS: Patients diagnosed with stage I-IV breast ductal carcinoma and colon adenocarcinoma were identified from the National Cancer Database and stratified by comorbidity burden, dichotomized as a Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) Score of <2 or ≥2. Characteristics associated with comorbidities were analyzed by univariate and multivariate logistic regression. Propensity-score matching was performed to determine the impact of CCI on stage at cancer diagnosis, dichotomized as early (I-II) or late (III-IV). RESULTS: A total of 672,032 patients with colon adenocarcinoma and 2,132,889 with breast ductal carcinoma were included. Patients with colon adenocarcinoma who had a CCI ≥ 2 (11%, n = 72,620) were more likely to be diagnosed with early-stage disease (53% vs. 47%; odds ratio [OR] 1.02, p = 0.017), and this finding persisted after propensity matching (CCI ≥ 2 55% vs. CCI < 2 53%, p < 0.001). Patients with breast ductal carcinoma who had a CCI ≥ 2 (4%, n = 85,069) were more likely to be diagnosed with late-stage disease (15% vs. 12%; OR 1.35, p < 0.001). This finding also persisted after propensity matching (CCI ≥ 2 14% vs. CCI < 2 10%, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with more comorbidities are more likely to present with early-stage colon cancers but late-stage breast cancers. This finding may reflect differences in practice patterns for routine screening in these patients. Providers should continue guideline directed screenings to detect cancers at an earlier stage and optimize outcomes.

Modifiable Barriers and Facilitators for Breast Cancer Care: A Thematic Analysis of Patient and Provider Perspectives.

INTRODUCTION: We sought to examine patient and provider perspectives regarding modifiable contributors to breast cancer treatment and to assess perceptual alignment between these two groups. MATERIALS: Participants were women≥18 y with stage 0-IV breast cancer who received all oncologic care in a single health system and physicians and advanced practice providers who provided medical, radiation, or surgical oncology care for breast cancer. All completed ∼45-min semistructured interviews that were recorded and transcribed verbatim. A 5-stage approach to thematic analysis was conducted, with emergent themes and exemplar quotes placed into clinical, psychological, social/logistical, financial, and lifestyle categories using a multilevel conceptual framework. RESULTS: Eighteen patients (9 Black, 9 White, and median age 60 y) and 10 providers (6 physicians and 4 advanced practice providers) were interviewed from May to November 2018. Both patients and providers perceived suboptimal communication, parking and transportation, and competing family-caregiving responsibilities as modifiable barriers to care. Treatment costs were cited by patients as barriers that were inadequately addressed even with referrals to financial counselors, but providers did not raise the issue of cost unless prompted by patients and did not feel prepared to discuss the topic when it arose. Providers cited obesity as a barrier to treatment, a view not shared by patients. CONCLUSIONS: Several modifiable factors were recognized by both patients and providers as either promoting or detracting from treatment receipt, but there was also significant incongruence and asymmetry. Alignment of provider and patient perceptions regarding contributors to guideline-concordant care receipt could mitigate disparities in breast cancer treatment and outcomes.

Disease characteristics and mortality among Asian women with breast cancer.

BACKGROUND: Asian women with breast cancer are often studied in aggregate, belying significant intragroup diversity. The authors sought to examine differences in breast cancer characteristics and outcomes among Asian women. METHODS: Asian, non-Hispanic Black, Hispanic, and non-Hispanic White women aged 18 years and older who were diagnosed with breast cancer from 1990 to 2016 were identified in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results 18 database. Asian patients were subclassified as Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Filipino, Vietnamese, South Asian (Asian Indian or Pakistani), Southeast Asian (SEA, i.e., Cambodian, Laotian, Hmong, or Thai), or other Asian. Unadjusted overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate adjusted OS and CSS. RESULTS: In total, 910,415 women were included (Asian, n = 63,405; Black, n = 92,226; Hispanic, n = 84,451; White, n = 670,333). Asian women had higher rates of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive disease compared with White women (18.7% vs 13.8%) and had the highest 10-year unadjusted OS and CSS among all racial/ethnic groups (all P < .001). SEA women had the highest rates of stage IV disease at presentation, whereas Japanese women had the lowest rates (5.9% vs 2.7%; P < .001). Japanese women had the highest 10-year unadjusted CSS (89.4%; 95% confidence interval, 88.7%-90.1%) of any distinct Asian group, whereas SEA women had the worst unadjusted CSS (78%; 95% confidence interval, 74.1%-81.3%; P < .001). After adjustment, SEA women had the worst OS of any Asian group and were the only Asian group without improved OS compared with White women (reference category; P = .08). CONCLUSIONS: Breast cancer characteristics and outcomes vary significantly among Asian women. Future research should consider disaggregation by country or region of origin to identify subgroups that are at risk for worse outcomes than aggregated data may suggest. LAY SUMMARY: Asian women with breast cancer are frequently studied as a single entity. However, Asian ethnic groups differ greatly by country of origin, genetic ancestry, disease frequency, socioeconomic status, patterns of immigration, as well as dietary and cultural practices. Women of different Asian ethnicities vary significantly with regard to cancer characteristics, such as mortality and tumor subtype. Future research should disaggregate these populations to better understand, treat, and counsel Asian patients with breast cancer.

A Novel Staging System for De Novo Metastatic Breast Cancer Refines Prognostic Estimates.

OBJECTIVE: We aim to identify prognostic groups within a de novo metastatic cohort, incorporating both anatomic and biologic factors. BACKGROUND: Staging for breast cancer now includes anatomic and biologic factors, although the guidelines for stage IV disease do not account for how these factors may influence outcomes. METHODS: Adults with de novo metastatic breast cancer were selected from the National Cancer DataBase (2010-2013). Recursive partitioning analysis was used to group patients with similar overall survival (OS) based on clinical T/N stage, tumor grade, ER, PR, HER2, number of metastatic sites, and presence of bone-only metastases. Categories were created by amalgamating homogeneous groups based on 3-year OS rates (stage IVA: >50%, stage IVB: 30%-50%, stage IVC: <30%). RESULTS: 16,187 patients were identified; median follow-up was 32 months. 65.2% had 1 site of distant metastasis, and 42.9% had bone-only metastases. Recursive partitioning analysis identified the number of metastatic sites (1 vs >1) as the first stratification point, and ER status as the second stratification point for both resulting groups. Additional divisions were made based on HER2 status, PR status, cT stage, tumor grade, and presence of bone-only metastases. After bootstrapping, significant differences in 3-year OS were noted between the 3 groups [stage IVB vs IVA: HR 1.58 (95% confidence interval 1.50-1.67), stage IVC vs IVA: HR 3.54 (95% confidence interval 3.33-3.77)]. CONCLUSIONS: Both anatomic and biologic factors yielded reliable and reproducible prognostic estimates among patients with metastatic disease. These findings support formal stratification of de novo stage IV breast cancer into 3 distinct prognosis groups.

Breast cancer among African American and sub-Saharan African women: a tale of global inequities.

Breast Cancer is the most common female cancer worldwide with significant global disparities, particularly disadvantaging women of African Ancestry. Though the United States and Sub-Saharan Africa are seemingly very different settings, there are many important parallels between the experience of getting diagnosed and treated for breast cancer in these two geographic regions for women of African ancestry. This commentary explores the parallels and differences and proposes an agenda to move forward to narrow the disparities gaps for some of the worlds most vulnerable women.

Breast Cancer Risk and Screening in Transgender Persons: A Call for Inclusive Care.

The Society of Surgical Oncology is committed to reducing health disparities adversely affecting sexual and gender minorities. Transgender persons represent a socially disadvantaged group who frequently experience discrimination and receive disparate care, resulting in suboptimal cancer outcomes. The rate of breast cancer development in transgender individuals differs from rates observed in their cisgender counterparts, however there is little evidence to quantify these differences and guide evidence-based screening and prevention. There is no consensus for breast cancer screening guidelines in transgender patients. In this review, we discuss barriers to equitable breast cancer care, risk factors for breast cancer development, and existing data to support breast cancer screening in transgender men and women.

Disparities in Primary Breast Cancer Stage at Presentation Among Hispanic Subgroups.

BACKGROUND: Although the United States (US) Hispanic population consists of diverse communities, prior breast cancer studies often analyze this group in aggregate. Our aim was to identify differences in breast cancer stage at presentation in the US population, with a particular focus on Hispanic subgroups. METHODS: Data from the National Cancer Database (NCDB) from 2004 to 2017 were used to select women with primary breast cancer; individuals were disaggregated by racial and ethnic subgroup and Hispanic country of origin. Ordinal logistic regression was used to create adjusted odds ratios (aORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs), with higher odds representing presentation at later-stage breast cancer. Subgroup analysis was conducted based on tumor receptor status. RESULTS: Overall, among 2,282,691 women (5.2% Hispanic), Hispanic women were more likely to live in low-income and low-educational attainment neighborhoods, and were also more likely to be uninsured. Hispanic women were also more likely to present at later-stage primary breast cancer when compared with non-Hispanic White women (aOR 1.19, 95% CI 1.18-1.21; p < 0.01). Stage disparities were demonstrated when populations were disaggregated by country of origin, particularly for Mexican women (aOR 1.55, 95% CI 1.51-1.60; p < 0.01). Disparities worsened among both racial and country of origin subgroups in women with triple-negative disease. CONCLUSION: Later breast cancer stage at presentation was observed among Hispanic populations when disaggregated by racial subgroup and country of origin. Socioeconomic disparities, as well as uncaptured disparities in access and/or differential care, may drive these observed differences. Future studies with disaggregated data are needed to characterize outcomes in Hispanic communities and develop targeted interventions.

Distress screening in endometrial cancer leads to disparity in referral to support services.

OBJECTIVES: Racial disparities in survival from endometrial cancer (EC) are well known. Cancer distress has also been associated with worse clinical outcomes. We characterized the association between race/ethnicity, patient distress reported on the National Comprehensive Cancer Network Distress Thermometer and Problem List (NCCN DT & PL), referral to support services, time to surgery, and acceptance of adjuvant therapy in patients with EC. METHODS: We included patients presenting at an academic gynecologic oncology practice from 1/2013-6/2020 who had not received prior EC-directed treatment. Demographics, NCCN DT scores, and treatment details were abstracted from the electronic medical record. Difference in initial DT scores by race/ethnicity and treatment type was tested using general linear modeling. The significance of interaction effects was tested using linear mixed models and logistic regression. RESULTS: 393 non-Hispanic White (NHW) and 134 non-Hispanic Black (NHB) patients were included. Median distress scores were higher in NHW patients compared to NHB patients (4 vs. 2, p < 0.001); 51% of NHW patients qualified for referral to support services compared to 40% of NHB patients (p = 0.03). Distress scores were highest at initial appointment and declined over time in NHW patients regardless of treatment, but were initially low and remained low over time in NHB patients. There was no association of initial distress score with time to surgery or acceptance of adjuvant treatment (p-values >0.25). CONCLUSIONS: An observed difference in NCCN DT leads to racial disparities in referral to support services. The NCCN DT may not adequately measure distress in NHB women with EC.

Malignant phyllodes tumor and primary breast sarcoma; distinct rare tumors of the breast.

BACKGROUND: Malignant phyllodes (MP) and primary breast sarcomas (PBS) are rare neoplasms with overlapping histopathologic features. We compared overall survival (OS) and estimated the association of surgery and therapies with OS. METHODS: We utilized the National Cancer Database (2004-2016). Patients without surgery, unknown surgery, or margins, or Stage IV disease were excluded. Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate unadjusted and adjusted OS, respectively. RESULTS: A total of 3209 (59.5%) MP, and 2185 (40.5%) PBS were identified. Despite a larger median tumor size in MP (46 vs. 40 mm PBS, p < 0.001), lumpectomy rate was higher for MP (52.9% vs. 27.0% PBS, p < 0.001). Compared to MP, PBS patients more frequently received radiation (28.9% vs. 24%), and chemotherapy (28.1% vs. 4%), both p < 0.001. Unadjusted OS was lower for PBS (57% vs. 85% MP, log-rank p < 0.001). PBS (vs. MP) had persistently worse survival (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.98, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.69-2.31) after adjustment. Receipt of adjuvant therapies was not associated with OS (either neoplasm); however, lumpectomy was associated with improved OS (vs. mastectomy) for both PBS (HR: 0.59, 95% CI: 0.50-0.75) and MP (HR: 0.65, 95% CI: 0.53-0.81). Positive margins had no association with OS for MP (HR: 1.09, 95% CI: 0.75-1.60), but was associated with worse survival for PBS (HR: 2.35, 95% CI: 1.82-3.02). DISCUSSION: We found significant survival differences between MP and PBS, with PBS having a consistently worse OS. Our findings support surgery as the mainstay of treatment for both tumor types and suggest that lumpectomy may be a reasonable option for select patients without compromising outcomes.

Patient-reported causes of distress predict disparities in time to evaluation and time to treatment after breast cancer diagnosis.

BACKGROUND: We examined whether the National Comprehensive Cancer Network distress thermometer (DT), a patient-reported outcome measure, could be used to identify levels and causes of distress associated with racial/ethnic disparities in time to care among patients with breast cancer. METHODS: We identified women aged ≥18 years with stage 0-IV breast cancer who were diagnosed in a single health system between January 2014 and July 2016. The baseline visit was defined as the first postdiagnosis, pretreatment clinical evaluation. Zero-inflated negative binomial (ZINB) regression (modeling non-zero DT scores and DT scores = 0) and logistic regression (modeling DT score ≥ 4, threshold for social services referral) were used to examine associations between baseline score (0 = none to 10 = extreme) and types of stressors (emotional, familial, practical, physical, spiritual) after adjustment for race/ethnicity and other characteristics. Linear regression with log transformation was used to identify predictors of time to evaluation and time to treatment. RESULTS: A total of 1029 women were included (median baseline DT score = 4). Emotional, physical, and practical stressors were associated with distress in both the ZINB and logistic models (all P < .05). Black patients (n = 258) were more likely to report no distress than Whites (n = 675; ZINB zero model odds ratio, 2.72; 95% CI, 1.68-4.40; P < .001) despite reporting a similar number of stressors (P = .07). Higher DT scores were associated with shorter time to evaluation and time to treatment while being Black and having physical or practical stressors were associated with delays in both (all P < .05). CONCLUSIONS: Patient-reported stressors predicted delays in time to care, but patient-reported levels of distress did not, with Black patients having delayed time to care despite reporting low levels of distress. We describe anticipatory, culturally responsive strategies for using patient-reported outcomes to address observed disparities.

Characterizing participants in the North Carolina Breast and Cervical Cancer Control Program: A retrospective review of 90,000 women.

BACKGROUND: The North Carolina Breast and Cervical Cancer Control Program (NC BCCCP) provides breast cancer screening services to underserved women to mitigate disparities in access to care. The authors sought to characterize this understudied population. METHODS: Women 21 years old or older who underwent their first breast cancer screen through NC BCCCP from 2008 to 2018 were included. Demographic factors associated with the timeline of care and odds of a breast cancer diagnosis were identified with negative binomial and logistic regression, respectively. RESULTS: Of the 88,893 women identified, 45.5% were non-Hispanic (NH) White, 30.9% were NH Black, 19.6% were Hispanic, 1.7% were American Indian, and 1.1% were Asian. Breast cancer was diagnosed in 2.5% of the women (n = 2255). Hispanic women were the least likely to be diagnosed with breast cancer (odds ratio vs NH White women, 0.40; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.34-0.47). Among patients with breast pathology, the median time to diagnosis was 19 days (interquartile range [IQR], 10-33 days), and the time to treatment was 33 days (IQR, 19-54 days). After adjustments, a longer time to diagnosis was significantly associated with age (incidence rate ratio [IRR], 1.01; 95% CI, 1.01-1.02) and being NH Black (vs NH White; IRR, 1.17; 95% CI, 1.06-1.29). A longer time to treatment was significantly associated with age (IRR, 1.01; 95% CI, 1.01-1.01), being NH Black (vs NH White; IRR, 1.20; 95% CI, 1.10-1.31), and being Hispanic (vs NH White; IRR, 1.22; 95% CI, 1.05-1.41). CONCLUSIONS: NC BCCCP participants with breast cancer received treatment within approximately 1 month of presentation, and this finding aligns with quality care benchmarks. Nevertheless, racial/ethnic disparities in timeliness of care persist, and this suggests opportunities for improvement. LAY SUMMARY: This review of approximately 90,000 participants in a breast cancer screening program for uninsured and underinsured women highlights the importance of safety net programs in providing timely care to underserved patients. The authors found that the North Carolina Breast and Cervical Cancer Control Program met timeliness benchmarks from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention across all racial/ethnic groups. However, non-Hispanic Black women experienced relative delays in the time to diagnosis, and both non-Hispanic Black women and Hispanic women experienced relative delays in the time to treatment. These findings demonstrate how racial/ethnic disparities in the timeliness of care can persist even within a program intended to reduce barriers to access.

The Role of Race and Gender in the Career Experiences of Black/African American Academic Surgeons: A Survey of the Society of Black Academic Surgeons and a Call to Action.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the role of race and gender in the career experience of Black/AA academic surgeons and to quantify the prevalence of experience with racial and gender bias stratified by gender. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Compared to their male counterparts, Black/African American women remain significantly underrepresented among senior surgical faculty and department leadership. The impact of racial and gender bias on the academic and professional trajectory of Black/AA women surgeons has not been well-studied. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey regarding demographics, employment, and perceived barriers to career advancement was distributed via email to faculty surgeon members of the Society of Black American Surgeons (SBAS) in September 2019. RESULTS: Of 181 faculty members, 53 responded (29%), including 31 women (58%) and 22 men (42%). Academic positions as a first job were common (men 95% vs women 77%, P = 0.06). Men were more likely to attain the rank of full professor (men 41% vs women 7%, P = 0.01). Reports of racial bias in the workplace were similar (women 84% vs men 86%, not significant); however, reports of gender bias (women 97% vs men 27%, P < 0.001) and perception of salary inequities (women 89% vs 63%, P = 0.02) were more common among women. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Despite efforts to increase diversity, high rates of racial bias persist in the workplace. Black/AA women also report experiencing a high rate of gender bias and challenges in academic promotion.

Time to surgery among women treated with neoadjuvant systemic therapy and upfront surgery for breast cancer.

PURPOSE: Time to surgery (TTS) is a potentially modifiable factor associated with survival after breast cancer diagnosis and can serve as a proxy for quality of oncologic care coordination. We sought to determine whether factors associated with delays in TTS vary between patients who receive neoadjuvant systemic therapy (NST) vs upfront surgery and whether the impact of these delays on overall survival (OS) varies with treatment sequence. METHODS: Women ≥ 18 years old with Stage I-III breast cancer were identified in the National Cancer Database (2004-2014). Multivariate linear regression stratified by treatment sequence (upfront surgery vs NST [neoadjuvant chemotherapy {NAC}, neoadjuvant endocrine therapy {NAE}, or both {NACE}]) was used to identify factors associated with TTS. Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate the effect of TTS on overall survival (OS). RESULTS: Of 693,469 patients, 14.8% (n = 102,326) received NST (NAC n = 85,143, NAE n = 10,004, NACE n = 7179). Non-White race/ethnicity, no or government-issued insurance, more extensive surgery (i.e., mastectomy and contralateral prophylactic mastectomy vs breast-conserving surgery), and post-mastectomy reconstruction were associated with significantly longer adjusted TTS for NAC and upfront-surgery recipients, but only upfront-surgery patients had progressively worse OS with increasing TTS (> 180 vs ≤ 30 days: HR = 1.31, all p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Surgery extent, race/ethnicity, and insurance were associated with TTS across treatment groups, but longer TTS was only associated with worse OS in upfront-surgery patients. Our findings can help inform surgeon-patient communication, shared decision making, care coordination, and patients' expectations throughout both NST and in the perioperative period.

Mortality in Older Patients with Breast Cancer Undergoing Breast Surgery: How Low is "Low Risk"?

BACKGROUND: Breast surgery carries a low risk of postoperative mortality. For older patients with multiple comorbidities, even low-risk procedures can confer some increased perioperative risk. We sought to identify factors associated with postoperative mortality in breast cancer patients ≥70 years to create a nomogram for predicting risk of death within 90 days. METHODS: Patients diagnosed with nonmetastatic invasive breast cancer (2010-2016) were selected from the National Cancer Database. Unadjusted OS was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Multivariate logistic regression was used to estimate the association of age and surgery with 90-day mortality and to build a predictive nomogram. RESULTS: Among surgical patients ≥70 years, unadjusted 90-day mortality increased with increasing age (70-74 = 0.4% vs. ≥85 = 1.6%), comorbidity score (0 = 0.5% vs. ≥3 = 2.7%), and disease stage (I = 0.4% vs. III = 2.7%; all p < 0.001). After adjustment, death within 90 days of surgery was associated with higher age (≥85 vs. 70-74: odds ratio [OR] 3.16, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.74-3.65), comorbidity score (≥3 vs. 0: OR 4.79, 95% CI 3.89-5.89), and disease stage (III vs. I: OR 4.30, 95% CI 3.69-5.00). Based on these findings, seven variables (age, gender, comorbidity score, facility type, facility location, clinical stage, and surgery type) were selected to build a nomogram; estimates of risk of death within 90 days ranged from <1 to >30%. CONCLUSIONS: Breast operations remain relatively low-risk procedures for older patients with breast cancer, but select factors can be used to estimate the risk of postoperative mortality to guide surgical decision-making among older women.

Contralateral Axillary Nodal Metastases: Stage IV Disease or a Manifestation of Progressive Locally Advanced Breast Cancer?

BACKGROUND: Contralateral axillary nodal metastases (CAM) is classified as stage IV disease, although many centers treat CAM with curative intent. We hypothesized that patients with CAM, treated with multimodality therapy, would have improved overall survival (OS) versus patients with distant metastatic disease (M1) and similar OS to those with locally advanced breast cancer (LABC). METHODS: Using the NCDB (2004-2016), we categorized adult patients with node-positive breast cancer into three study groups: LABC, CAM, and M1. Kaplan-Meier curves were used to visualize the unadjusted OS. Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate the association of study group with OS. RESULTS: A total of 94,487 patients were identified: 122 with CAM, 12,325 with LABC, and 82,040 with M1 (median follow-up 63.6 months). LABC and CAM patients had similar histology and rates of chemotherapy and endocrine therapy receipt. However, the CAM group had significantly larger tumors, more estrogen-receptor expression, higher T-stage, and more mastectomies than the LABC group. Compared with M1 patients, CAM patients were more likely to have grade 3 and cT4 tumors. Patients with CAM and LABC had similar 5-year unadjusted OS and significantly improved OS vs M1 patients. After adjustment, LABC and CAM patients continued to have similar OS and better OS vs M1 patients. CONCLUSIONS: CAM patients who receive multi-modal therapy with curative intent may have OS more comparable to LABC patients than M1 patients. Out data support a reevaluation of whether CAM should remain classified as M1, as N3 may better reflect disease prognosis and treatment goals.