Persistent cervical cancer disparities among American Indian/Alaska Native women: a systematic scoping review exploring the state of the science in this population.

PURPOSE: American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) populations experience significantly higher incidence and mortality rates of cervical cancer. The objective of this systematic scoping review is to characterize the volume and nature of research being conducted specific to the AI/AN population regarding cervical cancer and related clinical themes. METHODS: This scoping review was conducted in collaboration with the Pacific Northwest Evidence-based Practice Center. Search strategies identified eligible publications from 1990 through 4 February 2022. Two reviewers independently abstracted study data, including clinical area, number of participants and percent inclusion of AI/AN, intervention or risk factor, outcomes reported, Indian Health Service (IHS) Region, and funding source. We used published algorithms to assess study design. RESULTS: Database searches identified 300 unique citations. After full-text evaluation of 129 articles, 78 studies and 9 secondary publications were included (total of 87). Approximately 74% of studies were observational in design, with cross-sectional methodology accounting for 42.7% of all included studies. The most common clinical theme was cervical cancer screening. The most common intervention/exposure was risk factor, typically race (AI/AN compared with other groups) (69%). For studies with documented funding sources, 67% were funded by the US Government. CONCLUSION: Of the small number of publications identified, the majority are funded through government agencies, are descriptive and/or cross-sectional studies that are hypothesis generating in nature, and fail to represent the diversity of the AI/AN populations in the US. This systematic scoping review highlights the paucity of rigorous research being conducted in a population suffering from a greater burden of disease.

Success Rates of Sentinel Lymph Node Mapping for Endometrial Cancer in Patients with Body Mass Index < 45 Compared with Body Mass Index ≥ 45.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: The objective is to evaluate the rate of sentinel lymph node (SLN) mapping in patients with body mass index (BMI [kg/m2]) BMI ≥ 45 compared with < 45. DESIGN: A retrospective chart review. SETTING: Three urban referral-based settings-1 academic and 2 community based. PATIENTS: Patients age ≥ 18 years, with endometrial intraepithelial neoplasia or clinical stage 1 endometrial cancer who underwent robot-assisted total laparoscopic hysterectomy with attempted SLN mapping between January 2015 and December 2021. INTERVENTIONS: Robot-assisted total laparoscopic hysterectomy with attempted SLN mapping. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: A total of 933 subjects were included: 795 (85.2%) with BMI < 45 and 138 (14.8%) with BMI ≥ 45. Comparing the BMI < 45 with BMI ≥ 45 group, bilateral mapping was successful in 541 (68.1%) vs 63 (45.7%), respectively. Unilateral mapping was successful in 162 (20.4%) vs 33 (23.9%), respectively. Failure to map occurred in 92 (11.6%) vs 42 (30.4%) (p <.001), respectively. Exploratory analysis also suggested an inverse relationship between success rate of bilateral SLN mapping and BMI, with patients with BMI < 20 having bilateral SLN mapping rates of 86.5% and patients with BMI ≥ 61 having rates of 20.0%. The steepest decline in bilateral SLN mapping rates was from BMI group 46 to 50 compared to 51 to 55, at 55.4% to 37.5%, respectively. Adjusted odds ratio (compared with those with BMI < 30) for those in the BMI 30 to 44 group was 0.36 (95% confidence interval 0.21-0.60) and for those in the BMI ≥ 45 group was 0.10 (95% confidence interval 0.06-0.19). CONCLUSION: There is a statistically significant lower rate of SLN mapping in patients with a BMI ≥ 45 than BMI < 45. Understanding the success of SLN mapping in patients with morbid obesity is essential for preoperative counseling, surgical planning, and developing a risk-appropriate postoperative treatment plan.

Low grade appendiceal mucinous neoplasm metastatic to the ovary: A case report and intraoperative assessment guide.

INTRODUCTION: Incidence of low grade appendiceal mucinous neoplasm is increasing. Preoperatively, it may present similarly to primary ovarian malignancy. This case report describes a case of presumed ovarian malignancy with final pathologic diagnosis of low grade appendiceal mucinous neoplasm. We also propose several surgical strategies to approach this conundrum. PRESENTATION OF CASE: A postmenopausal woman with abdominal pain was found to have a 30 cm abdominopelvic mass with elevated CA-125 and CEA presumably a primary ovarian malignancy. During surgical staging, intraoperative findings were notable for an appendiceal mass. Intraoperative surgical oncology consultation recommended appendectomy for diagnostic purposes. Following primary surgery and final pathologic diagnosis, she underwent cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy. DISCUSSION: Low grade appendiceal mucinous neoplasm should be within the differential diagnosis of gynecologic surgeons when presented with a patient with large volume ascites and biopsy of acellular mucin. Intraoperatively, an abnormal appearing appendix with normal appearing gynecologic structures should trigger suspicion for appendiceal rather than ovarian origin. Preoperative symptoms, imaging studies, tumor markers, and frozen section pathology may not be able to differentiate between appendiceal and epithelial ovarian malignancies. CONCLUSION: A recognition of mucinous material and abnormal appearing appendix should prompt the surgeon to consider performing an appendectomy to obtain primary pathologic diagnosis. A high level of suspicion could better optimize the patient for a joint case with the appropriate surgeons. Given the documented disguise of low grade appendiceal mucinous neoplasm as primary ovarian cancer and its increasing incidence, diagnosis and general understanding of treatment should be understood.

Characteristics of Oklahoma Pediatricians Who Dismiss Families for Refusing Vaccines.

Vaccine refusal is increasing. Objectives were to assess frequency of declining or dismissing patients who refuse vaccines, which vaccine(s) prompt pediatricians to decline/dismiss patients, and demographics of pediatricians who decline/dismiss patients. Active members of the Oklahoma American Academy of Pediatricians (AAP) were surveyed. Chi-square tests with non-overlapping 95% confidence intervals compared proportions of providers across various metrics. In all, 47% (48/103) versus 35% (34/98) reported declining versus dismissing patients for refusing vaccines, respectively. Pediatricians were unlikely to decline/dismiss patients if they refused influenza, human papilloma virus (HPV), or MenB vaccines. Pediatricians with more years in practice were less likely to decline 15% (9/62) versus 44% (16/36), P = 0.002 and dismiss 8% (5/62) versus 33% (12/36), P = 0.002 patients. Rural pediatricians were less likely than urban to decline 12% (2/17) versus 29% (26/89), P = NS and dismiss patients 0% (0/17) versus 21% (19/89), P = 0.04. Dismissing/declining patients for vaccine refusal is more common among Oklahoma pediatricians than nationally reported. Patterns differ by practice setting, years in practice, and specific vaccine refused.