Recent cervical cancer incidence, stage at diagnosis, and mortality trends in Puerto Rico, 2001-2019.

BACKGROUND: Cervical cancer incidence is rising in Puerto Rico (PR). Whether the increase is real or reflective of increased diagnostic scrutiny remains unclear. METHODS: Using data from the PR Central Cancer Registry for 2001-2019, we estimated trends of hysterectomy-corrected cervical cancer incidence and mortality rates, overall, and by stage at diagnosis and age. RESULTS: Overall, cervical cancer incidence (per 100,000) increased 1.6%/year (95% CI, -0.5% to 3.8%) from 12.5 to 15.3, with a prominent increase in distant-stage disease (4.5%/year [95% CI, 1.6% to 8.0%]), particularly among screening age eligible (25-64-year-old) women (5.8%/year [95% CI, 2.1% to 10.6%]). Mortality rates in this age-group remained stable during the study period. CONCLUSIONS: Increased occurrence of distant-stage disease among screening-eligible women is troubling and may reflect a real increase. Future research is needed to elucidate the factors underlying these trends. Improved prevention is also an urgent priority to reverse the rising cervical cancer incidence in PR.

Anal cancer risk and HPV infection knowledge and awareness among Hispanic persons living with HIV in Puerto Rico.

Background: Persons living with HIV (PLWH) have a higher risk of persistent infection with human papillomavirus (HPV) and anal cancer. We evaluated knowledge and awareness of HPV infection and risk factors for anal cancer among PLWH in Puerto Rico (PR). Methods: Data from a cross-sectional study (2020-2021) were analyzed (n=212). Inclusion criteria included PLWH, aged ≥ 26 years, and living in PR. Telephone interviews collected information on sociodemographic, lifestyle and clinical characteristics. Two 13-item scales were used to assess knowledge of HPV and anal cancer risk factors; adequate knowledge for both scales were defined as scoring >70%. Logistic regression models using generalized linear models were used to determine the association between 1) HPV infection awareness, 2) HPV infection knowledge, and 3) Anal cancer risk factors knowledge. Results: The median age was 54 years (IQR: 46,58), 67.5% were male, 71.7% reported having an income <$20,000, and 54.3% had an education level of more than high school. HPV awareness was high (82.1%), but only 40.2% and 3.8% had adequate knowledge of HPV and anal cancer risk factors, respectively. In adjusted logistic regression models, men who have sex with men (OR: 1.26, 95%CI: 1.07-1.47) and women (OR: 1.35, 95%CI: 1.15-1.59) aged ≥50 years had higher odds of HPV awareness than heterosexual men in that age group. Moreover, those with history of anal Pap test aged <50 years had more HPV awareness (OR 1.34, 95%CI: 1.08-1.66) than their counterparts. Adequate HPV knowledge was higher among participants with an education level of more than high-school (OR:1.28, 95%CI: 1.10-1.50) and with a history of HPV diagnosis (OR:1.33, 95%CI: 1.08-1.65) than their counterparts. In addition, people with good/very good/excellent health perception had higher odds of HPV knowledge (OR:1.23, 95%CI: 1.03-1.47) than those who reported poor/regular health perception. For anal cancer risk factors, PLWH for ≥15 years had increased odds of having adequate knowledge (OR:1.07, 95%CI: 1.02-1.14) than their counterparts. Conclusions: Despite high awareness of HPV, limited knowledge about HPV and anal cancer risk factors was observed among PLWH. Results from our study highlight the need for educational efforts within this population as an anal cancer prevention strategy.

Sociodemographic, clinical characteristics, and treatment patterns of endometrial cancer cases in Puerto Rico during the period 2009 to 2015: A retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: Over the past decades, the rising incidence rates of endometrial cancer have made it a significant public health concern for women worldwide. Treatment strategies for endometrial cancer vary based on several factors such as stage, histology, the patient's overall health, and preferences. However, limited amount of research on treatment patterns and potential correlations with sociodemographic characteristics among Hispanics is available. This study analyzes the treatment patterns for patients diagnosed with endometrial cancer in Puerto Rico. METHODS: A secondary database analysis was performed on endometrial cancer cases reported to the Puerto Rico Central Cancer Registry-Health Insurance Linkage Database from 2009 to 2015 (n = 2,488). The study population's sociodemographic and clinical characteristics were described, along with an overview of the therapy options provided to patients receiving care on the island. Logistic regression models were used to evaluate the association of sociodemographic/clinical characteristics with treatment patterns stratified by risk of recurrence. RESULTS: In our cohort, most patients were insured through Medicaid and had a median age of 60 years. Almost 90% of patients received surgery as the first course of treatment. Surgery alone was the most common treatment for low-risk patients (80.2%). High-risk patients were more likely to receive surgery with radiotherapy and chemotherapy (24.4%). Patients with Medicare insurance were five times (HR: 4.84; 95% CI: 2.45-9.58; p < 0.001) more likely to receive surgery when compared with patients insured with Medicaid. In contrast, those with private insurance were twice as likely to receive surgery (HR: 2.38; 95% CI: 1.40-4.04; p = 0.001) when compared to those with Medicaid. CONCLUSION: These findings provide insight into the treatment patterns for endometrial cancer in Puerto Rico and highlight the importance of considering factors such as disease risk when making treatment decisions. Addressing these gaps in treatment patterns can contribute to effective management of endometrial cancer.

Treatment Interruptions and Mortality among Puerto Rican Women with Gynecologic Cancers in Puerto Rico after Hurricanes Irma and María: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

OBJECTIVE: Cancer patients are among the most vulnerable populations during and after a disaster. We evaluated the impact of treatment interruption on the survival of women with gynecologic cancer in Puerto Rico following hurricanes Irma and María. METHODS: Retrospective cohort study among a clinic-based sample of women diagnosed between January 2016-September 2017 (n=112). Women were followed up from their diagnosis until December 2019, to assess vital status. Kaplan-Meier survival curves and Cox proportional hazards models were performed. RESULTS: Mean age was 56 (±12.3) years; corpus uteri (58.9%) was the most common gynecologic cancer. Predominant treatments were surgery (91.1%) and chemotherapy (44.6%). Overall, 75.9% were receiving treatment before the hurricanes, 16.1% experienced treatment interruptions and 8.9% died during the follow-up period. Factors associated with treatment interruption in bivariate analysis included younger age (≤55 years), having regional/distant disease, and receiving >1 cancer treatment (p<0.05). Crude analysis revealed an increased risk of death among women with treatment interruption (HR: 3.88, 95% CI=1.09-13.77), persisting after adjusting for age and cancer stage (HR: 2.49, 95% CI= 0.69-9.01). CONCLUSIONS: Findings underscore the detrimental impact of treatment interruption on cancer survival in the aftermath of hurricanes, emphasizing the need for emergency response plans for this vulnerable population.

Multiple myeloma incidence, mortality, and survival differences at the intersection of sex, age, and race/ethnicity: A comparison between Puerto Rico and the United States SEER population.

BACKGROUND: Multiple myeloma (MM) survival has increased during the last decades due to the introduction of new therapies. We investigated the intersectionality among age, sex, and race/ethnicity to better understand the pattern of MM incidence, mortality, and survival. METHODS: Puerto Rico (PR) Central Cancer Registry and the United States of America (US) Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program databases were used. We analyzed MM incidence and mortality trends from 2001 to 2019 using Joinpoint regression models to calculate annual percent change (APC). Age-standardized rate ratios (SRR) for incidence and mortality were used to compare PR with US SEER racial/ethnic groups during 2015-2019. Five-year survival analyses were also performed stratified by age and sex. RESULTS: Regardless of age and race/ethnicity, males had higher MM incidence and mortality rates than females. PR had a higher increase in incidence rates of MM than other ethnic groups, regardless of sex and age (PR APC = 4.3 among males <65, 3.1 among males ≥65, 6.3 among females <65, and 2.6 among females ≥65 years old). No significant change in mortality APCs (p > 0.05) was observed in PR when stratified by age or sex while other groups showed a decrease. Among males < 65 years, PR had significantly higher incidence rates than non-Hispanic Whites (NHW), and US Hispanics (USH). However, among both males and females ≥ 65 years, PR had significantly lower MM mortality rates than NHW, non-Hispanic Blacks (NHB), USH, and US Overall. In terms of survival, PR showed the lowest 5-year overall survival among males < 65 years (54.6%, 95% CI: 47.2-61.5) and males ≥ 65 years (34.5%, 95% CI: 29.2-39.9) but not among females. CONCLUSION: The incidence of MM in PR increased significantly over the study period, particularly among younger women. Despite the introduction of new therapies, mortality rates in PR have remained stable while other ethnic groups show significant decreases among all intersections of sex and age.