Racial disparities in prostate cancer outcome among prostate-specific antigen screening eligible populations in the United States.

Background: In 2012, the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommended against prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening, despite evidence that Black men are at a higher risk of prostate cancer-specific mortality (PCSM). We evaluated whether Black men of potentially screening-eligible age (55-69 years) are at a disproportionally high risk of poor outcomes. Patients and methods: The SEER database was used to study 390 259 men diagnosed with prostate cancer in the United States between 2004 and 2011. Multivariable logistic regression modeled the association between Black race and stage of presentation, while Fine-Gray competing risks regression modeled the association between Black race and PCSM, both as a function of screening eligibility (age 55-69 years versus not). Results: Black men were more likely to present with metastatic disease (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 1.65; 1.58-1.72; P < 0.001) and were at a higher risk of PCSM (adjusted hazard ratio [AHR] 1.36; 1.27-1.46; P < 0.001) compared to non-Black men. There were significant interactions between race and PSA-screening eligibility such that Black patients experienced more disproportionate rates of metastatic disease (AOR 1.76; 1.65-1.87 versus 1.55; 1.47-1.65; Pinteraction < 0.001) and PCSM (AHR 1.53; 1.37-1.70 versus 1.25; 1.14-1.37; Pinteraction = 0.01) in the potentially PSA-screening eligible group than in the group not eligible for screening. Conclusions: Racial disparities in prostate cancer outcome among Black men are significantly worse in PSA-screening eligible populations. These results raise the possibility that Black men could be disproportionately impacted by recommendations to end PSA screening in the United States and suggest that Black race should be included in the updated USPSTF PSA screening guidelines.

High PSA anxiety and low health literacy skills: drivers of early use of salvage ADT among men with biochemically recurrent prostate cancer after radiotherapy?

BACKGROUND: Although commonly used, early initiation of salvage androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) has not been proven to enhance survival. We evaluated whether prostate-specific antigen (PSA) anxiety or health literacy are associated with use of early salvage ADT among men with recurrent prostate cancer after radiotherapy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The prospective Comprehensive, Observational, Multicenter, Prostate Adenocarcinoma Registry was used to study 375 men with biochemically recurrent prostate cancer after external beam radiation or brachytherapy. Multivariable logistic regression was used to determine whether PSA anxiety and health literacy are associated with salvage ADT as initial management after biochemical recurrence. RESULTS: Sixty-eight men (18.1%) received salvage ADT as initial management for PSA recurrence. Men with high PSA anxiety were twice as likely to receive salvage ADT compared with men who did not have high PSA anxiety on both univariable [28.8% versus 13.1%; odds ratio (OR) 2.15; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.16-4.00; P = 0.015] and multivariable analysis [adjusted OR (AOR) 2.36; 95% CI 1.21-4.62; P = 0.012]. Furthermore, men who had higher levels of health literacy were nearly half as likely to undergo salvage ADT compared with men who had lower levels of health literacy on univariable analysis (15.2% versus 26.3%; OR 0.50; 95% CI 0.29-0.88; P = 0.016), with a trend toward this association on multivariable analysis (AOR 0.58; 95% CI 0.32-1.05; P = 0.07). CONCLUSIONS: Among men with PSA recurrence after radiotherapy, odds of use of salvage ADT were nearly twice as great among men with high PSA anxiety or low health literacy, suggesting that these men are receiving higher rates of unproven treatment. Given that early salvage ADT is costly, worsens quality of life, and has not been shown to improve survival, quality improvement strategies are needed for these individuals.

A refined risk stratification scheme for clinical stage 1 NSGCT based on evaluation of both embryonal predominance and lymphovascular invasion.

BACKGROUND: Active surveillance is an increasingly accepted approach for managing patients with germ-cell tumors (GCTs) after an orchiectomy. Here we investigate a time-to-relapse stratification scheme for clinical stage 1 (CS1) nonseminoma GCT (NSGCT) patients according to factors associated with relapse and identify a group of patients with a lower frequency and longer time-to-relapse who may require an alternative surveillance strategy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We analyzed 266 CS1 GCT patients from the IRB-approved DFCI GCT database that exclusively underwent surveillance following orchiectomy from 1997 to 2013. We stratified NSGCT patients according to predominance of embryonal carcinoma (EmbP) and lymphovascular invasion (LVI), using a 0, 1, and 2 scoring system. Cox regression and conditional risk analysis were used to compare each NSGCT group to patients in the seminomatous germ-cell tumor (SGCT) category. Median time-to-relapse values were then calculated among those patients who underwent relapse. Relapse-free survival curves were generated using the Kaplan-Meier method. RESULTS: Fifty (37%) NSGCT and 20 (15%) SGCT patients relapsed. The median time-to-relapse was 11.5 versus 6.3 months for the SGCT and NSGCT groups, respectively. For NSGCT patients, relapse rates were higher and median time-to-relapse faster with increasing number of risk factors (RFs). Relapse rates (%) and median time-to-relapse (months) were 25%/8.5 months, 41%/6.8 months and 78%/3.8 months for RF0, RF1 and RF2, respectively. We found a statistically significant difference between SGCT and patients with one or two RFs (P < 0.001) but not between SGCT and NSGCT RF0 (P = 0.108). CONCLUSION: NSGCT patients grouped by a risk score system based on EmbP and LVI yielded three groups with distinct relapse patterns -and patients with neither EmbP nor LVI appear to behave similar to SGCT.

Incidence and determinants of 1-month mortality after cancer-directed surgery.

BACKGROUND: Death within 1 month of surgery is considered treatment related and serves as an important health care quality metric. We sought to identify the incidence of and factors associated with 1-month mortality after cancer-directed surgery. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We used the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results Program to study a cohort of 1 110 236 patients diagnosed from 2004 to 2011 with cancers that are among the 10 most common or most fatal who received cancer-directed surgery. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to identify factors associated with 1-month mortality after cancer-directed surgery. RESULTS: A total of 53 498 patients (4.8%) died within 1 month of cancer-directed surgery. Patients who were married, insured, or who had a top 50th percentile income or educational status had lower odds of 1-month mortality from cancer-directed surgery {[adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 0.80; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.79-0.82; P < 0.001], (AOR 0.88; 95% CI 0.82-0.94; P < 0.001), (AOR 0.95; 95% CI 0.93-0.97; P < 0.001), and (AOR 0.98; 95% CI 0.96-0.99; P = 0.043), respectively}. Patients who were non-white minority, male, or older (per year increase), or who had advanced tumor stage 4 disease all had a higher risk of 1-month mortality after cancer-directed surgery, with AORs of 1.13 (95% CI 1.11-1.15), P < 0.001; 1.11 (95% CI 1.08-1.13), P < 0.001; 1.02 (95% 1.02-1.03), P < 0.001; and 1.89 (95% CI 1.82-1.95), P < 0.001 respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Unmarried, uninsured, non-white, male, older, less educated, and poorer patients were all at a significantly higher risk for death within 1 month of cancer-directed surgery. Efforts to reduce 1-month surgical mortality and eliminate sociodemographic disparities in this adverse outcome could significantly improve survival among patients with cancer.

The association between race and treatment regret among men with recurrent prostate cancer.

BACKGROUND: To examine the impact of race on treatment regret among men with recurrent prostate cancer after surgery or radiation. METHODS: The prospective Comprehensive, Observational, Multicenter, Prostate Adenocarcinoma (COMPARE) registry was used to study a cohort of 484 men with biochemically recurrent prostate cancer after radical prostatectomy, external beam radiation or brachytherapy. Multivariable logistic regression was used to model the association between race and treatment regret and to determine whether there was an interaction between race and sexual problems after treatment with regards to treatment regret. RESULTS: Black men (N=78) were significantly more likely to have treatment regret when compared with non-black men (N=406; 21.8% versus 12.6%) on univariable analysis (odds ratio (OR) 1.94; 95% confidence interval 1.05-3.56; P=0.03). On multivariable analysis, black race trended towards but was no longer significantly associated with an increase in treatment regret (adjusted OR (AOR) 1.84 (0.95-3.58); P=0.071). There was an interaction between race and sexual problems after treatment (Pinteraction=0.02) such that among those without sexual problems, black men had more treatment regret than non-black men (26.7% versus 8.4%: AOR 4.68 (1.73-12.63); P=0.002), whereas among those with sexual problems, there was no difference in treatment regret between black and non-black men (18.8% versus 17.3%: AOR 1.04 (0.44-2.46); P=0.93). CONCLUSIONS: Among men with recurrent prostate cancer after surgery or radiation, black men were nearly twice as likely to experience treatment regret. Treating physicians should ensure that patients are fully apprised of the pros and cons of all treatment options to reduce the risk of subsequent regret.

The association between insurance status and prostate cancer outcomes: implications for the Affordable Care Act.

BACKGROUND: The Affordable Care Act (ACA) aims to expand health insurance coverage to over 30 million previously uninsured Americans. To help evaluate the potential impact of the ACA on prostate cancer care, we examined the associations between insurance coverage and prostate cancer outcomes among men <65 years old who are not yet eligible for Medicare. METHODS: The Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results Program was used to identify 85 203 men aged <65 years diagnosed with prostate cancer from 2007 to 2010. Multivariable logistic regression modeled the association between insurance status and stage at presentation. Among men with high-risk disease, the associations between insurance status and receipt of definitive therapy, prostate cancer-specific mortality (PCSM) and all-cause mortality were determined using multivariable logistic, Fine and Gray competing-risks and Cox regression models, respectively. RESULTS: Uninsured patients were more likely to be non-white and come from regions of rural residence, lower median household income and lower education level (P<0.001 for all cases). Insured men were less likely to present with metastatic disease (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 0.23; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.20-0.27; P<0.001). Among men with high-risk disease, insured men were more likely to receive definitive treatment (AOR 2.29; 95% CI 1.81-2.89; P<0.001), and had decreased PCSM (adjusted hazard ratio 0.56; 95% CI 0.31-0.98; P=0.04) and all-cause mortality (adjusted hazard ratio 0.60; 0.39-0.91; P=0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Insured men with prostate cancer are less likely to present with metastatic disease, more likely to be treated if they develop high-risk disease and are more likely to survive their cancer, suggesting that expanding health coverage under the ACA may significantly improve outcomes for men with prostate cancer who are not yet eligible for Medicare.