Income Disparities in Survival and Receipt of Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy and Pelvic Lymph Node Dissection for Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer.

Background: Muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) is a potentially fatal disease, especially in the setting of locally advanced or node-positive disease. Adverse outcomes have also primarily been associated with low-income status, as has been reported in other cancers. While the adoption of neoadjuvant cisplatin-based chemotherapy (NAC) followed by radical cystectomy (RC) and pelvic lymph node dissection (PLND) has improved outcomes, these standard-of-care treatments may be underutilized in lower-income patients. We sought to investigate the economic disparities in NAC and PLND receipt and survival outcomes in MIBC. Methods: Utilizing the National Cancer Database, a retrospective cohort analysis of cT2-4N0-3M0 BCa patients with urothelial histology who underwent RC was conducted. The impact of income level on overall survival (OS) and the likelihood of receiving NAC and PLND was evaluated. Results: A total of 25,823 patients were included. This study found that lower-income patients were less likely to receive NAC and adequate PLND (≥15 LNs). Moreover, lower-income patients exhibited worse OS (Median OS 55.9 months vs. 68.2 months, p < 0.001). Our findings also demonstrated that higher income, treatment at academic facilities, and recent years of diagnosis were associated with an increased likelihood of receiving standard-of-care modalities and improved survival. Conclusions: Even after controlling for clinicodemographic variables, income independently influenced the receipt of standard MIBC treatments and survival. Our findings identify an opportunity to improve the quality of care for lower-income MIBC patients through concerted efforts to regionalize multi-modal urologic oncology care.

SAVI Scout® System for Excision of Non-Palpable Breast Lesions.

BACKGROUND: The standard localization of non-palpable breast masses is wire/needle localization (WL). Newer technologies have evolved, allowing more efficient scheduling and improving surgeon and patient experiences. These include Radioactive Seed, MagSeed®, and SAVI Scout® (SS). We adopted SS at our program in July of 2017. We are reporting our experience comparing SAVI Scout® with needle localization. STUDY DESIGN: This is a retrospective study comparing SS and wire localization techniques for the excision of both benign and malignant lesions. Chart reviews of localized patients between 7/1/2017 and 6/30/2019, recording the age of the patient, date of procedure, localization method, pathology of lesion postexcision, number and status of margins, guidance method (mammogram vs. ultrasound), specimen size, and distance of reflector from biopsy clip, were completed to compare these localization methods with the aim of asserting their equality. RESULTS: There were 48 wire and 64 SS localized excisions. Successful lesion excision was achieved in 100% of cases for both techniques. There were 1 SS and 4 WL re-excisions for margin clearance not reaching statistical significance. 51 additional margins were obtained in the SS cases compared to 36 margins in the WL cases without a statistically significant difference. CONCLUSIONS: 1- Both SS and WL achieved 100% excision of targeted lesions 2- SS localization was successfully implemented, offering more convenience for patients and providers 3- More re-excisions in the WL group as compared to the SS group did not reach statistical significance and requires further investigation 4- A prospective controlled trial comparing the different localization techniques can address questions related to effectiveness, cost, patient and provider experiences.

The potential link between obstructive sleep apnea and postoperative neurocognitive disorders: current knowledge and possible mechanisms.

PURPOSE: This narrative review examines the current evidence on whether obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is associated with postoperative delirium (POD) and postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD). The mechanisms that could predispose OSA patients to these disorders are also explored. SOURCE: Relevant literature was identified by searching for pertinent terms in Medline®, Pubmed, ScopusTM, and Google scholar databases. Case reports, abstracts, review articles, original research articles, and meta-analyses were reviewed. The bibliographies of retrieved sources were also searched to identify relevant papers. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Seven studies have investigated the association between OSA and POD, with mixed results. No studies have examined the potential link between OSA and POCD. If these relationships exist, they could be mediated by several mechanisms, including increased neuroinflammation, blood-brain barrier breakdown, cerebrovascular disease, Alzheimer's disease neuropathology, disrupted cerebral autoregulation, sleep disruption, sympathovagal imbalance, and/or disrupted brain bioenergetics. CONCLUSION: There is very limited evidence that OSA plays a role in postoperative neurocognitive disorders because few studies have been conducted in the perioperative setting. Additional perioperative prospective observational cohort studies and randomized controlled trials of sleep apnea treatment are needed. These investigations should also assess potential underlying mechanisms that could predispose patients with OSA to postoperative neurocognitive disorders. This review highlights the need for more research to improve postoperative neurocognitive outcomes for patients with OSA.

RéSUMé: OBJECTIF: Ce compte rendu narratif examine les données probantes actuelles quant à l'association entre l'apnée obstructive du sommeil (AOS) et le syndrome confusionnel postopératoire (SCPO) ainsi que le dysfonctionnement cognitif postopératoire (DCPO). Les mécanismes qui pourraient prédisposer les patients atteints d'AOS à ces troubles sont également explorés. SOURCES: La littérature concordante a été identifiée en recherchant des termes pertinents dans les bases de données Medline®, Pubmed, ScopusTM et Google Scholar. Les présentations de cas, résumés, articles de synthèse, articles de recherche originaux et méta-analyses ont été examinés. Les bibliographies des sources récupérées ont également été recherchées pour identifier les articles pertinents. CONSTATATIONS PRINCIPALES: Sept études ont examiné l'association entre l'AOS et le SCPO, avec des résultats mitigés. Aucune étude n'a exploré le lien potentiel entre l'AOS et le DCPO. Si ces relations existent, elles pourraient être médiées par plusieurs mécanismes, notamment une neuroinflammation accrue, une dégradation de la barrière hémato-encéphalique, une maladie cérébrovasculaire, une neuropathologie de la maladie d'Alzheimer, une autorégulation cérébrale perturbée, une perturbation du sommeil, un déséquilibre sympathovagal et / ou une bioénergétique cérébrale perturbée. CONCLUSION: Il existe très peu de données probantes soutenant que l'AOS joue un rôle dans les troubles neurocognitifs postopératoires parce que peu d'études ont été menées dans le contexte périopératoire. D'autres études de cohorte observationnelles prospectives périopératoires et des études randomisées contrôlées sur le traitement de l'apnée du sommeil sont nécessaires. Ces études devraient également évaluer les mécanismes sous-jacents potentiels qui pourraient prédisposer les patients atteints d'AOS à des troubles neurocognitifs postopératoires. Ce compte rendu souligne la nécessité de recherches supplémentaires pour améliorer les devenirs neurocognitifs postopératoires des patients atteints d'AOS.