Clinical outcomes of stereotactic body radiation therapy for malignant pleural mesothelioma.

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study is to determine the outcomes and toxicities of patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) treated with stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data were extracted from an institutional tumor registry for patients diagnosed with mesothelioma and treated with SBRT. Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression analyses were employed to determine local control (LC) and overall survival (OS). RESULTS: Forty-four patients with 59 total treated tumors from December 2006 to April 2022 were identified. Fifty-one (86.4 %) cases had oligoprogressive disease (five sites or less). The median prescription dose delivered was 3000 cGy in 5 fractions (range: 2700-6000 cGy in 3-8 fractions). Fifty-one (86.4 %) tumors were in the pleura, 4 (6.8 %) spine, 2 (3.4 %) bone, 1 (1.7 %) brain, and 1 (1.7 %) pancreas. The median follow-up from SBRT completion for those alive at last follow-up was 28 months (range: 14-52 months). The most common toxicities were fatigue (50.8 %), nausea (22.0 %), pain flare (15.3 %), esophagitis (6.8 %), dermatitis (6.8 %), and pneumonitis (5.1 %). There were no grade ≥ 3 acute or late toxicities. There were 2 (3.4 %) local failures, one of the pleura and another of the spine. One-year LC was 92.9 % (95 % CI: 74.6-98.2 %) for all lesions and 96.3 % (95 % CI: 76.5-99.5 %) for pleural tumors. One-year LC was 90.9 % (95 % CI: 68.1-97.6 %) for epithelioid tumors and 92.1 % (95 % CI: 72.1-98.0 %) for oligoprogressive tumors. One-year OS from time of SBRT completion was 36.4 % (95 % CI: 22.6-50.3 %). On multivariable analysis, KPS was the lone significant predictor for OS (p = 0.029). CONCLUSIONS: Our single-institutional experience on patients with MPM suggests that SBRT is safe with a low toxicity profile and potentially achieve good local control.

ROE (Radiotherapy Outcomes Estimator): An open-source tool for optimizing radiotherapy prescriptions.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Radiotherapy prescriptions currently derive from population-wide guidelines established through large clinical trials. We provide an open-source software tool for patient-specific prescription determination using personalized dose-response curves. METHODS: We developed ROE, a plugin to the Computational Environment for Radiotherapy Research to visualize predicted tumor control and normal tissue complication simultaneously, as a function of prescription dose. ROE can be used natively with MATLAB and is additionally made accessible in GNU Octave and Python, eliminating the need for commercial licenses. It provides a curated library of published and validated predictive models and incorporates clinical restrictions on normal tissue outcomes. ROE additionally provides batch-mode tools to evaluate and select among different fractionation schemes and analyze radiotherapy outcomes across patient cohorts. CONCLUSION: ROE is an open-source, GPL-copyrighted tool for interactive exploration of the dose-response relationship to aid in radiotherapy planning. We demonstrate its potential clinical relevance in (1) improving patient awareness by quantifying the risks and benefits of a given treatment protocol (2) assessing the potential for dose escalation across patient cohorts and (3) estimating accrual rates of new protocols.

Detection of COVID-19 pulmonary manifestations with radiotherapy simulation CT imaging.

COVID-19 is associated with characteristic lung CT findings. Radiotherapy simulation CT scans may reveal characteristic COVID-19 findings and identify patients with active or prior infection. We reviewed patients undergoing CT simulation at a major cancer center in an early epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. Scans were reviewed by radiation oncologists using established radiographic criteria for COVID-19 pneumonia. Radiographic classifications were compared with available COVID-19 PCR test results. A one-tailed t-test was used to compare the rate of positive COVID-19 tests in radiographically suspicious vs. non-suspicious groups. Scans deemed suspicious were re-reviewed by expert diagnostic radiologists. 414 CT simulation scans were performed on 400 patients. 119 patients had COVID-19 PCR test results available. Radiation oncologists considered 71 scans (17.1%) suspicious for COVID-19. Of these, 23 had corresponding COVID-19 PCR tests, and 3/23 (15.7%) were positive for COVID. 107 non-suspicious scans had corresponding COVID-19 test results, and 9 were positive (8.4%). The difference in positive test results between suspicious and non-suspicious groups was not significant (p = 0.23). Upon re-review by a diagnostic radiologist, 25 (35%) scans deemed suspicious by radiation oncologists were confirmed to meet criteria, while the rest were re-classified as "atypical" for COVID-19. We conclude that radiotherapy simulation CT scans can be reviewed for signs of COVID-19 pneumonia by radiation oncologists. However, suspicious CT simulation was not associated with a higher incidence of COVID infection compared with non-suspicious CT simulation, and there was low concordance between radiation oncologist and diagnostic radiologist classification of scans.

Four-Phase, Definitive Chemoradiation for a Real-World (Poor Risk and/or Elderly) Patient Population With Locally Advanced Non-small Cell Lung Cancer.

Introduction With the incorporation of modernized radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy, treatment outcomes have improved for patients with locally advanced, unresectable diseases. Elderly or poor performance status patients comprise more than half of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients, but they are often underrepresented or excluded in clinical trials. Split-course concurrent chemoradiotherapy can be an effective treatment, showing good adherence and a favorable toxicity profile for unresectable, locally advanced NSCLC. Method We identified locally advanced NSCLC cancer patients via a single institution retrospective study. Patients were treated using a four-phase, split-course external beam radiotherapy approach with concurrent chemotherapy. The primary endpoints analyzed were completion rate, incidence, and severity of treatment-related toxicities, progression-free survival (PFS), and median overall survival (OS). Results Thirty-nine locally advanced lung cancer patients were treated with split-course chemoradiation (CRT). The median age at diagnosis was 73 years old. Seventeen patients had an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance score of 2. Twenty-three patients had a clinical diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and 10 patients were on home oxygen at the time of diagnosis. All patients completed 6000 centigrays (cGy) of radiation, and 95% of the patients completed at least three cycles of concurrent chemotherapy. No patients experienced grade 3 to 5 acute thoracic toxicities. Overall median survival was 12.7 months, and PFS was 7.5 months. Conclusion Our retrospective analysis of 39 poor risk and/or elderly patients with locoregional NSCLC treated with concurrent CRT via a split-course regimen suggests favorable oncologic outcomes and superb treatment completion rates and toleration.

Clinical Outcomes of Dose-Escalated Hypofractionated External Beam Radiation Therapy (5 Gy × 5 Fractions) for Spine Metastasis.

Purpose: The objective of this study was to determine the toxicities and outcomes of patients with spinal metastasis treated with external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) to 25 Gy in 5 fractions. Methods and Materials: Data were extracted from an institutional tumor registry for patients with spinal metastasis who were treated with EBRT to 25 Gy in 5 fractions to their spinal lesion(s). Cox regression and Kaplan-Meier analyses to determine local control and overall survival (OS) were employed. Results: Seventy-five patients with 86 total treated spinal metastatic tumors were identified. The median follow-up was 7 months. The median age was 66 years. Fifty-six patients (75.7%) experienced partial or complete pain relief for a median duration of 6 months (range, 1-33). Fifty-one (59.3%) cases were planned using intensity modulated radiation therapy while 19 (22.1%) employed 3-dimensional conformal radiation therapy and 16 (18.6%) cases used nonconformal radiation technique. Greater than 90% of cases had a point dose maximum to the spinal cord/cauda equina <27.5 Gy. No patient experienced treatment-related myelopathy. The most common toxicities were fatigue (23.3%), pain flare (14.0%), and nausea (8.1%). There were no grade 3 toxicities. One-year local control was 80.6%, and 1-year OS was 38.4%. Higher Karnofsky performance status (P = .001) and radiosensitive tumor histology (P = .014) were significant predictors for better OS. Conclusions: Our single-institutional retrospective analysis of patients with spinal metastasis suggested that palliative EBRT to 25 Gy in 5 fractions is safe, with a low toxicity profile and minimal risk for myelopathy with an achievable dose maximum to the spinal cord and cauda equina ≤27 Gy (equivalent total dose in 2-Gy fractions ≤50 Gy), and it may provide durable palliation and local control in cases where stereotactic body radiation therapy may not be indicated.

Locoregionally advanced oral cavity cancer: A propensity-score matched analysis on overall survival with emphasis on the impact of adjuvant radiotherapy.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of adjuvant radiotherapy (RT) in locoregionally advanced oral cavity cancer. METHODS: Data were extracted from the National Cancer Data Base, of which overall survival (OS) is the only outcome variable available. The chi-square test and Cox regression models were used. RESULTS: A total of 6654 patients were identified. The utilization of adjuvant RT has increased over time. A propensity matched cohort included 3946 patients, exactly one-half of whom received adjuvant RT. Independent predictors associated with receipt of adjuvant RT included age, Charlson/Deyo comorbidity score, extracapsular extension, surgical margins, and T and N classifications. On multivariable analysis, adjuvant RT remained an independent prognosticator for OS. CONCLUSION: Receipt of adjuvant RT is a prognostic factor associated with improved OS, its utilization has increased over time, and it should be considered for clinically suitable patients who have undergone resection for the disease.

Progress in the Treatment and Outcomes for Early-Stage Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to assess temporal trends in population-based treatment and survival rates in patients with early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). METHODS: Data were extracted from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. Chi-square test, Kaplan-Meier method, and Cox regression models were employed in SPSS 23.0. RESULTS: Fifty-seven thousand and eighty-eight NSCLC patients with early-stage disease from 1988 to 2014 were identified. 6409 (11.2%) were diagnosed in 1988-1994, 5800 (10.2%) 1995-1999, 13,031 (22.8%) 2000-2004, 15,786 (27.7%) 2005-2009, and 16,062 (28.1%) 2010-2014. We observed a significant increase in the proportion of older patients, adenocarcinoma histology, and rate of wedge resection over the study period. The five-year overall survival (OS) for the entire cohort was 63.3%. Those undergoing resection without adjuvant therapy had the highest outcomes. Lobectomy was associated with better outcomes compared to wedge resection or pneumonectomy. A significant difference in five-year OS by year of diagnosis (1988-1994: 58.8% vs. 1995-1999: 60.6% vs. 2000-2004: 63.2% vs. 2005-2009: 66.1%; p < 0.001) was observed. This significant OS difference was also observed regardless of age, surgery type, and T stage, but also only in those with adenocarcinoma. On multivariable analysis, year of diagnosis, age, gender, race, treatment and surgery type, histology, T stage, and tumor grade remained independent prognostic factors for OS. CONCLUSIONS: Overall survival for early-stage NSCLC has significantly improved over the recent decades despite an increasing proportion of older patients and those undergoing sublobar resection or SBRT. This finding may be limited to those with adenocarcinoma.

Gliosarcoma in septuagenarians and octogenarians: What is the impact of adjuvant chemoradiation?

The objective of our study is to determine the impact of adjuvant chemoradiation on overall survival (OS) for gliosarcoma in septuagenarians and octogenarians. Data were extracted from the National Cancer Data Base (NCDB). Chi-square test, Kaplan-Meier method, and Cox regression models were employed in SPSS 23.0 (Armonk, NY: IBM Corp.) for data analyses. 210 patients with gliosarcoma who underwent resection were identified. 168 (80.0%) patients received adjuvant chemoradiation, and 42 (20.0%) received adjuvant RT alone. Patients were more likely to receive adjuvant chemoradiation if they were male vs. female (85.3% vs. 71.6%, p=0.016). There was no significant difference in receipt of adjuvant therapy by year of diagnosis, age at diagnosis, race, Charlson/Deyo Score, treatment facility type, tumor size, or extent of surgery. Those who received adjuvant chemoradiation had significantly better one-year OS than those who received adjuvant radiation alone (35.3% vs. 16.2%, p<0.001). On subset analysis, this significant one-year OS benefit was observed in septuagenarians, those with Charlson/Deyo Score of 0, and in those with tumor size ≤5cm. On multivariate analysis, receipt of adjuvant chemoradiation and greater extent of resection were independent prognostic factors for improved OS. Our data suggests that adjuvant chemoradiation is an independent prognostic factor for improved OS in elderly patients with gliosarcoma, and the results of our study can serve as estimated benchmarks for outcome in this growing and important patient population. Its benefit, however, may be limited to septuagenarians and those with lower comorbidity burden.

External Validation of the New International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer Tumor, Node, and Metastasis 8th Edition Staging System and Updated T Descriptors in Determining Prognosis for Patients With Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Patients With N3 Disease.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to externally validate the 8th Edition of the Tumor, Node, and Metastasis staging system and its updated T descriptors in patients with non-small cell lung cancer with N3 disease. METHODS: Data were extracted from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database. Chi-square test, Kaplan-Meier method, and Cox regression models were used in SPSS 23.0 (IBM Corp, Armonk, NY). RESULTS: A total of 7732 patients with non-small cell lung cancer with T1-4N3M0 disease from 1988 to 2013 were identified. A total of 1410 patients (18.2%) had T1N3 disease, 2491 patients (32.2%) had T2N3 disease, 1563 patients (20.2%) had T3N3 disease, and 2268 patients (29.3%) had T4N3 disease. The 5-year overall survival (OS) for the entire cohort was 8.4%. There was a significant difference in OS concerning T stage (T1N3: 10.8% vs. T2N3: 8.3% vs. T3N3: 8.1% vs. T4N3: 7.3%; P < .001). When stratified by the median age of patients (66 years), a significant difference in OS by stage of disease (IIIB vs. IIIC) was still observed in both the younger (P < .001) and older (P < .001) patient populations. A significant difference in disease-specific survival (DSS) was observed by T stage (T1N3: 14.7% vs. T2N3: 11.6% vs. T3N3: 11.3% vs. T4N3: 9.7%; P < .001). On multivariate analysis, T stage, year of diagnosis, age, gender, histology, and receipt of radiotherapy remained independent prognostic factors for both OS and DSS. CONCLUSIONS: The 8th Edition of the Tumor, Node, and Metastasis staging system significantly stratifies both overall and DSS between stages IIIB and IIIC among those with N3 disease. However, small absolute differences in 5-year outcomes between T stage may suggest limited clinical relevance.

Association of Insurance and Community-Level Socioeconomic Status With Treatment and Outcome of Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Pharynx.

Importance: Community-level socioeconomic status, particularly insurance status, is increasingly becoming important as a possible determinant in patient outcomes. Objective: To determine the association of insurance and community-level socioeconomic status with outcome for patients with pharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Design, Setting, and Participants: This study extracted data from more than 1500 Commission on Cancer-accredited facilities collected in the National Cancer Database. A total of 35 559 patients diagnosed with SCC of the pharynx from 2004 through 2013 were identified. The χ2 test, Kaplan-Meier method, and Cox regression models were used to analyze data from April 1, 2016, through April 16, 2017. Main Outcomes and Measures: Overall survival was defined as time to death from the date of diagnosis. Results: Among the 35 559 patients identified (75.6% men and 24.4% women; median age, 61 years [range, 18-90 years]), 15 146 (42.6%) had Medicare coverage; 13 061 (36.7%), private insurance; 4881 (13.7%), Medicaid coverage; and 2471 (6.9%), no insurance. Uninsured patients and Medicaid recipients were more likely to be younger, black, or Hispanic; to have lower median household income and lower educational attainment; to present with higher TNM stages of disease; and to start primary treatment at a later time from diagnosis. Those with private insurance (reference group) had significantly better overall survival than uninsured patients (hazard ratio [HR], 1.72; 95% CI, 1.59-1.87), Medicaid recipients (HR, 1.99; 95% CI, 1.88-2.12), or Medicare recipients (HR, 2.07; 95% CI, 1.99-2.16), as did those with median household income of at least $63 000 (reference) vs $48 000 to $62 999 (HR, 1.19; 95% CI, 1.13-1.26), $38 000 to $47 999 (HR, 1.31; 95% CI, 1.24-1.38), and less than $38 000 (HR, 1.51; 95% CI, 1.43-1.59). On multivariable analysis, insurance status and median household income remained independent prognostic factors for overall survival even after accounting for educational attainment, race, Charlson/Deyo comorbidity score, disease site, and TNM stage of disease. Conclusions and Relevance: Insurance status and household income level are associated with outcome in patients with SCC of the pharynx. Those without insurance and with lower household income may significantly benefit from improving access to adequate, timely medical care. Additional investigations are necessary to develop targeted interventions to optimize access to standard medical treatments, adherence to physician management recommendations, and subsequently, prognosis in these patients at risk.

Racial disparities in anaplastic oligodendroglioma: An analysis on 1643 patients.

The objective of our study is to determine the influence of race on overall survival (OS) for anaplastic oligodendroglioma (AO). Data were extracted from the National Cancer Data Base (NCDB). Chi-square test, Kaplan-Meier method, and Cox regression models were employed in SPSS 22.0 (Armonk, NY: IBM Corp.) for data analyses. 1643 patients with AO were identified. 1386 (84.3%) were White, 83 (5.0%) Black, 133 (8.1%) Hispanic, and 41 (2.5%) were Asian. White and Black patients were significantly older than Hispanic and Asian patients (49.3% vs. 49.4% vs. 33.1% vs. 39.0%, p=0.003). Black patients were significantly less likely to be insured than White patients (12.8 vs. 7.2%, p<0.001) and significantly more likely to have lower income than other races (p<0.001). A trend towards higher comorbidity burden and lower rate of gross total resection was seen in Black patients. Black patients had significantly worse five-year OS compared to White, Hispanic, and Asian patients (40.3% vs. 52.3% vs. 67.8% vs. 67.7%, p=0.028). Of those who received adjuvant chemoRT, Black patients still had significantly worse OS compared to White patients (p=0.021). On multivariate analysis, Black race, older age at diagnosis, and not receiving adjuvant chemoradiotherapy were independent prognostic factors for worse OS in anaplastic oligodendroglioma. Future studies are warranted to help determine predictors for unfavorable molecular status, ways to optimize management of comorbidities, and interventions to help ensure adequate access to medical care for all patients to better care for those who may be at more risk for poorer outcome.

Influence of insurance status and income in anaplastic astrocytoma: an analysis of 4325 patients.

To determine the impact of insurance status and income for anaplastic astrocytoma (AA). Data were extracted from the National Cancer Data Base. Chi square test, Kaplan-Meier method, and Cox regression models were employed in SPSS 22.0 (Armonk, NY: IBM Corp.) for data analyses. 4325 patients with AA diagnosed from 2004 to 2013 were identified. 2781 (64.3%) had private insurance, 925 (21.4%) Medicare, 396 (9.2%) Medicaid, and 223 (5.2%) were uninsured. Those uninsured were more likely to be Black or Hispanic versus White or Asian (p < 0.001), have lower median income (p < 0.001), less educated (p < 0.001), and not receive adjuvant chemoradiation (p < 0.001). 1651 (38.2%) had income ≥$63,000, 1204 (27.8%) $48,000-$62,999, 889 (20.5%) $38,000-$47,999, and 581 (13.4%) had income <$38,000. Those with lower income were more likely to be Black or Hispanic versus White or Asian (p < 0.001), uninsured (p < 0.001), reside in a rural area (p < 0.001), less educated (p < 0.001), and not receive adjuvant chemoradiation (p < 0.001). Those with private insurance had significantly higher overall survival (OS) than those uninsured, on Medicaid, or on Medicare (p < 0.001). Those with income ≥$63,000 had significantly higher OS than those with lower income (p < 0.001). On multivariate analysis, age, insurance status, income, and adjuvant therapy were independent prognostic factors for OS. Being uninsured and having income <$38,000 were independent prognostic factors for worse OS in AA. Further investigations are warranted to help determine ways to ensure adequate medical care for those who may be socially disadvantaged so that outcome can be maximized for all patients regardless of socioeconomic status.

Anaplastic astrocytoma: prognostic factors and survival in 4807 patients with emphasis on receipt and impact of adjuvant therapy.

To determine the receipt and impact of adjuvant therapy on overall survival (OS) for anaplastic astrocytoma (AA). Data were extracted from the National Cancer Data Base (NCDB). Chi square test, Kaplan-Meier method, and Cox regression models were employed in SPSS 22.0 (Armonk, NY: IBM Corp.) for data analyses. 4807 patients with AA diagnosed from 2004 to 2013 who underwent surgery were identified. 3243 (67.5 %) received adjuvant chemoRT, 525 (10.9 %) adjuvant radiotherapy (RT) alone, 176 (3.7 %) adjuvant chemotherapy alone and 863 (18.0 %) received no adjuvant therapy. Patients were more likely to receive adjuvant chemoRT if they were diagnosed in 2009-2013 (p = 0.022), were ≤ 50 years (p < 0.001), were male (p = 0.043), were Asian or White race (p < 0.001), had private insurance (p < 0.001), had income ≥$38,000 (p < 0.001), or underwent total resection (p < 0.003). Those who received adjuvant chemoRT had significantly better 5-year OS than the other adjuvant treatment types (41.8 % vs. 31.2 % vs. 29.8 % vs. 27.4 %, p < 0.001). This significant 5-year OS benefit was also observed regardless of age at diagnosis. Of those undergoing adjuvant chemoRT, those receiving ≥59.4 Gy had significantly better 5-year OS than those receiving <59.4 Gy (44.4 % vs. 25.9 %, p < 0.001). There was no significant difference in OS when comparing 59.4 Gy to higher RT doses. On multivariate analysis, receipt of adjuvant chemoRT, age at diagnosis, extent of disease, and insurance status were independent prognostic factors for OS. Adjuvant chemoRT is an independent prognostic factor for improved OS in AA and concomitant chemoRT should be considered for all clinically suitable patients who have undergone surgery for the disease.

Utilization and impact of adjuvant therapy in anaplastic oligodendroglioma: an analysis on 1692 patients.

The aim of this study was to determine the utilization rates and impact of adjuvant therapy on overall survival (OS) for anaplastic oligodendroglioma (AO). Data were extracted from the National Cancer Data Base (NCDB). Chi square test, Kaplan-Meier method, and Cox regression models were employed in SPSS 22.0 (Armonk, NY: IBM Corp.) for data analyses. 1692 patients with AO who underwent surgery were identified. 945 (55.9 %) received adjuvant radiotherapy with concomitant chemotherapy (chemoRT), 102 (6.0 %) adjuvant radiotherapy (RT) sequentially followed by chemotherapy, 244 (14.4 %) adjuvant RT alone, and 401 (23.7 %) received no adjuvant therapy. Patients were more likely to receive adjuvant chemoRT if they were diagnosed in 2009-2013 vs. 2004-2008 (p < 0.001), had Karnofsky Performance Status >70 vs. <70 (p = 0.018), had private insurance vs. Medicaid vs. no insurance (p < 0.001), or had median income ≥$63,000 vs. <$63,000 (p = 0.014). Those who received adjuvant chemoRT (concomitant or sequential) had significantly better 5-year OS than those who received adjuvant RT alone or no adjuvant therapy (59.8 % vs. 65.0 % vs. 44.9 % vs. 45.6 %, p < 0.001). This significant 5-year OS benefit was also observed regardless of age. There was no difference in OS when comparing concomitant chemoRT to sequential RT and chemotherapy (p = 0.481). On multivariate analysis, receipt of adjuvant chemoRT (concomitant or sequential) remained an independent prognostic factor for improved OS. Adjuvant chemoRT (concomitant or sequential) is an independent prognostic factor for improved OS in anaplastic oligodendroglioma and should be considered for all clinically suitable patients who have undergone surgery for the disease.

Optimizing efficiency and safety in a radiation oncology department through the use of ARIA 11 Visual Care Path.

PURPOSE: Visual Care Path (VCP) is a workflow tool within the ARIA 11 Record and Verify System. The purpose of this study was to quantify the impact of VCP implementation on the metrics of efficiency, safety, and staff satisfaction. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Our multidisciplinary quality improvement team reviewed the entire process of patient care and constructed VCP modules to chart serial and parallel events from consultation to treatment completion. A failure mode and effects analysis was performed to identify high-risk tasks within existing patient care workflow. Data on timeliness of task completion were collected for 612 patients (6560 tasks) in 3 time phases: pre-VCP, transition, and post-VCP. Errors detected during a physics plan check were also monitored. A survey about the VCP was distributed to all staff to evaluate the impact of the VCP on the department. Descriptive statistics were calculated for the metrics of efficiency, safety, and staff satisfaction. RESULTS: Notable improvements in efficiency and safety were observed. Radiation oncologists' compliance with timely completion of the Simulation Preparation VCP tasks increased from 45.9% ± 14.3% during the pre-VCP phase to 85.8% ± 10.9% during the post-VCP phase. Compliance with Treatment Planning VCP tasks also increased from 52.6% ± 9.9% during the pre-VCP phase to 76.0% ± 9.7% during the post-VCP phase. The monthly defect rate (ratio of plans with errors to the total number of plans checked by a physicist) decreased from 19.1% ± 1.3% during the pre-VCP phase to 5.2% ± 4.1% during the post-VCP phase. Ninety-four percent of staff members responded to the VCP survey; more than 80% of respondents found the VCP to have a favorable impact. CONCLUSIONS: Implementation of the VCP in our department improved workflow efficiency, reduced the number of errors, and was very well received within the department.

Racial disparities in laryngeal cancer treatment and outcome: A population-based analysis of 24,069 patients.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the impact of race on laryngeal preservation strategies and overall survival (OS) for laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective, national cancer database analysis. METHODS: Data were extracted from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database. Chi-square test, Kaplan-Meier method, and Cox regression models were employed in SPSS 20.0 (Armonk, NY: IBM Corp.) for data analyses. RESULTS: A total of 24,069 patients with laryngeal SCC were identified. Of these, 18,166 (75.5%) patients were white, 3,475 (14.4%) were black, 1,608 (6.7%) were Hispanic, and 820 (3.4%) were Asian. Compared with other races, black patients were more likely to be diagnosed at a younger age (P < 0.001), undergo lymph node dissection (P < 0.001), have nodal metastasis (P < 0.001), be with advanced stage disease (P < 0.001), and be unmarried (P < 0.001). Black patients with T1 to T2 and T3 disease were more likely to undergo total laryngectomy as compared with white patients (T1-2: 8.2% vs. 4.3%; P < 0.001; T3: 28.4% vs. 24.3%; P = 0.023). For patients with T4 disease, however, rates of primary radiotherapy among black patients were higher (40.5% vs. 35.7%; P = 0.015). The 5-year OS for white, black, Hispanic, and Asian patients were 60.6%, 52.7%, 59.5% and 65.7% (P < 0.001). This significant 5-year OS difference by race persisted regardless of age, gender, year of diagnosis, primary treatment, nodal status, or tumor grade. On multivariate analysis, race remained an independent prognostic factor for OS. CONCLUSIONS: Race is an independent prognostic factor for OS. Further studies are warranted to evaluate causes for racial disparities and discrepancies in OS and laryngeal preservation strategies.

Survival differences of Asian and Caucasian epithelial ovarian cancer patients in the United States.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the racial differences in treatment and survival of Asian-Americans and White patients with epithelial ovarian cancer. METHODS: Data were obtained from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program between 1988 and 2009 and analyzed using Chi-squared tests, Kaplan-Meier methods, and Cox regression analysis. RESULTS: Of the 52,260 women, 3932 (7.5%) were coded as Asian, and 48,328 (92.5%) were White. The median age of Asians at diagnosis was 56 vs. 64 years for the Whites (p<0.001). Asians were more likely to undergo primary surgery, have an earlier stage of disease, have a diagnosis of a non-serous histology, and have lower grade tumors. The 5-year disease-specific survival (DSS) of Asians was higher compared to Whites (59.1% vs. 47.3%, p<0.001). On a subset analysis, Vietnamese, Filipino, Chinese, Korean, Japanese, and Asian Indian/Pakistani ethnicities had 5-year DSS of 62.1%, 61.5%, 61.0%, 59.0%, 54.6%, and 48.2%, respectively (p=0.015). On multivariate analysis, age at diagnosis, year of diagnosis, race, surgery, stage, and tumor grade were all independent prognostic factors for survival. Asians were further stratified to U.S. born versus those who were born in Asia and immigrated. Asian immigrants presented at a younger age compared to U.S. born Asians. Immigrants were found to have an improved 5-year DSS when compared to U.S. born Asians and Whites of 55%, 52%, and 48%, respectively (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: Asians were more likely to be younger, undergo primary surgery, have an earlier stage of disease, non-serous histology, lower grade tumors, and higher survival.

The impact of race in male breast cancer treatment and outcome in the United States: a population-based analysis of 4,279 patients.

The purpose of this study is to compare the racial differences in treatment and overall survival (OS) of male breast cancer (MBC) patients. Data were extracted from the NCI SEER database that included population-based registries from 1988 to 2010 and analyzed using SPSS 20.0. 4,279 MBC patients were identified. 3,266 (76.3%) patients were White, 552 (12.9%) Black, 246 (5.7%) Hispanic, and 215 (5.0%) Asian. Black patients were more likely to be diagnosed at younger age (P < 0.001), have advanced stage disease (P = 0.001), and be unmarried (P < 0.001) and less likely to undergo lymph node dissection (P = 0.006). When stratified by stage, there was no difference in receipt of primary treatment by race. The 5-year OS for White, Black, Hispanic, and Asian races was 73.8%, 66.3%, 74.0%, and 85.3% (P < 0.001). This significant worse 5-year OS for Blacks persisted regardless of age, stage II or III disease, and grade 2 or 3 disease. On multivariate analysis, Black race was a significant independent prognostic factor for worse OS. Blacks were less likely to receive lymph node dissection of which patients may derive benefit, though we did not observe receipt of primary treatment, after stratifying for disease stage, to be an underlying factor contributing to racial outcome differences.