Impact of locus of care on outcomes in adolescents and young adults with osteosarcoma and Ewing sarcoma treated at pediatric versus adult cancer centers: An IMPACT cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Location of cancer care (LOC; pediatric vs. adult center) impacts outcomes in adolescents and young adults (AYA) with some cancer types. Data on the impact of LOC on survival in AYA with osteosarcoma (OSS) and Ewing sarcoma (EWS) are limited OBJECTIVES: To compare differences in demographics, disease/treatment characteristics, and survival in a population-based cohort of AYA with OSS or EWS treated at pediatric versus adult centers METHODS: The Initiative to Maximize Progress in Adolescent Cancer Therapy (IMPACT) cohort captured demographic, disease, and treatment data for all AYA (15-21 years old) diagnosed with OSS and EWS in Ontario, Canada between 1992 and 2012. Patients were linked to provincial administrative health care databases. Outcomes were compared between patients treated in pediatric versus adult centers. RESULTS: One hundred thirty-seven AYA were diagnosed with OSS (LOC: 47 pediatric, 90 adult) and 84 with EWS (38 pediatric, 46 adult). AYA treated at pediatric centers were more likely to be enrolled in a clinical trial (OSS 55% vs. 1%, p < .001; EWS 53% vs. 2%, p < .001) and received higher cumulative chemotherapy doses. Five-year event-free survival (EFS ± standard error) in OSS and EWS were 47% ± 4% and 43% ± 5%, respectively. In multivariable analysis, the impact of LOC (pediatric vs. adult center) on EFS in OSS (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] 1.15, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.58-2.27, p = .69) and EWS (adjusted HR 1.82, 95% CI: 0.97-3.43, p = .06) was not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: Despite disparities in trial participation and chemotherapy doses, outcomes did not differ by LOC suggesting that AYA with bone tumors can be treated at either pediatric or adult centers.

The effect of adopting pediatric protocols in adolescents and young adults with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in pediatric vs adult centers: An IMPACT Cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Retrospective studies have shown adolescents and young adults (AYA) with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) have superior survival when treated in pediatric versus adult centers (locus of care; LOC). Several adult centers recently adopted pediatric protocols. Whether this has narrowed LOC disparities in real-world settings is unknown. METHODS: The IMPACT Cohort is an Ontario population-based cohort that captured demographic, disease and treatment (treatment protocol, chemotherapy doses) data for all 15-21 year olds diagnosed with ALL 1992-2011. Cancer outcomes were determined by chart abstraction and linkage to provincial healthcare databases. Treatment protocols were classified as pediatric- or adult-based. We examined predictors of outcome, including LOC, protocol, disease biology, and time period. RESULTS: Of 271 patients, 152 (56%) received therapy at adult centers. 5-year event-free survival (EFS ± SE) among AYA at pediatric vs adult centers was 72% ± 4% vs 56% ± 4% (P = 0.03); 5-year overall survival (OS) was 82% ± 4% vs 64% ± 4% (P < 0.001). After adjustment, OS remained inferior at adult centers (hazard ratio 2.5; 95% confidence interval 1.1-6.1; P = 0.04). In the most recent period (2006-2011), 39/59 (66%) AYA treated at adult centers received pediatric protocols. These AYA had outcomes superior to the 20 AYA treated on adult protocols, but inferior to the 44 AYA treated at pediatric centers (EFS 72% ± 5% vs 60% ± 9% vs 81% ± 6%; P = 0.02; OS 77% ± 7% vs 65% ± 11% vs 91% ± 4%; P = 0.004). Induction deaths and treatment-related mortality did not vary by LOC. CONCLUSIONS: Survival disparities between AYA with ALL treated in pediatric vs adult centers have persisted over time, partially attributable to incomplete adoption of pediatric protocols by adult centers. Although pediatric protocol use has improved survival, residual disparities remain, perhaps due to other differences in care between adult and pediatric centers.