Statewide Survey of Primary Care and Subspecialty Providers on Hepatocellular Carcinoma Risk-Stratification and Surveillance Practices.

BACKGROUND: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) surveillance in patients with cirrhosis is associated with improved survival. Provision of HCC surveillance is low in the US, particularly in primary care settings. AIMS: To evaluate current hepatitis C virus (HCV) and HCC surveillance practices and physician attitudes regarding HCC risk-stratification among primary care and subspecialty providers. METHODS: Using the Tailored Design Method, we delivered a 34-item online survey to 7654 North Carolina-licensed internal/family medicine or gastroenterology/hepatology physicians and advanced practice providers in 2022. We included the domains of HCV treatment, cirrhosis diagnosis, HCC surveillance practices, barriers to surveillance, and interest in risk-stratification tools. We performed descriptive analyses to summarize responses. Tabulations were weighted based on sampling weights accounting for non-response and inter-specialty comparisons were made using chi-squared or t test statistics. RESULTS: After exclusions, 266 responses were included in the final sample (response rate 3.8%). Most respondents (78%) diagnosed cirrhosis using imaging and a minority used non-invasive tests that were blood-based (~ 15%) or transient elastography (31%). Compared to primary care providers, subspecialists were more likely to perform HCC surveillance every 6-months (vs annual) (98% vs 35%, p < 0.0001). Most respondents (80%) believed there were strong data to support HCC surveillance, but primary care providers did not know which liver disease patients needed surveillance. Most providers (> 70%) expressed interest in potential solutions to improve HCC risk-stratification. CONCLUSIONS: In this statewide survey, there were great knowledge gaps in HCC surveillance among PCPs and most respondents expressed interest in strategies to increase appropriate HCC surveillance.

Molecular Biomarker and Programmed Death-Ligand 1 Expression Testing in Patients With Advanced Stage Non-small Cell Lung Cancer Across North Carolina Community Hospitals.

BACKGROUND: Precision medicine in advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) requires molecular biomarker testing in patients with nonsquamous and select patients with squamous histologies, and programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) testing in both. RESEARCH QUESTION: What are rates of molecular and PD-L1 biomarker testing in patients with advanced NSCLC in community practices, and do rates vary by sociodemographic factors? What is the prevalence of molecular biomarker mutations and PD-L1 expression levels? STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: From 389 stage IV NSCLC pathology reports obtained through the University of North Carolina Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center's Rapid Case Ascertainment Program from 38 community hospitals across North Carolina, we abstracted demographics, histology, molecular biomarker testing and results, and PD-L1 testing and expression. We geocoded patient and hospital addresses to determine travel time, distance to care, and census block level contextual variables. We compared molecular biomarker and PD-L1 testing rates, the prevalence of molecular biomarkers, and PD-L1 expression levels by race and sex, using χ2 tests. We determined predictors of testing, using multivariable logistic regression and report adjusted ORs and 95%CI. RESULTS: Among patients with nonsquamous NSCLC, 64.4% were tested for molecular biomarkers, and among all NSCLC patients 53.2% were tested for PD-L1 expression. Differences in biomarker testing rates by sociodemographic factors were not statistically significant in univariate or adjusted analyses. Adjusted analyses showed that patients living in areas with higher household internet access were more likely to undergo PD-L1 testing (adjusted OR = 1.66, 95% CI, 1.02-2.71). Sociodemographic differences in molecular biomarker prevalence and PD-L1 expression levels were not statistically significant, except for human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) mutations, which occurred in 16.7% of males vs 0% in females, P = .05. INTERPRETATION: Biomarker testing remains underused in NSCLC. Future work should include larger populations and evaluate hospital-specific testing protocols to identify and address barriers to guideline-recommended testing.

Cardiovascular Risk in the Lung Cancer Screening Population: A Multicenter Study Evaluating the Association Between Coronary Artery Calcification and Preventive Statin Prescription.

OBJECTIVE: Coronary artery calcification (CAC) is a marker of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), the leading cause of death in individuals receiving lung cancer screening (LCS) with low-dose CT. Our purpose was to determine the proportion of the LCS population eligible for primary ASCVD preventive statin therapy by American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association guidelines, assess statin prescription rates among statin-eligible individuals, and determine associations of CAC on downstream statin prescribing within 90 days of LCS. METHODS: Individuals receiving LCS between January 1, 2016, and December 31, 2018, across three centers were retrospectively enrolled. Statin eligibility in individuals without pre-existing ASCVD was determined by 2013 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association guidelines: (1) low-density lipoprotein ≥190 mg/dL, (2) diabetes, or (3) ASCVD risk score ≥7.5%. CAC presence and severity (mild, moderate, heavy) were extracted from LCS reports. Variation in statin prescription rates and associations between CAC and statin prescription were determined using mixed-effects logistic regression. RESULTS: Of 5,495 individuals receiving LCS, 31.4% (1,724 of 5,495) had pre-existing ASCVD. Of the remaining 3,771 individuals, 73.6% were statin eligible (2,777 of 3,771). However, most lacked statin prescription (60.5%, 1,681 of 2,777). CAC was associated with downstream statin prescribing (adjusted odds ratio = 2.60, 95% confidence interval: 1.12-6.02), with a higher likelihood of statin prescribing with increasing CAC severity (adjusted odds ratio = 2.21, 95% confidence interval: 1.35-3.60). CONCLUSION: Although most of the LCS population is eligible for guideline-directed statin therapy, statins are underprescribed in this group. Radiologist reporting of CAC at LCS reflects a potential opportunity to raise awareness of ASCVD risk and improve preventive statin prescribing.

Communication of Positive Lung Cancer Screening Findings and Receipt of Recommended Follow-up Care.

This cohort study evaluates associations of communication methods and content of positive lung cancer screening findings with receipt of recommended follow-up care.