An Annual Symposium on Disparities in Milwaukee, WI, with a 2023 Focus on Older Adults with Cancer.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Cancer-related inequities are prevalent in Wisconsin, with lower survival rates for breast, colorectal, and lung cancer patients from marginalized communities. This manuscript describes the ongoing efforts at the Medical College of Wisconsin and potential pathways of community engagement to promote education and awareness in reducing inequities in cancer care. RECENT FINDINGS: While some cancer inequities are related to aggressive disease biology, health-related social risks may be addressed through community-academic partnerships via an open dialogue between the community members and academic faculty. To develop potential pathways of community-academic partnerships, an annual Cancer Disparities Symposium concept evolved as a pragmatic and sustainable model in an interactive learning environment. In this manuscript, we describe the programmatic development and execution of the annual Cancer Disparities Symposium, followed by highlights from this year's meeting focused on geriatric oncology as discussed by the speakers.

Physician-level variation in axillary surgery in older adults with T1N0 hormone receptor-positive breast cancer: A retrospective population-based cohort study.

INTRODUCTION: We sought to determine how considerations specific to older adults impact between- and within-surgeon variation in axillary surgery use in women ≥70 years with T1N0 HR+ breast cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Females ≥70 years with T1N0 HR+/HER2-negative breast cancer diagnosed from 2013 to 2015 in SEER-Medicare were identified and linked to the American Medical Association Masterfile. The outcome of interest was axillary surgery. Key patient-level variables included the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) score, frailty (based on a claims-based frailty index score), and age (≥75 vs <75). Multilevel mixed models with surgeon clusters were used to estimate the intracluster correlation coefficient (ICC) (between-surgeon variance), with 1-ICC representing within-surgeon variance. RESULTS: Of the 4410 participants included, 6.1% had a CCI score of ≥3, 20.7% were frail, and 58.3% were ≥ 75 years; 86.1% underwent axillary surgery. No surgeon omitted axillary surgery in all patients, but 42.3% of surgeons performed axillary surgery in all patients. In the null model, 10.5% of the variance in the axillary evaluation was attributable to between-surgeon differences. After adjusting for CCI score, frailty, and age in mixed models, between-surgeon variance increased to 13.0%. DISCUSSION: In this population, axillary surgery varies more within surgeons than between surgeons, suggesting that surgeons are not taking an "all-or-nothing" approach. Comorbidities, frailty, and age accounted for a small proportion of the variation, suggesting nuanced decision-making may include additional, unmeasured factors such as differences in surgeon-patient communication.

Exploring perspectives and insights of experienced voyagers on human health and Polynesian oceanic voyaging: A qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: The Worldwide Voyage (WWV) was a 3-year (2014-2017) open-ocean voyage to circumnavigate the world using Indigenous knowledge and navigational skills aboard Hokule'a, a traditionally designed Native Hawaiian (NH) voyaging canoe (wa'a kaulua). Each WWV segment included experienced crew and leadership who were recognized by their voyaging peers as highly experienced in Polynesian oceanic voyaging. This study explored the perceptions and insights of WWV-experienced ocean voyagers on the interconnection between human health and oceanic voyaging. METHODOLOGY: A constructivist approach with a storytelling-based moderator guide was used to conduct focus groups and informant interviews of experienced crew and voyaging leadership. Participants were interviewed and recorded transcripts were analyzed using content analysis. Triangulation of analysis included secondary thematic review by two independent NH cultural practitioners and participant member checking. Purposive sampling was used to enroll 34 of 66 eligible highly experienced voyagers (leadership n = 6; crew n = 28) in 5 focus groups and 4 informant interviews. RESULTS: Six themes emerged: 1) Indigenous context (spiritual and natural environment); 2) Importance of relationships and community; 3) Description of life on the canoe; 4) Holistic health; 5) Mindfulness, stress reduction and emotional health; and 6) Opportunities for intervention. Themes 1-5 were inductive and intricately interrelated, and theme 6 was deductive in that it directly resulted from a moderator guide question. Theme 6 offers strategies to improve the impact of voyaging and health well beyond the physical voyage with recommendations for improved transition back to land and developing a wa'a community context, which reflects a traditional voyaging experience. CONCLUSIONS: Polynesian oceanic voyaging is strongly perceived as a positive and transformative holistic-health-promoting experience. SIGNIFICANCE: Recommendations to promote generalizable health benefits of a voyaging lifestyle offers a promising and culturally grounded approach warranting future studies to understand mechanism and potential impact for improving health inequities.

Avoiding Locoregional Overtreatment in Older Adults With Early-Stage Breast Cancer.

Advances in the treatment of older women with early-stage breast cancer, particularly opportunities for de-escalation of therapy, have afforded patients and providers opportunity to individualize care. As the majority of women ≥65 have estrogen receptor-positive, HER2-negative disease, locoregional therapy (surgery and/or radiation) may be tailored based on a patient's physiologic age to avoid either over- or undertreatment. To determine who would derive benefit from more or less intensive therapy, an accurate assessment of an older patient's physiologic age and incorporation of patient-specific values are paramount. While there now exist well-validated geriatric assessment tools whose use is encouraged by the American Society of Clinical Oncology when considering systemic therapy, these instruments have not been widely integrated into the locoregional breast cancer care model. This review aims to highlight the importance of assessing frailty and the concepts of and over- and undertreatment, in the context of trial data supporting opportunities for safe deescalation of locoregional therapy, when treating older women with early-stage breast cancer.

Trends in Locoregional Therapy in Older Women with Early-Stage Hormone Receptor-Positive Breast Cancer by Frailty and Life Expectancy.

BACKGROUND: In women ≥ 70 years of age with T1N0 hormone receptor-positive (HR+)/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative (HER2-) breast cancer, breast surgery type and omission of axillary surgery or radiation therapy (RT) do not impact overall survival. Although frailty and life expectancy ideally factor into therapy decisions, their impact on therapy receipt is unclear. We sought to identify trends in and factors associated with locoregional therapy type by frailty and life expectancy. METHODS: Women ≥ 70 years of age with T1N0 HR+/HER2- breast cancer diagnosed in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER)-Medicare database between 2010 and 2015 were stratified by validated claims-based frailty and life expectancy measures. Therapy trends over time by regimen intensity ('high intensity': lumpectomy + axillary surgery + RT, or mastectomy + axillary surgery; 'moderate intensity': lumpectomy + RT, lumpectomy + axillary surgery, or mastectomy only; or 'low intensity': lumpectomy only) were analyzed. Factors associated with therapy type were identified using generalized linear mixed models. RESULTS: Of 16,188 women, 21.8% were frail, 22.2% had a life expectancy < 5 years, and only 12.3% fulfilled both criteria. In frail women with a life expectancy < 5 years, high-intensity regimens decreased significantly (48.8-31.2%; p < 0.001) over the study period, although in 2015, 30% still received a high-intensity regimen. In adjusted analyses, frailty and life expectancy < 5 years were not associated with breast surgery type but were associated with a lower likelihood of axillary surgery (frailty: odds ratio [OR] 0.86, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.76-0.96; life expectancy < 5 years: OR 0.22, 95% CI 0.20-0.25). Life expectancy < 5 years was also associated with a lower likelihood of RT receipt in breast-conserving surgery patients (OR 0.30, 95% CI 0.27-0.34). CONCLUSIONS: Rates of high-intensity therapy are decreasing but overtreatment persists in this population. Continued efforts aimed at appropriate de-escalation of locoregional therapy are needed.

Not Too Little, Not Too Much: Optimizing More Versus Less Locoregional Treatment for Older Patients With Breast Cancer.

Although undertreatment of older women with aggressive breast cancers has been a concern for years, there is increasing recognition that some older women are overtreated, receiving therapies unlikely to improve survival or reduce morbidity. De-escalation of surgery may include breast-conserving surgery over mastectomy for appropriate candidates and omitting or reducing extent of axillary surgery. Appropriate patients to de-escalate surgery are those with early-stage breast cancer, favorable tumor characteristics, are clinically node-negative, and who may have other major health issues. De-escalation of radiation includes reducing treatment course length through hypofractionation and ultrahypofractionation regimens, reducing treatment volumes through partial breast irradiation, omission of radiation for select patients, and reducing radiation dose to normal tissues. Shared decision making, which aims to facilitate patients making decisions concordant with their values, can guide health care providers and patients through complicated decisions optimizing breast cancer care.

Value of Ambulatory Modified Radical Mastectomy.

BACKGROUND: Modified radical mastectomy (MRM) still is largely performed in inpatient settings. This study sought to determine the value (expenditures and complications) of ambulatory MRM. METHODS: Health Care Utilization Project (HCUP) state databases from 2016 were queried for patients who underwent MRM. The study examined rates of 30-day readmission for surgical-site infection (SSI) or hematoma, charges by index care setting, and predictors of 30-day readmission. RESULTS: Overall, 8090 patients underwent MRM: 5113 (63 %) inpatient and 2977 (37 %) ambulatory patients. Compared with the patients who underwent inpatient MRM, those who underwent ambulatory MRM were older (61 vs. 59 years), more often white (66 % vs. 57 %), in the lowest income quartile (28 % vs. 21 %), insured by Medicare (43 % vs. 33 %) and residents in a small metro area (6 % vs. 4 %) (all p < 0.01). Of the 5113 patients treated as inpatients, 126 (2.5 %) were readmitted, whereas 50 (1.7 %) of the ambulatory patients were readmitted (p = 0.02). The adjusted charge for inpatient MRM without readmission was $113,878 (range, $107,355-120,402) compared with $94,463 (range, $86,021-102,907) for ambulatory MRM, and the charge for inpatient MRM requiring readmission was $159,355 (range, $147,142-171,568) compared with $139,940 (range, $125,808-154,073) for ambulatory MRM (all p < 0.01). This difference remained significant after adjustment for hospital length of stay. Adjusted logistic regression showed that the ambulatory setting was protective for readmission (odds ratio, 0.49; 95 % confidence interval, 0.35-0.70; p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The analyses suggest that ambulatory MRM is both safe and less expensive. The findings advocate that MRM, a last holdout of inpatient care within breast surgical oncology, can be transitioned to the ambulatory setting for appropriate patients.

Association of Surgery With Frailty Status in Older Women With Early-Stage Breast Cancer.

This cohort study examines associations between type of breast cancer surgery and changes in frailty status among US women aged 70 years or older with early-stage breast cancer.

Association of hospital-level factors with utilization of sentinel lymph node biopsy in patients with early-stage vulvar cancer.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate utilization of sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) for early-stage vulvar cancer at minority-serving hospitals and low-volume facilities. METHODS: Between 2012-2018, individuals with T1b vulvar squamous cell carcinoma were identified using the National Cancer Database. Patient, facility, and disease characteristics were compared between patients undergoing SLNB or inguinofemoral lymph node dissection (IFLD). Multivariable logistic regression, adjusted for patient, facility, and disease characteristics, was used to evaluate factors associated with SLNB. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis using log rank test and Cox regression was performed. RESULTS: Of the 3,532 patients, 2,406 (68.1%) underwent lymph node evaluation, with 1,704 (48.2%) undergoing IFLD and 702 (19.8%) SLNB. In a multivariable analysis, treatment at minority-serving hospitals (OR 0.39, 95% CI 0.19-0.78) and low-volume hospitals (OR 0.44, 95% CI 0.28-0.70) were associated with significantly lower odds of undergoing SLNB compared to receiving care at non-minority-serving and high-volume hospitals, respectively. While SLNB utilization increased over time for the entire cohort and stratified subgroups, use of the procedure did not increase at minority-serving hospitals. After controlling for patient and tumor characteristics, SLNB was not associated with worse OS compared to IFLD in patients with positive (HR 1.02, 95% CI 0.63-1.66) or negative (HR 0.92, 95% CI 0.70-1.21) nodal pathology. CONCLUSIONS: For patients with early-stage vulvar cancer, treatment at minority-serving or low-volume hospitals was associated with significantly decreased odds of undergoing SLNB. Future efforts should be concentrated toward ensuring that all patients have access to advanced surgical techniques regardless of where they receive their care.

Screening MRI Does Not Increase Cancer Detection or Result in an Earlier Stage at Diagnosis for Patients with High-Risk Breast Lesions: A Propensity Score Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Guidelines recommend consideration of screening MRI for patients with high-risk breast lesions (HRLs), acknowledging limited data for this moderate-risk population. METHODS: This study identified patients with atypical ductal/lobular hyperplasia (ADH/ALH), lobular carcinoma in situ, (LCIS) or both evaluated at our high-risk clinic. Patients were categorized as having received screening mammography (MMG) alone vs. MMG and breast MRI (MMG+MRI). Inverse probability weighting based on propensity scores (PS) representing likelihood of MRI use was applied to Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression analyses to determine cancer detection and biopsy rates by screening group. RESULTS: Among 908 eligible patients, 699 (77%) patients with available follow-up data were analyzed (542 with ADH/ALH and 157 with LCIS). Of the 699 patients, 540 (77%) received MMG alone, and 159 (23%) received MMG + MRI. The median follow-up period was 25 months, during which a median of two MRIs were performed. After PS-weighting, the characteristics of each screening group were well-balanced with respect to age, race, body mass index (BMI), menopausal status, breast density, family history, HRL type, and chemoprevention use. The 4 year breast cancer detection rate was 3.6% with both MMG alone and MMG+MRI (p = 0.89). The breast biopsy rates were significantly higher with MMG+MRI (30.5% vs12.6%; hazard ratio [HR], 2.67; p < 0.001). All breast cancers were clinically node-negative and pathologic stage 0 or 1. Among five cancers in the MMG+MRI group, two were MRI-detected, two were MMG-detected, and one was detected on clinical exam. CONCLUSIONS: Screening MRI did not improve cancer detection, and cancer characteristics were favorable whether screened with MMG alone or MMG + MRI. These findings question the benefit of MRI for patients with HRL, although longer-term follow-up study is needed.

Guideline-Discordant Care in Early-Stage Vulvar Cancer.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the use of National Comprehensive Cancer Network guideline-concordant inguinofemoral lymph node (LN) evaluation in individuals with early-stage vulvar cancer. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study identified patients with T1b and T2 vulvar squamous cell carcinoma diagnosed between 2012 and 2018 using the National Cancer Database. Factors associated with LN evaluation were examined using logistic regression analyses, adjusting for patient, disease, and facility-level characteristics. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis using log rank test and Cox regression was performed for the entire cohort and a subgroup of older patients , defined as individuals aged 80 years or older. RESULTS: Of the 5,685 patients with vulvar cancer, 3,756 (66.1%) underwent guideline-concordant LN evaluation. In our adjusted model, age 80 years or older (odds ratio [OR], 0.30; 95% CI 0.22-0.42) and Black race (OR 0.72; 95% CI 0.54-0.95) were associated with lower odds of LN evaluation. High-volume hospitals were associated with increased odds of LN evaluation compared with low-volume hospitals (OR 1.62; 95% CI 1.28-2.05). Older individuals who did not undergo LN evaluation had significantly worse overall survival than those with pathologically negative LNs (hazard ratio [HR] 0.45; 95% CI 0.37-0.55) and similar overall survival as those with pathologically positive LNs (HR 1.05; 95% CI 0.77-1.43). CONCLUSION: Guideline-concordant LN evaluation for early-stage vulvar squamous cell carcinoma is low. Lower utilization is associated with older age, Black race, and care at a low-volume hospital.

Patient perspectives of pandemic-related disruptions in gastrointestinal care: developing communication strategies.

Objective: Normal elective outpatient care has been impacted during the COVID-19 pandemic, due to limitations imposed by healthcare systems. Clear communication is necessary to address patient concerns as resumption of elective care gains pace. Methods: Thirty patients who had diagnostic gastrointestinal (GI) testing within our motility lab during the initial viral surge in our state spring 2020 underwent semi-structured interviews. Codes were derived from transcripts using the constant comparative method. Results: Framework analysis revealed several patient themes, including (1) patient specific factors such as age and comorbidity; (2) pandemic-related evolution including case surges; and (3) healthcare related function - or dysfunction - that directly influenced patient perceptions of disrupted gastrointestinal care. These themes provide areas in which to focus communication using the shared decision making model to achieve resumption of delayed care. Conclusions: When communicating with patients, it is difficult to predict patient preferences and as much flexibility as possible should be offered. Concrete steps of (1) identification of patient barriers; (2) intervening upon then, and (3) having concrete plans to influence care will need to guide such communication. Innovation: Our patients' perspectives during the first viral surge can guide new communication strategies should healthcare delivery be compromised in the future.

Assessment of Oncologists' Perspectives on Omission of Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy in Women 70 Years and Older With Early-Stage Hormone Receptor-Positive Breast Cancer.

Importance: Randomized clinical trial data have demonstrated that omission of surgical axillary evaluation does not affect overall survival in women 70 years and older with early-stage (clinical tumor category 1 [cT1] with node-negative [N0] disease) hormone receptor (HR)-positive and erb-B2 receptor tyrosine kinase 2 (ERBB2; formerly HER2)-negative breast cancer. Therefore, the Choosing Wisely initiative has recommended against routine use of sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) in this population; however, retrospective data have revealed that more than 80% of patients eligible for SLNB omission still undergo the procedure. Multidisciplinary factors involved in these patterns remain unclear. Objective: To describe surgical, medical, and radiation oncologists' perspectives on omission of SLNB in women 70 years and older with cT1N0 HR-positive, ERBB2-negative breast cancer. Design, Setting, and Participants: This qualitative study used in-depth semi-structured interviews to explore the factors involved in oncologists' perspectives on providing care to older women who were eligible for SLNB omission. Purposive snowball sampling was used to recruit a sample of surgical, medical, and radiation oncologists representing a wide range of practice types and number of years in practice in the US and Canada. A total of 29 oncologists who finished training and were actively treating patients with breast cancer were interviewed. Interviews were conducted between March 1, 2020, and January 17, 2021. Main Outcomes and Measures: Recordings from semi-structured interviews were transcribed and deidentified. Thematic analysis was used to identify emergent themes. Results: Among 29 physicians (16 women [55.2%] and 13 men [44.8%]) who participated in interviews, 16 were surgical oncologists, 6 were medical oncologists, and 7 were radiation oncologists. Data on race and ethnicity were not collected. Participants had a range of experience (median [range] years in practice, 12.0 [0.5-30.0]) and practice types (14 academic [48.3%], 7 community [24.1%], and 8 hybrid [27.6%]). Interviews revealed that the decision to omit SLNB was based on nuanced patient- and disease-level factors. Wide variation was observed in oncologists' perspectives on SLNB omission recommendations and supporting data. In addition, participants' statements suggested that the multidisciplinary nature of cancer care may increase oncologists' anxiety regarding SLNB omission. Conclusions and Relevance: In this study, findings from interviews revealed that oncologists' perspectives may have implications for the largely unsuccessful deimplementation of SLNB in women 70 years and older with cT1N0 HR-positive, ERBB2-negative breast cancer. Interventions aimed at educating physicians, improving patient-physician communication, and facilitating preoperative multidisciplinary conversations may help to successfully decrease SLNB rates in this patient population.

Acceptability of a companion patient guide to support expert consensus guidelines on surveillance mammography in older breast cancer survivors.

PURPOSE: To support shared decision-making, patient-facing resources are needed to complement recently published guidelines on approaches for surveillance mammography in breast cancer survivors aged ≥ 75 or with < 10-year life expectancy. We created a patient guide to facilitate discussions about surveillance mammography in older breast cancer survivors. METHODS: The "Are Mammograms Still Right for Me?" guide estimates future ipsilateral and contralateral breast (in-breast) cancer risks, general health, and the potential benefits/harms of mammography, with prompts for discussion. We conducted in-clinic acceptability testing of the guide by survivors and their clinicians at a National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center, including two community practices. Patients and clinicians received the guide ahead of a clinic visit and surveyed patients (pre-/post-visit) and clinicians (post-visit). Acceptability was defined as ≥ 75% of patients and clinicians reporting that the guide (a) should be recommended to others, (b) is clear, (c) is helpful, and (d) contains a suitable amount of information. We also elicited feedback on usability and mammography intentions. RESULTS: We enrolled 45 patients and their 21 clinicians. Among those responding in post-visit surveys, 33/37 (89%) patients and 15/16 (94%) clinicians would recommend the guide to others; 33/37 (89%) patients and 15/16 (94%) clinicians felt everything/most things were clear. All other pre-specified acceptability criteria were met. Most patients reported strong intentions for mammography (100% pre-visit, 98% post-visit). CONCLUSION: Oncology clinicians and older breast cancer survivors found a guide to inform mammography decision-making acceptable and clear. A multisite clinical trial is needed to assess the guide's impact mammography utilization. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov-NCT03865654, posted March 7, 2019.

Variation in Deescalated Axillary Surgical Practices in Older Women with Early-Stage Breast Cancer.

BACKGROUND: Randomized controlled trials show that certain axillary surgical practices can be safely deescalated in older adults with early-stage breast cancer. Hospital volume is often equated with surgical quality, but it is unclear whether this includes performance of low-value surgeries. We sought to describe how utilization of two low-value axillary surgeries has varied by time and hospital volume. METHODS: Women aged ≥ 70 years diagnosed with breast cancer from 2013 to 2016 were identified in the National Cancer Database. The outcomes of interest were sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) in cT1N0 hormone receptor-positive cancer patients and axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) in cT1-2N0 patients undergoing breast-conserving surgery with ≤ 2 pathologically positive nodes. Time trends in procedure use and multivariable regression with restricted cubic splines were performed, adjusting for patient, disease, and hospital factors. RESULTS: Overall, 83.4% of 44,779 women eligible for omission of SLNB underwent SLNB and 20.0% of 7216 patients eligible for omission of ALND underwent ALND. SLNB rates did not change significantly over time and remained significantly different by age group (70-74 years: 93.5%; 75-79 years: 89.7%, 80-84 years: 76.7%, ≥ 85 years: 48.9%; p < 0.05). ALND rates decreased over the study period across all age groups included (22.5 to 16.9%, p < 0.001). In restricted cubic splines models, lower hospital volume was associated with higher likelihood of undergoing SLNB and ALND. CONCLUSIONS: ALND omission has been more widely adopted than SLNB omission in older adults, but lower hospital volume is associated with higher likelihood of both procedures. Practice-specific deimplementation strategies are needed, especially for lower-volume hospitals.

Race and Site of Care Impact Treatment Delays in Older Women with Non-Metastatic Breast Cancer.

BACKGROUND: Women ≥ 65 years of age are less likely to receive guideline-concordant breast cancer care. Given existing racial/ethnic disparities, older minority breast cancer patients may be especially prone to inequalities in care. How site of care impacts older breast cancer patients is not well defined. We sought to evaluate the association between race/ethnicity and breast cancer treatment delays in older women treated at minority-serving hospitals (MSHs) versus non-MSHs. METHODS: Women ≥ 65 years of age treated for non-metastatic breast cancer were identified in the National Cancer Database (2010-2017). Treatment delay was defined as > 90 days from diagnosis to initial treatment. MSHs were defined as the top decile of hospitals serving predominantly Black or Hispanic patients. Multivariable logistic regression models adjusted for patient, tumor, and hospital characteristics were used to determine the odds of treatment delay for women at MSHs versus non-MSHs across racial/ethnic groups. RESULTS: Overall, 557,816 women were identified among 41 MSHs and 1146 non-MSHs. Average time to treatment was 33.71 days (standard deviation 26.92 days). Older women at MSHs were more likely to experience treatment delays than those at non-MSHs (odds ratio 1.28, 95% confidence interval 1.21-1.36). Regardless of where they received care, minorities were more likely to experience treatment delays than non-Hispanic White women. CONCLUSIONS: Although 97% of older women treated at Commission on Cancer-accredited hospitals received timely breast cancer care, minorities and those treated at MSHs were more likely to experience treatment delays. Interventions addressing barriers to timely breast cancer care at MSHs may be an effective approach to reducing racial/ethnic disparities.