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.

Clinical and Financial Implications of Second-Opinion Surgical Pathology Review.

OBJECTIVES: Second-opinion pathology review identifies clinically significant diagnostic discrepancies for some patients. Discrepancy rates and laboratory-specific costs in a single health care system for patients referred from regional affiliates to a comprehensive cancer center ("main campus") have not been reported. METHODS: Main campus second-opinion pathology cases for 740 patients from eight affiliated hospitals during 2016 to 2018 were reviewed. Chart review was performed to identify changes in care due to pathology review. To assess costs of pathology interpretation, reimbursement rates for consultation Current Procedural Terminology billing codes were compared with codes that would have been used had the cases originated at the main campus. RESULTS: Diagnostic discrepancies were identified in 104 (14.1%) patients, 30 (4.1%) of which resulted in a change in care. In aggregate, reimbursement for affiliate cases was 65.6% of the reimbursement for the same cases had they originated at the main campus. High-volume organ systems with low relative consultation reimbursement included gynecologic, breast, and thoracic. CONCLUSIONS: Preventable diagnostic errors are reduced by pathology review for patients referred within a single health care system. Although the resulting changes in care potentially lead to overall cost savings, the financial value of referral pathology review could be improved.

Patient Safety Curriculum for Anatomic Pathology Trainees: Recommendations Based on Institutional Experience.

Because of the unique systems and skills involved in patient care by the pathologist, it is challenging to design and implement relevant training in patient safety for pathology trainees. We propose a patient safety curriculum for anatomic pathology (AP) residents based on our institutional experience. The Hospital of the University of the Pennsylvania employs a self-reporting safety database. The occurrences from July 2013 to June 2015 recorded in this system that involved the division of AP were reviewed and cataloged as preanalytic, analytic, and postanalytic. The distribution of these occurrences was then used to create a framework for curriculum development in AP. We identified areas in which trainees are involved in the identification and prevention of common patient safety errors that occur in our AP department. Using these data-proven target areas, and employing current Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education recommendations and patient safety literature, a strategy for delivering relevant patient safety training is proposed. Teaching patient safety to pathology trainees is a challenging, yet necessary, component of AP training programs. By analyzing the patient safety errors that occur in the AP department, relevant and actionable training can be developed. This provides quality professional development and improves overall performance as trainees are integrated into laboratory systems.

Poorly differentiated oncocytic (hürthle cell) follicular carcinoma: an institutional experience.

The proposed diagnostic criteria for poorly differentiated thyroid carcinoma (known as the Turin classification) were defined based on growth pattern (solid, trabecular, or insular) and high-grade morphologic features (nuclear pleomorphism, mitoses including abnormal forms, and coagulative tumor necrosis). The development of this classification specifically did not include tumors with oncocytic or Hürthle cell cytology, and only sparse literature describing poorly differentiated oncocytic carcinomas is available. In this study, we examined a cohort of 284 cases of oncocytic follicular carcinoma/Hürthle cell carcinoma (OFC/HCC) and identified 17 cases of oncocytic variant of poorly differentiated carcinoma (OV-PDTC) based on Turin criteria. Compared to minimally invasive and angioinvasive OFC/HCC, these tumors arose in older patients (range 44-88 years; average 71 years), were larger (average size 4.5 cm), and all had extensive vascular invasion (5-15 foci), and coagulative tumor necrosis and the tumor cells were arranged in a trabecular or solid growth pattern. All showed an admixture of oncocytic follicular/Hürthle cells arranged in solid and trabecular growth pattern. Aggregates of small sized cells with minimal eosinophilic cytoplasm, comprising 10-20% of the entire tumor mass were also seen in 16/17 cases. Clinical follow-up was available in 12 cases and ranged from 6 to 120 months (average 41 months). Distant metastases were seen in 10/12 (83%) patients; two had lung and one had bone metastases at the time of thyroid surgery, and four subsequently developed cervical lymph node metastases. Two patients died of disease, and ten are alive either with or free of tumor. The OV-PDTC is a distinct entity which can be identified based on Turin criteria and the presence of a distinct "small cell" component. It is frequently associated with regional recurrence and distant metastases and can lead to tumor-related demise.