Phyllodes Tumors: A Scoping Review of the Literature.

PURPOSE: Phyllodes tumors are rare tumors of the breast, with most literature being retrospective with limited guidelines on the management of these patients. Scoping review was performed to highlight themes and gaps in the available literature. METHODS: A scoping review of the literature was performed as per PRISMA-ScR guidelines with titles, abstracts, and full texts reviewed in duplicate. Data were abstracted and summarized in categories of diagnostics, surgical management, adjuvant therapies, treatment of recurrence, and surveillance. Quality assessment was performed for each paper. RESULTS: The search identified 4498 references, 434 full-text papers were reviewed, and 183 papers were included. Ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging, and core needle biopsy are valuable preoperative diagnostics tools. Pathology reporting should include stromal overgrowth, stromal cellularity, nuclear atypia, mitotic rate, borders, and presence of heterologous elements. Ki67 may have a role in grading and prognosticating. Breast conservation is safe in all grades of phyllodes but may be associated with increased local recurrence in malignant phyllodes. Surgical margins should depend on grade. Axillary node positivity rate is very low, even with clinically enlarged lymph nodes. Adjuvant radiation is a useful tool to decrease local recurrence in malignant phyllodes tumors, tumors > 5 cm, age < 45 years, close margins, and breast conservation. There is no evidence supporting adjuvant chemotherapy. Recurrence can be managed with repeat wide excision; however, mastectomy is associated with lower re-recurrence. Surveillance protocols are variable in the literature. CONCLUSIONS: There is heterogeneity in the literature on phyllodes tumors. Consensus guidelines based on the literature will help provide evidence-based care.

Wait times in the management of non-small cell lung carcinoma before, during and after regionalization of lung cancer care: a high-resolution analysis.

Background: Timeliness can have a substantial effect on treatment outcomes, prognosis and quality of life for patients with lung cancer. We sought to evaluate changes in wait times for patients with non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) and to identify bottlenecks in cancer care. Methods: We included patients who received treatment with curative intent or palliative treatment for NSCLC, diagnosed through mediastinal staging by a thoracic surgeon. Data were collected from 3 cohorts over 3 time periods: before the regionalization of lung cancer care (2005-2007, C1), immediately postregionalization (2011-2013, C2) and 5 years after regionalization (2016-2017, C3). Total wait time and delays along treatment pathways were compared across cohorts using multivariate Cox proportionality models. Results: Our total sample size was 299 patients. Overall, there was no significant difference in total wait time among the 3 cohorts. However, wait time from symptom onset to first physician visit significantly increased in C3 compared with C2 (hazard ratio [HR] 0.41, p < 0.01) and C1 (HR 0.43, p < 0.01). Time from first physician visit to computed tomography (CT) scan significantly decreased in C3 compared with C2 (HR 1.54, p < 0.01). Time from abnormal CT scan to first surgeon visit also significantly decreased in C2 (HR 1.43, p < 0.01) and C3 (HR 4.47, p < 0.01) compared with C1, and between C3 and C2 (HR 2.67, p < 0.01). In contrast, time from first surgeon visit to completion of staging significantly increased in C2 (HR 0.36, p < 0.01) and C3 (HR 0.24, p < 0.01) compared with C1, as well as between C3 and C2 (HR 0.60, p < 0.01). Time to first treatment after completion of staging was significantly shorter for C3 than C1 (HR 1.58, p < 0.01). Conclusion: Trends toward a reduction in wait time are evident 5 years after the regionalization of lung cancer care, primarily led by shorter wait times for CT scans and thoracic surgeon consults. However, wait times can further be reduced by addressing delays in staging completion and patient and provider education to identify the early signs of NSCLC.

Contexte: La rapidité d'intervention peut avoir un effet considérable sur l'issue du traitement, le pronostic et la qualité de vie des patients atteints d'un cancer du poumon. Nous avons voulu évaluer les changements des temps d'attente des patients ayant un carcinome pulmonaire non à petites cellules et recenser les obstacles aux soins oncologiques. Méthodes: Nous avons inclus des patients ayant reçu un traitement curatif ou palliatif pour un carcinome pulmonaire non à petites cellules diagnostiqué par stadification de lésions médiastinales par un chirurgien thoracique. Les données ont été recueillies auprès de 3 cohortes, à 3 moments : avant la régionalisation des soins oncologiques (2005­2007; C1), immédiatement après la régionalisation (2011­2013; C2) et 5 ans après la régionalisation (2016­2017; C3). Le temps d'attente total et les délais au cours du processus de traitement des cohortes ont été comparés au moyen de modèles à risques proportionnels de Cox multivariés. Résultats: Au total, l'échantillon comptait 299 patients. Dans l'ensemble, aucune différence statistiquement significative n'a été observée entre les 3 cohortes pour ce qui est du temps d'attente total. Cependant, la C3 présentait un temps d'attente entre l'apparition des symptômes et la première consultation médicale significativement plus long que la C2 (rapport de risque [RR] 0,41; p < 0,01) et que la C1 (RR 0,43; p < 0,01). Le temps d'attente entre la première consultation médicale et la tomodensitométrie (TDM) était par contre significativement plus court dans la C3 que dans la C2 (RR 1,54; p < 0,01). Le délai entre l'obtention d'un résultat anormal à la TDM et la première consultation chirurgicale était également significativement moindre dans la C2 (RR 1,43; p < 0,01) et dans la C3 (RR 4,47; p < 0,01) que dans la C1, mais aussi entre la C3 et la C2 (RR 2,67; p < 0,01). À l'inverse, le temps écoulé entre la première consultation chirurgicale et la fin de la stadification était significativement plus long dans la C2 (RR 0,36; p < 0,01) et la C3 (RR 0,24; p < 0,01) que dans la C1; il en était également ainsi entre la C3 et la C2 (RR 0,60; p < 0,01). Enfin, le délai entre le premier traitement et la fin de la stadification était significativement plus court dans la C3 que dans la C1 (RR 1,58; p < 0,01). Conclusion: Cinq ans après la régionalisation des soins oncologiques, on peut observer une réduction des temps d'attente, principalement une diminution du temps d'attente pour une TDM ou une consultation chirurgicale. Les temps d'attente pourraient être davantage raccourcis par une réduction des délais dans la stadification, ainsi que par la sensibilisation des patients et des fournisseurs de soins à l'égard de la reconnaissance des signes précoces de carcinome pulmonaire non à petites cellules.

Treatment Modality and Trends in Survival for Gallbladder Cancer: a Population-Based Study.

PURPOSE: There are only a few reports on the treatment-based survival of gallbladder cancer (GBC). The primary objective of this study was to examine the change in treatment modality and the related trends in the survival of GBC. METHODS: This study includes all cases of primary GBC diagnosed in the province of Ontario, Canada, from January 2007 to December 2015 with known disease stage. Treatment modalities were classified as no treatment, radiation or chemotherapy, and surgical resection. We examined the association between surgical resection and demographics and tumor characteristics and estimated the trends in survival based on treatment modality. RESULTS: In total, 564 patients with GBC were identified, of which 374 (66.3%) were female. Although there were no significant trends in treatment modalities over the study period (p = 0.276), survival rates improved for all treatment modalities over time. There was a 35% increase in 5-year survival for the surgical resection group from 2007 to 2015. For patients with stage I-II disease, the 5-year survival rate increased 40% over time. The highest 5-year survival was observed for the surgical resection group in patients with stage I-II disease (0.533 (95% CI, 0.514-0.552)) while the average 5-year survival rate for all patients over the study period was 0.247 (95% CI, 0.228-0.266). CONCLUSIONS: Most cases of GBC continue to be diagnosed in the late stage. Five-year survival for the surgical resection group has markedly improved over time, specifically for patients with stage I-II disease which increased from 30% in 2007 to 70% in 2015.

Change in treatment modality and trends in survival among stage I non-small cell lung cancer patients: a population-based study.

BACKGROUND: A number of treatment modalities are available to patients with early non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) but there is inconsistency regarding their effects on survival. The associated survival of each treatment modality is crucial for patients in making informed treatment decisions. We aimed to examine the change in treatment modality and trends in survival for patients with stage I NSCLC and assess the association between treatment modality and survival. METHODS: All patients diagnosed with stage I NSCLC in the Canadian province of Ontario between 2007 and 2015 were included in this population-based study. We used a flexible parametric model to estimate the trends in survival rate. RESULTS: Overall, 11,910 patients were identified of which 7,478 patients (62.8%) received surgical resection and 2,652 (22.3%) radiation only. The proportion of patients who received radiation only increased from 13.2% in 2007 to 28.0% in 2015 (P-for-trend <0.001). Survival increased for all treatment modalities from 2007 to 2015. The increase in 5-year survival was more than 20% for all surgical groups and more than 35% for radiation-only group. CONCLUSIONS: The survival of patients with stage I NSCLC increased for all treatment modalities over the study period, most distinctly in elderly patients, which coincided with a rise in the use of radiation therapy. While surgical resection was associated with the best chance of 5-year survival, radiation therapy is a safe and effective treatment for medically inoperable patients with early disease.

Cancer resection rates, socioeconomic deprivation, and geographical access to surgery among urban, suburban, and rural populations across Canada.

High-risk cancer resection surgeries are increasingly being performed at fewer, more specialised, and higher-volume institutions across Canada. The resulting increase in travel time for patients to obtain treatment may be exacerbated by socioeconomic barriers to access. Focussing on five high-risk surgery types (oesophageal, ovarian/fallopian, liver, lung, and pancreatic cancers), this study examines socioeconomic trends in age-adjusted resection rates and travel time to surgery location for urban, suburban, and rural populations across Canada, excluding Québec, from 2004 to 2012. Significant differences in age-adjusted resection rates were observed between urban (14.9 per 100 000 person-years [95% CI: 12.2, 17.6]), suburban (40.7 [40.1, 41.2]), and rural (32.7 [29.6, 35.9]) populations, with higher rates in suburban and rural areas throughout the study period for all cancer types. Resection rates did not differ between the highest (Q1) and lowest (Q5) socioeconomic strata (Q1: 13.3 [12.2, 14.4]; Q5: 12.0 [10.7, 13.4]), with significantly higher rates among middle-SES patients (Q2: 27.3 [25.6, 29.0]; Q3: 39.6 [37.4, 41.8]; Q4: 37.5 [35.3, 39.7]). Travel times to treatment were consistently higher among the most socioeconomically deprived patients, most notably in suburban and rural areas. The results suggest that the conventional inclusion of suburbs with urban areas in health research may obfuscate important trends for public health policy and programmes.

Evaluation of Factors Associated With Unmet Needs in Adult Cancer Survivors in Canada.

Importance: Understanding the challenges faced by an increasing number of cancer survivors can guide the development and implementation of effective survivorship care models. Objective: To identify the physical, emotional, and practical concerns and associated unmet needs reported by cancer survivors. Design, Setting, and Participants: This cross-sectional survey study obtained data from the Experiences of Cancer Patients in Transitions Study of the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer, in collaboration with cancer agencies in the 10 Canadian provinces, that was disseminated in 2016. This analysis included only adult survivors aged 30 years or older who underwent chemotherapy, radiation therapy, surgical treatment, or a combination of these therapies for breast, prostate, colorectal, melanoma, or hematological cancer within the past 1 to 3 years. Data synthesis and quality assessment were conducted in 2017. Data analysis was completed in July 2019. Main Outcomes and Measures: The outcomes were the (1) quantification of the magnitude and multiplicity of the physical, emotional, and practical concerns of adult survivors of breast, colorectal, prostate, melanoma, or hematological cancer; (2) exploration of the magnitude of associated unmet needs; and (3) identification of patient-, treatment-, and cancer-specific factors associated with the reporting of unmet needs. Results: Overall, 10 717 adult respondents were included (5660 [53%] female and 6367 [60%] aged ≥65 years). The median number of concerns per respondent was 6 (interquartile range [IQR], 3-10). Among respondents with concerns, help was sought for a median of 2 (IQR, 0-4) concerns. Unmet needs were reported for a median of 4 (IQR, 2-7) concerns. Emotional concerns were reported by 8330 respondents (78%), physical concerns by 9236 respondents (86%), and practical concerns by 4668 respondents (44%). At least 1 unmet need was reported by 7033 survivors (84%) with emotional concerns, 7475 (81%) with physical concerns, and 3459 (74%) with practical concerns. Age, sex, annual income, marital status, geographic location, language, and treatment type were significant factors associated with unmet needs. Survivors of melanoma cancer had a significantly higher likelihood of reporting unmet emotional needs (odds ratio [OR], 1.75; 95% CI, 1.17-2.61; P = .01), whereas survivors of prostate (OR, 0.60; 95% CI, 0.43-0.84; P < .001) and hematological (OR, 0.70; 95% CI, 0.50-0.99; P = .04) cancers were significantly less likely to report unmet needs for physical concerns when compared with breast cancer survivors. Involvement of the general practitioner combined with the oncologist in providing care was associated with a significantly lower likelihood of reporting unmet emotional (OR, 0.78; 95% CI, 0.62-1.00; P = .05) and practical (OR, 0.72; 95% CI, 0.55-0.94; P = .01) needs. Conclusions and Relevance: The extent of unmet needs among cancer survivors found in this study suggests the need for enhancements in survivorship care, including better awareness of the realities of survivorship, earlier interventions for emerging concerns among survivors, and greater integration of cancer programs and primary care for more seamless transitions.

Trends in survival based on treatment modality for esophageal cancer: a population-based study.

OBJECTIVES: The primary objective was to examine the trends in treatment modalities and the respective survival rates for esophageal cancer in the province of Ontario, Canada. METHODS: This is a population-based study of all esophageal cancer cases diagnosed in Ontario between 2007 and 2015, including squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma, with known disease stage. Other characteristics include sex, age, date of diagnosis, and treatment modalities. Treatment modalities were classified as no-treatment, radiation only or chemotherapy only, chemoradiation, and surgical resection. RESULTS: In total, 2572 patients were identified with esophageal cancer from 2007 to 2015, of which 2014 (78.3%) were male. The mean age at diagnosis was 66.6 (SD = 11.7) years. Survival rate increased over time in patients who underwent chemoradiation or surgical resection but remained unchanged for the radiation-only or chemotherapy-only group and decreased for the no-treatment group. Survival considerably improved (15-20%) for patients with stages I-III disease. CONCLUSIONS: The positive trends in the survival rate for esophageal patients could be due to adoption of multimodal therapy. Despite a lower proportion of advanced disease among patients over 80, they received less curative treatments compared with other age groups. Further studies are required to identify strategies to maximize survival for patients with stage IV disease, and patients 80 years and older.

Trends in Survival Based on Treatment Modality in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Patients: A Population-Based Study.

Objectives: We examined the trends in survival based on treatment modality among non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients in the province of Ontario, Canada, from 2007 to 2015. Methods: We investigated the trends in survival based on treatment modality. Results: Among 56,417 identified patients, the mean age at diagnosis was 70.1 years (SD = 10.7). Treatment modalities varied significantly over time (p<.001). Overall, 23.0% of patients received surgical treatments. We observed more than 20% increase in five-year survival rates for all surgical groups over time. Conclusions: Patients undergoing sublobar/lobar resections had higher survival rate.

Care Delivery Patterns, Processes, and Outcomes for Primary Ovarian Cancer Surgery: A Population-Based Review Using a National Administrative Database.

OBJECTIVES: In this pan-Canadian study, we sought to elucidate the current state of surgical care for primary ovarian cancers and factors influencing selected short-term outcomes; these were in-hospital mortality (IHM), major complications (MCs), failure-to-rescue (FTR), and hospital length of stay (LOS). METHODS: We created a population cohort using inpatient admission records from the Canadian Institute of Health Information data set (2004-2012). Multilevel logistic regression and flexible parametric survival analyses, adjusted for hospital clustering effect, were conducted to determine the effect of patient-specific factors (i.e., age, comorbidities, and admission category); procedural complexity; and the surgical volume and specialty of each care provider on the outcomes of interest. RESULTS: A total of 16 089 women underwent surgeries for primary ovarian cancer across Canada. The crude rates of IHM, MC, and FTR were 0.89%, 5.7%, and 9.09%, respectively, with a median LOS of four days (interquartile range 3 to 6). The majority of surgical procedures were performed by surgeons and hospitals with annual surgical volumes of less than five such procedures. Hospitals with higher surgical volumes were associated with lower risk of IHM (OR 0.95, 95% CI 0.91 to 0.99) and FTR (OR 0.95, 95% CI 0.91 to 0.99) and a higher chance of earlier discharge (hazard ratio [HR] 1.03, 95% CI 1.00 to 1.06). Surgeons with higher surgical volumes were associated with lower odds of early discharge (HR 0.90, 95% CI 0.87 to 0.94) and a higher risk of MC (OR 1.12, 95% CI 1.02 to 1.23). Compared with gynaecologic oncologists, general surgeons had a significantly higher risk of IHM (OR 3.50, 95% CI 1.82 to 6.74) and MC (OR 2.13, 95% CI 1.36 to 3.33) and lower odds of early discharge (HR 0.43, 95% CI 0.40 to 0.47). CONCLUSION: Despite limitations in the administrative data set, valuable information was available for this pan-Canadian analysis. Our findings support centralization of surgical procedures for women with ovarian cancer in tertiary care centres with higher surgical volumes that are staffed by in-house multidisciplinary care teams and specialist surgeons.

Identifying Feasible Physical Activity Programs for Long-Term Care Homes in the Ontario Context.

BACKGROUND: Structured exercise programs for frail institutionalized seniors have shown improvement in physical, functional, and psychological health of this population. However, the 'feasibility' of implementation of such programs in real settings is seldom discussed. The purpose of this systematic review was to gauge feasibility of exercise and falls prevention programs from the perspective of long-term care homes in Ontario, given the recent changes in funding for publically funded physiotherapy services. METHOD: Six electronic databases were searched by two independent researchers for randomized controlled trials that targeted long-term care residents and included exercise as an independent component of the intervention. RESULTS: A total of 39 studies were included in this review. A majority of these interventions were led by physiotherapist(s), carried out three times per week for 30-45 minutes per session. However, a few group-based interventions that were led by long-term care staff, volunteers, or trained non-exercise specialists were identified that also required minimal equipment. CONCLUSION: This systematic review has identified 'feasible' physical activity and falls prevention programs that required minimal investment in staff and equipment, and demonstrated positive outcomes. Implementation of such programs represents cost-effective means of providing long-term care residents with meaningful gains in physical, psychological, and social health.