ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: A concerning increase in early-onset colorectal cancer led to guideline changes in 2018 by the American Cancer Society to lower the age for initial colorectal cancer screening from 50 to 45 years of age. Although this would be expected to result in increased screening rates and subsequent earlier detection of colorectal cancer, the effect of this guideline change at a national level is not yet fully understood. METHODS: Using the National Cancer Database, we identified patients newly targeted for screening (age 45-49 years) diagnosed with colon cancer in either 2017 (early cohort) or 2019 (late cohort). The relationship between time period and stage of disease at presentation was examined by univariate analysis and in a multivariable logistic regression model. RESULTS: In total, 5,479 patients met inclusion criteria. The median age at diagnosis did not differ between patients in the late and early cohorts (47 years for both cohorts, P = .41). Patients in the late and early cohorts had equal odds of having stage III-IV disease (odds ratio for late cohort to early cohort, 1.05, 95% confidence interval, 0.94-1.17), and patients in the late cohort showed slightly increased odds of having higher T-stage (pT3 or pT4) disease (odds ratio, 1.20, 95% confidence interval, 1.05-1.35). CONCLUSION: Despite recommendations of earlier initial colorectal cancer screening, a clinically meaningful earlier shift in colon cancer stage was not observed in patients newly targeted for screening. Further studies will be needed to assess uptake of these recommendations by providers and patients and identify areas of improvement.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Longer time to surgery (TTS) is associated with worse survival in patients with breast cancer. Whether this association has encouraged more prompt care delivery remains unknown. METHODS: The National Cancer Database was used to identify patients ≥18 years of age diagnosed with clinical stage 0-III breast cancer between 2006 and 2019 for whom surgery was the first mode of treatment. A linear-by-linear test for trend assessed median TTS across the interval. Adjusted linear regression modeling was used to examine TTS trends across patient subgroups. RESULTS: Overall, 1,435,584 patients met the inclusion criteria. The median age was 63 years (interquartile range [IQR] 53-72), 84.3% of patients were White, 91.1% were non-Hispanic, and 99.2% were female. The median TTS in 2006 was 26 days (IQR 16-39) versus 39 days in 2019 (IQR 27-56) [p < 0.001]. In a multivariable linear regression model, TTS increased significantly, with an annual increase of 0.83 days (95% confidence interval 0.82-0.85; p < 0.001). A consistent, significant increase in TTS was observed on subgroup analyses by surgery type, reconstruction, patient race, hospital type, and disease stage. Black race, Hispanic ethnicity, and having either Medicaid or being uninsured were significantly associated with prolonged TTS, as were mastectomy and reconstructive surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Despite evidence that longer TTS is associated with poorer outcomes in patients with breast cancer, TTS has steadily increased, which may be particularly detrimental to marginalized patients. Further studies are needed to ensure the delivery of timely care to all patients.
