Impact of Remote Symptom Monitoring With Electronic Patient-Reported Outcomes on Hospitalization, Survival, and Cost in Community Oncology Practice: The Texas Two-Step Study.

PURPOSE: There is raising interest to implement electronic patient-reported outcomes (ePROs) for symptom monitoring to enhance the quality of cancer care. Step 1 of the Texas Two-Step Study demonstrated successful implementation of an ePRO system in >200 sites of service of a large community oncology practice. We now report step 2 of this study which evaluates the impact of ePROs on outcomes among patients enrolled in the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' Oncology Care Model (OCM) program. METHODS: This observational study focused on patients with metastatic cancer enrolled in OCM at large community oncology practice located in Texas between July 2020 and December 2020. Patients who completed ≥1 survey via the ePRO tool were included in the study group and were propensity score matched with patients in a control group. Adverse events (AEs; hospitalizations, emergency department visits, deaths) and total cost of care were a priori study outcomes. Mann-Whitney U and chi-square tests compared continuous and categorical variables, respectively, with multivariable logistic regression for adjustment of covariates. RESULTS: Of 831 patients with metastatic cancer, 458 matched patients (229/group) were identified, with 52% male and a mean age of 74 years. Mean total AEs were lower in the study group compared with control (0.98 v 1.41; P = .007), with decreased hospitalizations (20% v 32.5%; P = .002), emergency visits (38.4% v 42.3%; P > .05), and deaths (11.8% v 16.6%; P > .05). Average number of hospitalizations was lower (0.28 v 0.52; P = .003) with reduced mean duration of hospitalizations (1.9 vs 3.2 d; P = .03). The total cost of care was reduced by an average of $1,146 per member per month. CONCLUSION: Symptom monitoring with ePROs improved quality and value of cancer care delivery by reducing hospitalizations, emergency visits, and deaths while lowering cost of care in a large oncology practice.

Differences in Receipt of Immunotherapy Treatment Among Patients With Head and Neck Cancer.

Importance: The US Food and Drug Administration approved immune checkpoint inhibitors (immunotherapy) for select cases of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) in 2016. However, it is unclear whether there are clinical or sociodemographic differences among patients receiving immunotherapy as part of their care. Given the known disparities in head and neck cancer care, we hypothesized that there are differences in receipt of immunotherapy among patients with HNSCC based on clinical and nonclinical characteristics. Objective: To characterize clinical and nonclinical factors associated with receipt of immunotherapy among older patients with HNSCC. Design, Setting, and Participants: This retrospective cohort study included patients 65 years or older diagnosed with HNSCC (n = 4860) in a community oncology care setting. Electronic health records from Navigating Cancer were assessed from January 1, 2017, to April 30, 2022. Main Outcomes and Measures: Multivariable logistic regression was used to characterize clinical (tumor stage [localized vs advanced] and anatomical subsite [oropharyngeal vs nonoropharyngeal]) and nonclinical (age, smoking history, race and ethnicity, sex, and marital status) factors associated with receipt of immunotherapy. Results: In the study cohort of 4860 patients, 3593 (73.9%) were men; 4230 (87.0%) were White and 630 (13.0%) were of other races. A total of 552 patients (11.4%) had received immunotherapy. After adjusting for covariates, in the final model, White patients with HNSCC had 80% increased odds of receiving immunotherapy (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 1.80 [95% CI, 1.30-2.48]) compared with patients of other races. There were no statistically significant differences in the odds of receiving immunotherapy based on age, sex, or smoking history. Patients with nonoropharyngeal disease were significantly more likely to receive immunotherapy than those with oropharyngeal cancer (AOR, 1.29 [95% CI, 1.05-1.59]), as were those with advanced compared with local disease (AOR, 2.39 [95% CI, 1.71-3.34]). Conclusions and Relevance: The findings of this cohort study suggest that among older patients with HNSCC, White patients may be more likely to receive immunotherapy as part of their care. Equitable access to immunotherapy and other treatment options will reduce cancer-related health disparities and improve survival of patients with HNSCC.

A Study Design to Harmonize Patient-Reported Outcomes Across Data Sets.

PURPOSE: Using patient-reported outcomes (PROs) provides important insights from the patient's perspective and can be valuable to monitor and manage treatment-related adverse events during cancer treatment. Additionally, the digital administration of PROs (electronic PROs [ePROs]) provides real-time updates to clinical care teams on treatment-related symptoms in-between clinic visits. However, given the variability in the methodology and timing of the data collection, using and harmonizing these data across different systems remains challenging. Identifying data elements to capture and operating procedures for harmonization across ePRO tools will expedite efforts to generate relevant and robust data on use of ePRO data in clinical care. METHODS: Friends of Cancer Research assembled a consortium of project partners from key health care sectors to align on a framework for ePRO data capture across ePRO tools and assessment of the impact of ePRO data capture on patient outcomes. RESULTS: We identified challenges and opportunities to align ePRO data capture across ePRO tools and aligned on key data elements for assessing the impact of ePRO data capture on patient care and outcomes. Ultimately, we proposed a study protocol to leverage ePRO data for symptom and adverse event management to measure real-world effectiveness of ePRO tool implementation on patient care and outcomes. CONCLUSION: This work provides considerations for harmonizing ePRO data sets and a common framework to align across multiple ePRO tools to assess the value of ePROs for improving patient outcomes. Future efforts to interpret evidence and evaluate the impact of ePRO tools on patient outcomes will be aided by improved alignment across studies.

Sociodemographic Differences in Patient-Reported Pain and Pain Management of Patients With Head and Neck Cancer in a Community Oncology Setting.

PURPOSE: While pain is prevalent among survivors of head and neck cancer (HNC), there is a lack of data on pain management in the community oncology setting. We described sociodemographic correlates and disparities associated with patient-reported pain among patients with HNC. METHODS: We used the 2017-2021 nationwide community oncology data set from Navigating Cancer, which included electronic patient-reported outcomes. We identified a retrospective cohort of patients diagnosed with HNC (N = 25,572), with ≥ 1 patient-reported pain event. We adjusted for demographic (sex, age, smoking history, marital status) and clinical (cancer site) factors associated with pain reporting and pain resolution by new pain prescription on the basis of race (White v non-White patients), using multivariate logistic regression models. RESULTS: Our analytic cohort included 2,331 patients, 90.58% White, 58.62% married, with an average age of 66.47 years. Of these, 857 patients (36.76%) reported ≥ 1 pain event during study period. Mean resolution time (in minutes) for pain incidents was significantly longer for White patients than non-White patients (99.6 ± 3.2 v 74.9 ± 7.2, P < .05). After adjusting for covariates, smoking was associated with a 25% increased odds of reporting pain incidents (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.25; 95% CI, 1.03 to 1.52). There was no statistically significant difference in odds of pain reporting between White versus non-White patients (aOR, 0.97; 95% CI, 0.73 to 1.30). However, White patients were significantly more likely to receive new prescription for pain than non-White patients (aOR, 2.52; 95% CI, 1.09 to 5.86). CONCLUSION: We found racial differences in patient-reported pain management, with White patients significantly more likely to receive new pain prescriptions. As pain management is a mainstay in cancer care, equity in pain management is critical to optimize quality of life for patients with HNC.

Implementation of Electronic Patient-Reported Outcomes for Symptom Monitoring in a Large Multisite Community Oncology Practice: Dancing the Texas Two-Step Through a Pandemic.

PURPOSE: Among patients receiving chemotherapy, symptom monitoring with electronic patient-reported outcomes (ePROs) is associated with improved clinical outcomes, satisfaction, and compliance with therapy. Standard approaches for ePRO implementation are not established, warranting evaluation in community cancer practices. We present implementation findings of ePRO symptom monitoring across a large multisite community oncology practice network. METHODS: Patients initiating a new systemic therapy at one of the 210 practice sites at Texas Oncology were invited to use the Navigating Cancer ePRO platform, with stepped-wedge implementation from July to December 2020. Participating patients received a weekly prompt by text message or e-mail to self-report common symptoms and well-being. Severe self-reported symptoms triggered a real-time notification to nursing triage to address the symptom. Enrollment and compliance were systematically tracked weekly with evaluation of barriers and facilitators to adoption and sustainability. RESULTS: Four thousand three hundred seventy-five patients planning systemic treatment were enrolled and participated. Seventy-three percent (1,841 of 2,522) of enrolled patients completed at least one ePRO assessment. Among these individuals, 64% (16,299 of 25,061) of available weekly ePRO assessments were completed. Over a 10-week period, compliance declined from 72% to 52%. Barriers currently being addressed include lack of a second reminder text or e-mail prompt, inconsistent discussion of reported ePROs by clinicians at visits, and COVID-related changes in workflow. Facilitators included ease of use and patient and staff engagement on the importance of PROs for symptom management. CONCLUSION: ePROs can be effectively implemented in community oncology practice. Utilization of ePROs is high but diminishes over time without attention to barriers. Ongoing work to address barriers and optimize compliance are underway.

Posterior Reversible Encephalopathy Syndrome Associated With Dose-adjusted EPOCH (Etoposide, Prednisone, Vincristine, Cyclophosphamide, Doxorubicin) Chemotherapy.

INTRODUCTION: The purpose of our study was to identify the key risk factors for the development of posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) after administration of the combination chemotherapy regimen, DA-EPOCH (dose-adjusted etoposide, prednisone, vincristine, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We performed a retrospective medical record review of patients receiving DA-EPOCH with or without rituximab (DA-EPOCH ± R) at our institution from July 2012 to September 2014. The patients were screened for evidence of severe neurotoxicity through identification of requests for neurology consultations or neuroimaging studies. Patients with evidence of central nervous system (CNS) neurotoxicity were reviewed in detail to identify documented cases of PRES. The key risk factors assessed included rituximab administration sequence, and the presence of CNS insults, fluid status or electrolyte abnormalities, organ dysfunction, and hypertension. RESULTS: A total of 44 patients received DA-EPOCH ± R at our institution from July 2012 to September 2014. Of these 44 patients, 3 (7%) were diagnosed with PRES. The patients who developed PRES were more likely to have a pre-existing CNS insult, fluid status or electrolytes abnormalities, and hypertension. CONCLUSION: To the best of our knowledge, the present study is the first description of PRES associated with DA-EPOCH. The key risk factors for the development of PRES identified in our study included hypertension, fluid imbalance, electrolyte abnormalities, baseline organ dysfunction, a high tumor burden, and the presence of pre-existing CNS insults during chemotherapy, such as CNS infection. Patients with these risk factors appear to have a greater risk of developing PRES and should be monitored closely during treatment.

Collaborative practice model for management of pain in patients with cancer.

PURPOSE: The use of a collaborative drug therapy agreement (CDTA) by oncology pharmacists in a comprehensive pain clinic is described. SUMMARY: Recognizing the complex clinical services required by patients with cancer, the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance began offering cancer pain management through a specialized pain service. Initially, the clinic was staffed by one attending physician; however, as the volume of patient referrals increased, the clinic expanded into an interprofessional team that includes physicians, advanced practice providers, nurses, and pharmacists. Through an extensive credentialing process and under the guidance of a CDTA, pharmacists in the pain clinic are able to evaluate patients, develop treatment plans, and prescribe pain medication therapies for oncology patients. By having pharmacists provide these services, the pain clinic can improve medication dosing, ensure that medications are managed consistently, improve patients' quality of care, and save providers time by allowing tasks to be completed by appropriately trained ancillary staff. For cancer-related pain, the pharmacist, in conjunction with the attending provider, develops a pain medication plan following the principles of the World Health Organization's analgesic ladder. The pain clinic has implemented the routine use of several validated tools for screening and assessment of opioid risk as well as state guidelines for managing chronic opioid therapy. The pharmacists in the pain clinic also emphasize functional goals and improvement in functional status rather than complete relief of pain. CONCLUSION: As members of an interprofessional pain clinic team, oncology pharmacists use their specialized knowledge of cancer and pharmacotherapy to help manage and treat pain in complex cancer cases.

Sequence of novel agents in multiple myeloma: an instrumental variable analysis.

Lenalidomide and bortezomib have not been compared prospectively and are currently used in sequence for patients with multiple myeloma; however, it is unknown whether a sequence of administration could result in improved outcomes. We retrospectively reviewed electronic records of patients with multiple myeloma who had used both agents in sequence at our institution: 97 patients had lenalidomide first and 111 had bortezomib first. On multivariable analysis, the sequence of therapy was not associated with outcome. These findings were confirmed with instrumental variable analyses. Finally, use of bortezomib first was associated with improved survival for patients with baseline renal insufficiency.

Treatment of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy and idiopathic CD4+ lymphocytopenia.

Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy is a neurological disease caused by the human polyoma virus JC virus and can present in patients with known immunodeficiencies. However, when associated with idiopathic CD4+ lymphocytopenia, management of patients can be quite challenging as these are two rare diseases with limited effective treatment options. In conjunction with the case report of a patient diagnosed with both conditions presented within this issue, a discussion of available treatment strategies is detailed.