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Objective: To describe trends and 4-year survival rate of surgical and nonsurgical treatment for laryngeal cancer., Design: Observational cross-sectional study., Patients: A total of 131 694 cases of laryngeal cancer diagnosed from 1985 to 2007 identified from the National Cancer Database., Main Outcome Measures: Primary treatment information, including radiation therapy (RT), chemoradiation (CRT), and curative intent surgery, were identified. The association between treatment and the patient's clinical and nonclinical variables was analyzed using univariate and multivariate statistics. The 4-year survival rate was generated through Kaplan-Meier estimates, and multivariate Cox proportional hazard models were used to generate hazard ratios., Results: Among patients with early-stage cancer, the proportion receiving primary surgery increased (from 20% in 1985 to 33% in 2007), whereas the use of RT decreased from 64% to 52%. Patients with early-stage cancer who resided in areas with higher socioeconomic status (SES) zip codes, had private insurance, who were not African American, and who were treated at academic facilities were more likely to receive surgery. The 4-year survival rate for patients with early-stage laryngeal cancer treated with surgery was higher than the rate for those treated with RT (79% vs 71%). Among patients with advanced-stage cancer, the use of CRT increased from less than 7% to 45%, whereas the use of total laryngectomy decreased from 42% to 32%. The use of CRT was more common among patients who resided in areas with higher SES zip codes, had private insurance, and who were younger. The 4-year survival rates for patients with advanced laryngeal cancer treated with total laryngectomy, CRT, and RT were 51%, 48%, and 38%, respectively. Factors associated with an increased risk of death from advanced laryngeal cancer included receiving CRT and race/ethnicity., Conclusions: Among patients with early-stage laryngeal cancer, we observed an increasing proportion of primary surgical therapy during this study period. Among patients with advanced-stage cancer, we observed an increasing proportion of CRT. Not only were clinical factors associated with type of treatment, but select sociodemographic elements were also associated with treatment. Further investigation as to the decision-making process of patients with different sociodemographic backgrounds will assist in mitigating the differences in survival for this group of patients.

Purpose: We describe nationwide treatment patterns of muscle invasive bladder cancer, investigated determinants of cystectomy and provide contemporary trends in process of care measures in patients undergoing cystectomy., Materials and Methods: We selected 40,388 patients 18 to 99 years old diagnosed with muscle invasive (stages II to IV) bladder cancer in 2003 to 2007 from the National Cancer Database. Treatment included cystectomy, neoadjuvant and adjuvant chemotherapy, chemotherapy without surgery and radiation therapy. In patients undergoing cystectomy we retrieved the procedure type (partial vs radical), lymphadenectomy extent and 30-day followup. Cystectomy determinants were assessed by Poisson regression with robust error variance. Perioperative mortality was analyzed by multilevel logistic regression., Results: The proportion of patients treated with cystectomy (42.9%) and radiation therapy (16.6%) remained stable with time while the incidence of those who received chemotherapy increased from 27.0% in 2003 to 34.5% in 2007 due to an increase in neoadjuvant chemotherapy and chemotherapy without surgery. The cystectomy rate decreased with age and was lower in racial/ethnic minorities (especially black patients), uninsured or Medicaid patients, patients residing in the South and Northeast, and those treated at nonteaching/research hospitals. The partial cystectomy rate decreased and lymphadenectomy extent increased with time. The perioperative mortality rate was 2.6% and it was higher at low vs very high volume hospitals (OR 1.71, 95% CI 1.26-2.32)., Conclusions: Recent nationwide data confirm ongoing improvements in process of care measures in patients who undergo cystectomy but also show marked differences in treatment patterns for muscle invasive bladder cancer by patient age, race, insurance status, geographic area and facility type., (Copyright © 2011 American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Because of the multidisciplinary nature of treatment for advanced laryngeal cancer, the authors hypothesized that treatment at high-volume teaching/research facilities is associated with improved survival., Methods: After exclusions, 19,326 patients who were diagnosed with advanced laryngeal cancer (stage III and IV) between 1996 and 2002 and who received treatment (chemoradiotherapy [CRT], total laryngectomy [TL], or radiotherapy [RT]) were analyzed from the National Cancer Database (NCDB). Facilities were classified into 6 groups (low-volume and high-volume teaching/research facilities, low-volume and high-volume community cancer centers, and low-volume and high-volume community facilities). Multivariate proportional hazards regression modeling was used to determine 90-day, 365-day, and 4-year hazard ratio (HR) estimates., Results: Treatment included TL (37.6%), CRT (29.4%), and RT alone (33%). Overall, 36.2% of patients were treated at high-volume teaching/research centers (average, 17.1 cases per year). Among all patients, 20% died within the first year. In multivariate models that were controlled for covariates, 90-day, 365-day, and 4 year HR estimates for death were lowest for high-volume teaching/research centers., Conclusions: Receiving treatment at high-volume teaching/research facilities was associated with improved survival. Undergoing total laryngectomy also was associated with improved survival. The current results suggested that the regionalization of care for patients with advanced-stage laryngeal cancer has occurred, because most patients were treated either at high-volume teaching/research facilities or at high-volume community cancer centers. Future studies should investigate the factors associated with better survival at high-volume teaching/research facilities, such as quality of care, processes of care, and referral patterns., (© 2010 American Cancer Society.)