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Adherence to bundled interventions can reduce surgical site infection (SSI) rates; however, predictors of successful implementation are poorly characterized. We studied the association of patient and hospital characteristics with adherence to a colorectal SSI reduction bundle across a statewide surgical collaborative.A 16-component colorectal SSI reduction bundle was introduced in 2016 across a statewide quality improvement collaborative. Bundle adherence was measured for patients who underwent colorectal operations at participating institutions. Multivariable mixed-effects logistic regression models were constructed to estimate associations of patient and hospital factors with bundle adherence and quantify sources of variation.Among 2,403 patients at 35 hospitals, a median of 11 of 16 (68.8%, interquartile range 8 to 13) bundle elements were completed. The likelihood of completing 11 or more elements was increased for obese patients (56.8% vs 51.5%, odds ratio [OR] 1.39, 95% CI 1.05 to 1.86, p = 0.022) but reduced for underweight patients (31.0% vs 51.5%, OR 0.51, 95% CI 0.26 to 1.00, p = 0.048) compared with patients with a normal BMI. Lower adherence was noted for patients treated at safety net hospitals (n = 9 hospitals, 24.4% vs 54.4%, OR 0.08, 95% CI 0.01 to 0.44, p = 0.004). The largest proportion of adherence variation was attributable to hospital factors for six bundle elements, surgeon factors for no elements, and patient factors for nine elements.Adherence to an SSI reduction bundle is associated with patient BMI and hospital safety net status. Quality improvement groups should consider institutional traits for optimal implementation of SSI bundles. Safety net hospitals may require additional focus to overcome unique implementation barriers.

Background Post-discharge venous thromboembolism (VTE) chemoprophylaxis decreases VTEs following cancer surgery, however identifying high-risk patients remains difficult. Our objectives were to (1) identify factors available at hospital discharge associated with post-discharge VTE following hepatectomy for malignancy and (2) develop and validate a post-discharge VTE risk calculator to evaluate patient-specific risk. Methods Patients who underwent hepatectomy for malignancy from 2014 to 2017 were identified from the ACS NSQIP hepatectomy procedure targeted module. Multivariable logistic regression identified factors associated with post-discharge VTE. A post-discharge VTE risk calculator was constructed, and predicted probabilities of post-discharge VTE were calculated. Results Among 11 172 patients, 95 (0.9%) developed post-discharge VTE. Post-discharge VTE was associated with obese BMI (OR 2.29 vs. normal BMI [95%CI 1.31–3.99]), right hepatectomy/trisegmentectomy (OR 1.63 vs. partial/wedge [95%CI 1.04–2.57]), and several inpatient postoperative complications: renal insufficiency (OR 5.29 [95%CI 1.99–14.07]), transfusion (OR 1.77 [95%CI 1.12–2.80]), non-operative procedural intervention (OR 2.97 [95%CI 1.81–4.86]), and post-hepatectomy liver failure (OR 2.22 [95%CI 1.21–4.08]). Post-discharge VTE risk ranged from 0.3% to 30.2%. Twenty iterations of 10-fold cross validation identified internal validity. Conclusions Risk factors from all phases of care, including inpatient complications, are associated with post-discharge VTE following hepatectomy. Identifying high-risk patients may allow for personalized risk-based post-discharge chemoprophylaxis prescribing.

Background Guidelines recommend extended chemoprophylaxis for venous thromboembolism in high-risk patients having operations for inflammatory bowel disease. Quantifying patients' risk of venous thromboembolism, however, remains challenging. We sought (1) to identify factors associated with postdischarge venous thromboembolism in patients undergoing colorectal resection for inflammatory bowel disease and (2) to develop a postdischarge venous thromboembolism risk calculator to guide prescribing of extended chemoprophylaxis. Methods Patients who underwent an operation for inflammatory bowel disease from 2012 to 2018 were identified from the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program for colectomy and proctectomy procedure targeted modules. Postdischarge venous thromboembolism included pulmonary embolism or deep vein thrombosis diagnosed after discharge from the index hospitalization. Multivariable logistic regression estimated the association of patient/operative factors with postdischarge venous thromboembolism. A postdischarge venous thromboembolism risk calculator was subsequently constructed. Results Of 18,990 patients, 199 (1.1%) developed a postdischarge venous thromboembolism within the first 30 postoperative days. Preoperative factors associated with postdischarge venous thromboembolism included body mass index (1.9% with body mass index ≥35 vs 0.8% with body mass index 18.5–24.9; odds ratio 2.34 [95% confidence interval 1.49–3.67]), steroid use (1.3% vs 0.7%; odds ratio 1.91 [95% confidence interval 1.37–2.66]), and ulcerative colitis (1.5% vs 0.8% with Crohn’s disease; odds ratio 1.76 [95% confidence interval 1.32–2.34]). Minimally invasive surgery was associated with postdischarge venous thromboembolism (1.2% vs 0.9% with open; odds ratio 1.42 [95% confidence interval 1.05–1.92]), as was anastomotic leak (2.8% vs 1.0%; odds ratio 2.24 [95% confidence interval 1.31–3.83]) and ileus (2.1% vs 0.9%; odds ratio 2.60 [95% confidence interval 1.91–3.54]). The predicted probability of postdischarge venous thromboembolism ranged from 0.2% to 14.3% based on individual risk factors. Conclusion Preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative factors are associated with postdischarge venous thromboembolism after an operation for inflammatory bowel disease. A postdischarge venous thromboembolism risk calculator was developed which can be used to tailor extended venous thromboembolism chemoprophylaxis by individual risk.

Background The national comprehensive cancer network defines adequate lymphadenectomy as evaluation of ≥ 15 lymph nodes in esophageal cancer. However, varying thresholds have been suggested following neoadjuvant therapy. Objectives Our objectives were to (1) explore trends in adequate lymphadenectomy rates over time; (2) evaluate unadjusted lymphadenectomy yield by treatment characteristics; and (3) identify independent factors associated with adequate lymphadenectomy. Methods The National Cancer Data Base was used to identify patients who underwent esophagectomy for cancer from 2004 to 2015. Adequate lymphadenectomy trends over time were evaluated using the Cochrane–Armitage test, and lymph node yield by treatment approach was compared using the Mann–Whitney U and Kruskal–Wallis tests. Associations with treatment factors were assessed by multivariable logistic regression. Results Among 24,413 patients, 9919 (40.6%) had adequate lymphadenectomy. Meeting the nodal threshold increased over time (52.6% in 2015 vs. 26.0% in 2004; p

IMPORTANCE: Previous studies have shown high rates of mistreatment among US general surgery residents, leading to poor well-being. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and other sexual and gender minority (LGBTQ+) residents represent a high-risk group for mistreatment; however, their experience in general surgery programs is largely unexplored. OBJECTIVE: To determine the national prevalence of mistreatment and poor well-being for LGBTQ+ surgery residents compared with their non-LGBTQ+ peers. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: A voluntary, anonymous survey adapting validated survey instruments was administered to all clinically active general surgery residents training in Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education–accredited general surgery programs following the 2019 American Board of Surgery In-Training Examination. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Self-reported mistreatment, sources of mistreatment, perceptions of learning environment, career satisfaction, burnout, thoughts of attrition, and suicidality. The associations between LGBTQ+ status and (1) mistreatment, (2) burnout, (3) thoughts of attrition, and (4) suicidality were examined using multivariable regression models, accounting for interactions between gender and LGBTQ+ identity. RESULTS: A total of 6956 clinically active residents completed the survey (85.6% response rate). Of 6381 respondents included in this analysis, 305 respondents (4.8%) identified as LGBTQ+ and 6076 (95.2%) as non-LGBTQ+. Discrimination was reported among 161 LGBTQ+ respondents (59.2%) vs 2187 non-LGBTQ+ respondents (42.3%; P

Patients with esophageal cancer have poor overall survival, with positive resection margins worsening survival. Margin positivity rates are used as quality measures in other malignancies, but modifiable risk factors are necessary to develop actionable targets for improvement. Our objectives were to (1) evaluate trends in esophageal cancer margin positivity, and (2) identify modifiable patient/hospital factors associated with margin positivity. Patients who underwent esophagectomy from 2004 to 2015 were identified from the National Cancer Database. Trends in margin positivity by time and hospital volume were evaluated using Cochrane–Armitage tests. Associations between patient/hospital factors and margin positivity were assessed by multivariable logistic regression. Among 29,706 patients who underwent esophagectomy for cancer, 9.37% had positive margins. Margin positivity rates decreased over time (10.62% in 2004 to 8.61% in 2015; p

Minimally invasive surgery (MIS) is increasingly used to treat gastric cancer in the USA. A potential benefit of MIS is increased likelihood of receiving adjuvant chemotherapy. Our objectives were (1) to assess trends and predictors of MIS for gastric cancer, (2) to evaluate the association between MIS and postoperative chemotherapy, and (3) to investigate the relationship between MIS and survival. Patients with T3 or greater and/or N+ gastric adenocarcinoma were identified from the National Cancer Database from 2010 to 2015. Patients aged ≥ 85, with metastatic disease, treated with only preoperative chemotherapy, or with contraindications to chemotherapy were excluded. Hierarchical logistic regression and Cox proportional hazards were used to assess associations between MIS and postoperative chemotherapy and survival. Of 21,872 gastric resections, 6083 (27.8%) were MIS and 15,789 (72.2%) open. The majority were partial/subtotal (68.3%). Utilization of MIS increased from 18 to 37% from 2010 to 2015 (p < 0.01). Predictors of MIS were Asian race, any insurance coverage, and treatment at high-volume centers. Among 7540 patients with locally advanced disease, MIS was associated with receiving postoperative chemotherapy compared to open surgery (77.7% vs. 71.9%; OR 1.31, 95% CI 1.11–1.54). MIS was associated with improved survival before adjusting for postoperative chemotherapy (HR 0.83; 95% CI 0.72–0.97) but not after (HR 0.87, 95% CI 0.75–1.01). Utilization of MIS for locally advanced gastric cancer approximately doubled during the study period. Compared to open surgery patients, MIS patients were more likely to receive postoperative chemotherapy. The increased utilization of postoperative chemotherapy may explain the associated survival advantage observed with MIS.

The liver is the second leading site of colorectal cancer metastases, following the lymph nodes. Although metastatic resection for colorectal cancer liver metastases has been shown to improve survival, many patients cannot undergo surgery. Several nonsurgical therapies are available in these situations, however high-quality evidence comparing the effectiveness of these therapies is sparse. Here, we review the currently available evidence in support of nonresectional regional therapies for colorectal metastases to the liver.

Background We assessed adherence to four novel quality measures in patients with stage III esophageal cancer, a leading cause of death among GI malignancies. Methods We performed a retrospective cohort study of 22,871 stage III esophageal cancer patients identified from the National Cancer Database (NCDB) between 2004 and 2016. Four quality measures were defined from published guidelines: administration of induction therapy, >15 lymph nodes sampled, surgery within 60 days of neoadjuvant treatment, and R0 resection. The association of patient demographic and treatment variables with measure adherence was assessed using multiple logistic regression. Risk of all-cause mortality was assessed comparing adherent and non-adherent cases using Cox modeling. Kaplan-Meier survival estimates of groups that adhered to zero to four out of four quality measures were performed. Results Adherence was high for neoadjuvant treatment (93.7%), timing of surgery (85.7%) and completeness of resection (92.0%), but low for nodal evaluation (45.9%). Medicaid insurance status was associated with decreased odds of adherence for neoadjuvant treatment [odds ratio (OR) 0.73, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.54-0.99], nodal evaluation (OR 0.81, 95% CI: 0.68-0.96), and completeness of resection (OR 0.71, 95% CI: 0.54-0.92). From 2010 to 2016, when compared to cases from 2004 to 2005, there was a progressive increase in the odds of adequate induction therapy, nodal staging, and completeness of resection, but a progressive decrease in odds of well-timed surgery. Adherence was associated with decreased all-cause mortality for induction therapy, nodal staging, and R0 resection, but not for timing of surgery. Survival improved as the number of quality measures an individual patient adhered to increased. Conclusions Adherence to quality measures is associated with improved survival in patients with stage III esophageal cancer. Understanding variability in measure adherence may identify targets for quality improvement initiatives.

IMPORTANCE: Hospital safety culture remains a critical consideration when seeking to reduce medical errors and improve quality of care. Little is known regarding whether participation in a comprehensive, multicomponent, statewide quality collaborative is associated with changes in hospital safety culture. OBJECTIVE: To examine whether implementation of a comprehensive, multicomponent, statewide surgical quality improvement collaborative is associated with changes in hospital safety culture. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: In this survey study, the Safety Attitudes Questionnaire, a 56-item validated survey covering 6 culture domains (teamwork, safety, operating room safety, working conditions, perceptions of management, and employee engagement), was administered to a random sample of physicians, nurses, operating room staff, administrators, and leaders across Illinois hospitals to assess hospital safety culture prior to launching a new statewide quality collaborative in 2015 and then again in 2017. The final analysis included 1024 respondents from 36 diverse hospitals, including major academic, community, and rural centers, enrolled in ISQIC (Illinois Surgical Quality Improvement Collaborative). EXPOSURES: Participation in a comprehensive, multicomponent statewide surgical quality improvement collaborative. Key components included enrollment in a common standardized data registry, formal quality and process improvement training, participation in collaborative-wide quality improvement projects, funding support for local projects, and guidance provided by surgeon mentors and process improvement coaches. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Perception of hospital safety culture. RESULTS: The overall survey response rate was 43.0% (580 of 1350 surveys) in 2015 and 39.0% (444 of 1138 surveys) in 2017 from 36 hospitals. Improvement occurred in all the overall domains, with significant improvement in teamwork climate (change, 3.9%; P = .03) and safety climate (change, 3.2%; P = .02). The largest improvements occurred in individual measures within domains, including physician-nurse collaboration (change, 7.2%; P = .004), reporting of concerns (change, 4.7%; P = .009), and reduction in communication breakdowns (change, 8.4%; P = .005). Hospitals with the lowest baseline safety culture experienced the largest improvements following collaborative implementation (change range, 11.1%-14.9% per domain; P

OBJECTIVES: Evaluate the frequency of self-reported, post-call hazardous driving events in a national cohort of general surgery residents and determine the associations between duty hour policy violations, psychiatric well-being, and hazardous driving events. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: MVCs are a leading cause of resident mortality. Extended work shifts and poor psychiatric well-being are risk factors for MVCs, placing general surgery residents at risk. METHODS: General surgery residents from US programs were surveyed after the 2017 American Board of Surgery In-Training Examination. Outcomes included self-reported nodding off while driving, near-miss MVCs, and MVCs. Group-adjusted cluster Chi-square and hierarchical regression models with program-level intercepts measured associations between resident- and program-level factors and outcomes. RESULTS: Among 7391 general surgery residents from 260 programs (response rate 99.3%), 34.7% reported nodding off while driving, 26.6% a near-miss MVC, and 5.0% an MVC over the preceding 6 months. More frequent 80-hour rule violations were associated with all hazardous driving events: nodding off while driving {59.8% with ≥5 months with violations vs 27.2% with 0, adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 2.86 [95% confidence interval (CI) 2.21–3.69]}, near-miss MVCs, [53.6% vs 19.2%, AOR 3.28 (95% CI 2.53–4.24)], and MVCs [14.0% vs 3.5%, AOR 2.46 (95% CI 1.65–3.67)]. Similarly, poor psychiatric well-being was associated with all 3 outcomes [eg, 8.0% with poor psychiatric well-being reported MVCs vs 2.6% without, odds ratio 2.55 (95% CI 2.00–3.24)]. CONCLUSIONS: Hazardous driving events are prevalent among general surgery residents and associated with frequent duty hour violations and poor psychiatric well-being. Greater adherence to duty hour standards and efforts to improve well-being may improve driving safety.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Extended chemoprophylaxis is recommended for high-risk patients following pancreatectomy for malignancy. However, quantifying risk remains difficult. We sought to (a) identify factors associated with post-discharge venous thromboembolism (VTE) following pancreatectomy for malignancy and (b) develop a post-discharge VTE risk calculator to identify high-risk patients. METHODS Patients who underwent pancreatectomy for malignant histology from 2014 to 2018 were identified from the ACS NSQIP pancreatectomy procedure targeted dataset. Preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative factors known at hospital discharge were evaluated for association with post-discharge VTE via multivariable logistic regression. A post-discharge VTE risk calculator was developed and validated. RESULTS Of 19 340 analyzed patients, 280 (1.5%) developed post-discharge VTE. Post-discharge VTE was associated with increasing body mass index (BMI; eg, morbidly obese BMI odds ratio [OR]: 1.99 [95% confidence interval {CI}: 1.30-3.02] vs normal BMI), procedure type (distal pancreatectomy OR: 1.47 [95% CI: 1.02-2.12] vs pancreaticoduodenectomy), pancreatic fistula (OR: 1.59 [95% CI: 1.19-2.13]) and delayed gastric emptying (OR: 1.81 [95% CI: 1.29-2.52]). Patients' predicted probability of post-discharge VTE ranged from 0.7% to 9.0%. Twenty iterations of 10-fold cross-validation demonstrated internal validity. CONCLUSIONS Preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative factors were associated with post-discharge VTE following pancreatectomy for malignancy. This post-discharge VTE risk calculator allows for quantification of individual post-discharge VTE risk, which ranged from 0.7% to 9.0%.

BACKGROUND: Cancer center accreditation is designed to identify centers that provide high-quality cancer care. This also guides patients and referring physicians towards centers of excellence for specialized care. We sought to examine if cancer center accreditation was associated with improved long-term oncologic outcomes in patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma. METHODS: Using the SEER-Medicare database, we identified patients who underwent pancreatectomy for pancreatic adenocarcinoma from 1996 to 2013. Hospitals were categorized into three groups: National Cancer Institute-designated (NCI-designated) centers, Commission on Cancer (CoC)-accredited centers, and “non-accredited” (NA) centers. Multilevel mixed-effects models were used to calculate adjusted examined lymph nodes, disease-specific survival (DSS), and overall survival (OS). RESULTS: We identified 5,118 patients who underwent pancreatectomy at 632 hospitals (41.0% NA, 49.6% CoC, 9.4% NCI). NCI-designated centers had a greater median number of lymph nodes examined compared with CoC-accredited or NA centers (14 vs. 10 vs. 11.0 nodes, respectively; p < 0.001). Patients treated at NCI centers had a higher 5-year DSS compared to those treated at CoC or NA centers (31.2% vs. 23.6% vs. 23.0%, respectively; p < 0.001). Finally, patients treated at NCI centers had a higher 5-year OS compared to those treated at CoC or NA centers (23.5% vs. 18.9% vs. 17.9%, respectively; p < 0.001). The associations held true when adjusted analyses were performed. CONCLUSION: Patients with resected pancreatic cancer treated at NCI-designated centers were associated with improved long-term oncologic outcomes. There was no difference between CoC-accredited centers compared with NA centers. Meticulous validation of accreditation is warranted globally prior to implementation.

Clinical research has boomed over the past decade, with the development of multiple clinical datasets that are available for retrospective review. However, data remain incomplete based on fragmented reporting, provider change, and loss of follow-up. New technologies are being developed to assist with this limitation, by joining health care systems' medical records, and tracking Medicare claims files. The future of health care will rely more heavily on these systems, and artificial intelligence to quickly pull relevant clinical and genomic data regarding particular diagnoses, as a means to personalize medicine. This article reviews current advances in management of Big Data.

Background: The measurement of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) has been studied in several malignancies, including metastatic pancreatic cancer, but less is known about its utility in monitoring treatment response and recurrence in resectable pancreatic cancer. Methods: We conducted a systematic review of the literature examining the association of ctDNA with overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival. Results: Five articles met our exclusion criteria. Baseline and/or postoperative ctDNA was found to be associated with decreased OS and recurrence-free survival. Discussion: ctDNA has the potential to be used as a prognostic biomarker and to guide therapy in resectable pancreatic cancer.

IMPORTANCE: Mistreatment is a common experience among surgical residents and is associated with burnout. Women have been found to experience mistreatment at higher rates than men. Further characterization of surgical residents’ experiences with gender discrimination and sexual harassment may inform solutions. OBJECTIVE: To describe the types, sources, and factors associated with (1) discrimination based on gender, gender identity, or sexual orientation and (2) sexual harassment experienced by residents in general surgery programs across the US. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This cross-sectional national survey study was conducted after the 2019 American Board of Surgery In-Training Examination (ABSITE). The survey asked respondents about their experiences with gender discrimination and sexual harassment during the academic year starting July 1, 2018, through the testing date in January 2019. All clinical residents enrolled in general surgery programs accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education were eligible. EXPOSURES: Specific types, sources, and factors associated with gender-based discrimination and sexual harassment. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Primary outcome was the prevalence of gender discrimination and sexual harassment. Secondary outcomes included sources of discrimination and harassment and associated individual- and program-level factors using gender-stratified multivariable logistic regression models. RESULTS: The survey was administered to 8129 eligible residents; 6956 responded (85.6% response rate)from 301 general surgery programs. Of those, 6764 residents had gender data available (3968 [58.7%] were male and 2796 [41.3%] were female individuals). In total, 1878 of 2352 female residents (79.8%) vs 562 of 3288 male residents (17.1%) reported experiencing gender discrimination (P

BACKGROUND: Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is the most common preventable cause of 30-day post-operative mortality, with many events occurring after hospital discharge. High-level evidence supports post-discharge VTE chemoprophylaxis following abdominal/pelvic cancer resection; however, some studies support a more tailored approach. Our objectives were to (1) identify risk factors associated with post-discharge VTE in a large cohort of patients undergoing colorectal cancer resection and (2) develop a post-discharge VTE risk calculator. METHODS: Patients who underwent colorectal cancer resection from 2012 to 2016 were identified from ACS NSQIP colectomy and proctectomy procedure–targeted modules. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with post-discharge VTE. Incorporating pre-operative, intra-operative, and post-operative variables, a post-discharge VTE risk calculator was constructed and validated. RESULTS: Of 51,139 patients, 387 (0.76%) developed post-discharge VTE. Pre-operative factors associated with post-discharge VTE included BMI (e.g., morbidly obese OR 2.27, 95% CI 1.65–3.12 vs. normal BMI), and thrombocytosis (OR 1.41, 95% CI 1.03–1.92). Intra-operative factors included operative time (4–6 h OR 1.56, 95% CI 1.12–2.17; > 6 h, OR 1.85, 95% CI 1.21–2.84, vs. < 2 h), and type of operation (e.g., open partial colectomy OR 1.67, 95% CI 1.30–2.16 vs. laparoscopic partial colectomy). Post-operative factors included anastomotic leak (OR 2.05, 95% CI 1.31–3.21) and post-operative ileus (OR 1.39, 95% CI 1.07–1.79). Using the risk calculator, the predicted probability of post-discharge VTE ranged from 0.04 to 10.29%. On a 10-fold cross validation, the calculator’s mean C-Statistic was 0.65. CONCLUSIONS: Patient-specific factors are associated with varying rates of post-discharge VTE. We present the first post-discharge VTE risk calculator designed for use at the time of discharge following colorectal cancer resection.

INTRODUCTION. Chemotherapy is increasingly administered prior to resection in patients with early-stage pancreatic adenocarcinoma, but the national prevalence of this practice is poorly understood. Our objectives were to (1) describe the utilization of upfront chemotherapy management of stage I pancreatic cancer; (2) define factors associated with the use of upfront chemotherapy and subsequent resection; and (3) assess hospital-level variability in upfront chemotherapy and subsequent resection. METHODS. The National Cancer Database was used to identify patients treated for clinical stage I pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Outcomes were receipt of upfront chemotherapy and surgical resection after upfront chemotherapy. Associations between patient/hospital factors and both initial management and subsequent resection were assessed by multivariable logistic regression. RESULTS. A total of 17,495 patients were included, with 26.6% receiving upfront chemotherapy. Upfront chemotherapy was more likely in patients who were ≥ 80 years of age (odds ratio [OR] 1.64, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.39–1.93), had T2 tumors (OR 2.56, 95% CI 2.36–2.78), or were treated at a low-volume center (OR 2.10, 95% CI 1.63–2.71). Among patients receiving upfront chemotherapy, only 33.5% underwent subsequent resection. Resection was more likely in patients with T1 tumors (OR 1.22, 95% CI 1.04–1.43) and in those treated at high-volume centers (OR 4.03, 95% CI 2.90–5.60). Only 20.4% of hospitals performed resection in > 50% of patients after upfront chemotherapy. CONCLUSION. Rates of surgical resection after upfront chemotherapy are relatively low, and the proportion of patients who eventually undergo resection varies considerably between hospitals. The use of surgery after upfront chemotherapy in resectable pancreatic cancer should be considered as an internal quality-of-cancer-care measure.

BackgroundChemotherapy quality measures consider hospitals compliant when chemotherapy is recommended, even if it is not received. This may mask shortcomings in cancer care delivery. Objectives of this study were to (1) identify patient factors associated with failure to receive recommended chemotherapy without a documented contraindication and (2) assess hospital variation in failure to administer recommended chemotherapy.MethodsPatients from 2005 to 2015 with breast, colon and lung cancers who failed to receive recommended chemotherapy were identified using the National Cancer Database. Hospital-level rates of failure to administer recommended chemotherapy were calculated, and patient and hospital factors associated with failure to receive recommended chemotherapy were identified by multivariable logistic regression.ResultsA total of 183 148 patients at 1281 hospitals were analysed. Overall, 3.5% of patients with breast, 6.6% with colon and 10.7% with lung cancers failed to receive recommended chemotherapy. Patients were less likely to receive recommended chemotherapy in all cancers if uninsured or on Medicaid (pConclusions and relevanceThough overall rates are low, failure to receive recommended chemotherapy is associated with sociodemographic factors. Hospital variation in failure to administer recommended chemotherapy is masked by current quality measure definitions and may define a significant and unmeasured difference in hospital quality.

Palliative care, unlike hospice, can be utilized concurrently with disease-modifying or curative therapies. Some of the benefits of palliative care include improved quality of life, less end-of-life treatment, and decreased medical costs. Furthermore, palliative care can help guide treatment decisions to be in line with patients' physical, psychological, and spiritual needs. On the basis of these benefits, we advocate for palliative care involvement early in the course of advanced malignancy and other terminal diagnoses.

Cytoreductive surgery (CRS) and intraperitoneal chemotherapy (IPC) is an effective treatment option for selected patients with peritoneal metastases (PM), but national utilization patterns are poorly understood. The objectives of this study were to (1) describe population-based trends in national utilization of CRS/IPC; (2) define the most common indications for the procedure; and (3) characterize the types of hospitals performing the procedure. The National Inpatient Sample (NIS) was used to identify patients from 2006 to 2015 who underwent CRS/IPC, and to calculate national estimates of procedural frequency and oncologic indication. Hospitals performing CRS/IPC were classified based on size and teaching status. The estimated annual number of CRS/IPC cases increased significantly from 189 to 1540 (p

The objective of this study is to compare survival of Asian (AS), American Indian/Alaskan Native (AI/AN) and non-Hispanic white (NHW) women with endometrial adenocarcinoma (EC).Patients with EC were identified from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results program from 1988 to 2009. Kaplan-Meier survival methods and Cox proportional hazards regression were performed.Of the 105,083 women, 97,763 (93%) were NHW, 6699 (6.4%) were AS and 621 (0.6%) were AI/AN. AS and AI/AN were younger than NHW with mean age of 57.7 and 56.5 vs. 64.3 years (p0.001 and 0.059). Advanced stage and high-risk histology were more prominent in AS than NHW (15.6% vs. 13.3%, p = 0.04, 10.6% vs. 9.6%, p= 0.041). Lymphadenectomy was performed more frequently in AS than NHW (56.7% vs. 48.2%, p0.001). Asian immigrants were younger than Asian natives (mean age 57 vs. 60.5 years, p0.001). In multivariate analysis, AS had better overall (OS) (HR 0.86, 95% CI 0.81-0.91, p0.001) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) (HR 0.92, 95% CI 0.84-1.00, p = 0.05) than NHW. Further, Asian immigrants had better OS (HR 0.83, 95% CI 0.73-0.94, p = 0.002) and CSS (HR 0.66, 95% CI 0.54-0.80, p0.001) than Asian natives. In contrast, AI/AN had worse OS (HR 1.35, 95% CI 1.15-1.59, p0.001) but no difference in CSS (HR 1.06, 95% CI 0.80-1.40, p = 0.69) than NHW.Asians were younger at presentation, more likely to have lymphadenectomy and had an improved outcome compared to NHW. Interestingly, Asian immigrants had more favorable outcome than Asians born in the US. Further studies are warranted to find possible explanations for such a difference.