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Introduction: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a leading cause of death and disability in children, but data on the longitudinal healthcare and financial needs of pediatric patients is limited in scope and duration. We sought to describe and predict these metrics following acute inpatient treatment for TBI., Methods: Children surviving their initial inpatient treatment for TBI were identified from Optum's deidentified Clinformatics® Data Mart Database (2007-2018). Treatment cost, healthcare utilization, and future inpatient readmission were stratified by follow-up intervals, type of claim, and injury severity. Both TBI-related and non-TBI related future cost and healthcare utilization were explored using linear mixed models. Acute inpatient healthcare utilization metrics were analyzed and used to predict future treatment cost and healthcare demands using linear regression models., Results: Among 7,400 patients, the majority suffered a mild TBI (50.2%). For patients with at least one-year follow-up (67.7%), patients accrued an average of 28.7 claims and $27,199 in costs, with 693 (13.8%) readmitted for TBI or non-TBI related causes. Severe TBI patients had a greater likelihood of readmission. Initial hospitalization length of stay and discharge disposition other than home were significant positive predictors of healthcare and financial utilization at one-and five-years follow-up. Linear mixed models demonstrated that pediatric TBI patients would accrue 21.1 claims and $25,203 in cost in the first year, and 9.4 claims and $4,147 in costs every additional year, with no significant differences based on initial injury severity., Discussion: Pediatric TBI patients require long-term healthcare and financial resources regardless of injury severity. Our cumulative findings provide essential information to clinicians, caretakers, researchers, advocates, and policymakers to better shape standards, expectations, and management of care following TBI., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Wiegand, Moazzam, Braga, Messiah and Qureshi.)

Background: The efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) combined with tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), trans-arterial chemoembolization (TACE), and radiotherapy to treat hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has not been well-defined. We performed a meta-analysis to characterize tumor response and survival associated with multimodal treatment of HCC., Methods: PubMed, Embase, Medline, Scopus, and CINAHL databases were searched (1990-2022). Random-effect meta-analysis was conducted to compare efficacy of treatment modalities. Odds ratios (OR) and standardized mean difference (SMD) were reported., Results: Thirty studies (4170 patients) met inclusion criteria. Triple therapy regimen (ICI + TKI + TACE) had the highest overall disease control rate (DCR) (87%, 95% CI 83-91), while ICI + radiotherapy had the highest objective response rate (ORR) (72%, 95% CI 54%-89%). Triple therapy had a higher DCR than ICI + TACE (OR 4.49, 95% CI 2.09-9.63), ICI + TKI (OR 3.08, 95% CI 1.63-5.82), and TKI + TACE (OR 2.90, 95% CI 1.61-5.20). Triple therapy demonstrated improved overall survival versus ICI + TKI (SMD 0.72, 95% CI 0.37-1.07) and TKI + TACE (SMD 1.13, 95% CI 0.70-1.48) (both p < 0.05). Triple therapy had a greater incidence of adverse events (AEs) compared with ICI + TKI (OR 0.59, 95% CI 0.29-0.91; p = 0.02), but no difference in AEs versus ICI + TACE or TKI + TACE (both p > 0.05)., Conclusion: The combination of ICIs, TKIs and TACE demonstrated superior tumor response and survival and should be considered for select patients with advanced HCC., (Copyright © 2024 International Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Social determinants of health can play an important role in patient health. Privilege is a right, benefit, advantage, or opportunity that can positively affect all social determinants of health. We sought to assess variations in the prevalence of privilege among patient populations and define the association of privilege on postoperative surgical outcomes., Methods: Medicare beneficiaries who underwent elective coronary artery bypass grafting, abdominal aortic aneurysm repair, total hip arthroplasty, total knee arthroplasty, colectomy, and lung resection were identified. The Index of Concentration of Extremes (ICE), a validated metric of both social spatial polarization and privilege was calculated and merged with county-level data obtained from the American Community Survey. Textbook outcome (TO) was defined as absence of postoperative complications, extended length of stay, 90-day mortality, and 90-day readmission. Multivariable regression analysis was performed to assess the relationship between ICE and TO., Results: Among 1,885,889 Medicare beneficiaries who met inclusion criteria, 655,980 (34.8%) individuals resided in areas with the highest privilege (i.e., White, high-income homogeneity), whereas 221,314 (11.7%) individuals resided in areas of the lowest privilege (i.e., Black, low-income homogeneity). The overall incidence of TO was 66.2% (n = 1,247,558). On multivariable regression, residence in the most advantaged neighbourhoods was associated with a lower chance of surgical complications (odds ratio [OR] 0.90, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.88-0.91), a prolonged length of stay (OR 0.81, 95% CI 0.79-82), 90-day readmission (OR 0.94, 95% CI 0.92-0.95), and 90-day mortality (OR 0.71, 95% CI 0.68-0.74) (all P < 0.001). Residence in the most privileged areas was associated with 19% increased odds of achieving TO (OR 1.19, 95% CI 1.18-1.21), as well as a 6% reduction in Medicare expenditures versus individuals in the least privileged counties (OR 0.94, 95% CI 0.94-0.94) (both P < 0.001)., Conclusions: Privilege, based on the ICE joint measure of racial/ethnic and economic spatial concentration, was strongly associated with the likelihood to achieve an "optimal" TO following surgery. As healthcare is a basic human right, privilege should not be associated with disparities in surgical care., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Food insecurity predisposes individuals to suboptimal nutrition, leading to chronic disease and poor outcomes., Objective: We sought to assess the impact of county-level food insecurity on colorectal surgical outcomes., Design: Retrospective cohort study., Setting: Data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results-Medicare database was merged with county-level food insecurity obtained from the Feeding America: Mapping the Meal Gap report. Multiple logistic and Cox regression adjusted for patient-level covariates were implemented to assess outcomes., Patients: Medicare beneficiaries diagnosed with colorectal cancer between 2010 and 2015., Main Outcome Measures: Surgical admission type (nonelective and elective admission), any complication, extended length of stay, discharge disposition (discharged to home and nonhome discharge), 90-day readmission, 90-day mortality, and textbook outcome. Textbook outcome was defined as no extended length of stay, postoperative complications, 90-day readmission, and 90-day mortality., Results: Among 72,354 patients with colorectal cancer, 46,296 underwent resection. Within the surgical cohort, 9091 (19.3%) were in low, 27,716 (59.9%) were in moderate, and 9,489 (20.5%) were in high food insecurity counties. High food insecurity patients had greater odds of nonelective surgery (OR: 1.17; 95% CI, 1.09-1.26; p < 0.001), 90-day readmission (OR: 1.11; 95% CI, 1.04-1.19; p = 0.002), extended length of stay (OR: 1.32; 95% CI, 1.21-1.44; p < 0.001), and complications (OR: 1.11; 95% CI, 1.03-1.19; p = 0.002). High food insecurity patients also had decreased odds of home discharge (OR: 0.85; 95% CI, 0.79-0.91; p < 0.001) and textbook outcomes (OR: 0.81; 95% CI, 0.75-0.87; p < 0.001). High food insecurity minority patients had increased odds of complications (OR 1.59; 95% CI, 1.43-1.78) and extended length of stay (OR 1.89; 95% CI, 1.69-2.12) compared with low food insecurity white patients (all, p < 0.001). Notably, high food insecurity minority patients had 31% lower odds of textbook outcomes (OR: 0.69; 95% CI, 0.62-0.76; p < 0.001) compared with low food insecurity White patients ( p < 0.001)., Limitations: This study was limited to Medicare beneficiaries aged 65 years or older; hence, it may not be generalizable to younger populations or those without insurance or with private insurance., Conclusions: County-level food insecurity was associated with suboptimal outcomes, demonstrating the importance of interventions to mitigate these inequities. See Video Abstract., La Asociacin De Inseguridad Alimentaria Y Resultados Quirrgicos Entre Pacientes Sometidos a Ciruga De Cncer Colorrectal: ANTECEDENTES:La inseguridad alimentaria predispone a las personas a una nutrición subóptima, lo que conduce a enfermedades crónicas y malos resultados.OBJETIVO:Intentamos evaluar el impacto de la inseguridad alimentaria a nivel de condado en resultados de la cirugía colorrectal.DISEÑO:Estudio de cohorte retrospectivo.ENTORNO CLINICO:La base de datos SEER-Medicare fusionada con la inseguridad alimentaria a nivel de condado obtenida del informe Feeding America: Mapping the Meal Gap. Para evaluar los resultados se implementaron regresiones logísticas múltiples y de Cox ajustadas según las covariables a nivel de paciente.PACIENTES:Beneficiarios de Medicare diagnosticados con cáncer colorrectal entre 2010 y 2015.PRINCIPALES MEDIDAS DE RESULTADO:Tipo de ingreso quirúrgico (ingreso no electivo y electivo), cualquier complicación, duración prolongada de la estancia hospitalaria, disposición del alta (alta al domicilio y alta no domiciliaria), reingreso a los 90 días, mortalidad a los 90 días y resultado del libro de texto. El resultado de los libros de texto se definió como ausencia de estancia hospitalaria prolongada, complicaciones postoperatorias, reingreso a los 90 días y mortalidad a los 90 días.RESULTADOS:Entre 72.354 pacientes con cáncer colorrectal, 46.296 se sometieron a resección. Dentro de la cohorte quirúrgica, 9.091 (19,3%) tenían inseguridad alimentaria baja, 27.716 (59,9%) eran moderadas y 9.489 (20,5%) tenían inseguridad alimentaria alta. Los pacientes con alta inseguridad alimentaria tuvieron mayores probabilidades de cirugía no electiva (OR: 1,17, IC 95%: 1,09-1,26, p <0,001), reingreso a los 90 días (OR: 1,11, IC95%: 1,04-1,19, p = 0,002), duración prolongada de la estancia hospitalaria (OR: 1,32; IC95%: 1,21-1,44, p < 0,001) y complicaciones (OR: 1,11; IC95%: 1,03-1,19, p = 0,002). Los pacientes con alta inseguridad alimentaria también tuvieron menores probabilidades de ser dados de alta a domicilio (OR: 0,85, IC del 95%: 0,79-0,91, p <0,001) y resultados de los libros de texto (OR: 0,81, IC del 95%: 0,75-0,87, p <0,001). Los pacientes minoritarios con alta inseguridad alimentaria tuvieron mayores probabilidades de complicaciones (OR 1,59, IC 95%, 1,43-1,78) y duración prolongada de la estadía (OR 1,89, IC 95%, 1,69-2,12) en comparación con los individuos blancos con baja inseguridad alimentaria (todos, p < 0,001). En particular, los pacientes minoritarios con alta inseguridad alimentaria tenían un 31% menos de probabilidades de obtener resultados según los libros de texto (OR: 0,69, IC del 95%, 0,62-0,76, p <0,001) en comparación con los pacientes blancos con baja inseguridad alimentaria ( p <0,001).LIMITACIONES:Limitado a beneficiarios de Medicare mayores de 65 años, por lo tanto, puede no ser generalizable a poblaciones más jóvenes o a aquellos sin seguro o con seguro privado.CONCLUSIONES:La inseguridad alimentaria a nivel de condado se asoció con resultados subóptimos, lo que demuestra la importancia de las intervenciones para mitigar estas desigualdades. (Dr. Francisco M. Abarca-Rendon )., (Copyright © The ASCRS 2023.)

Background: Patients with Acute Care Surgery needs (ie, emergency general surgery diagnosis or trauma admission) are at particularly high risk for nonmedical patient-related factors that can be important drivers of healthcare outcomes. These social determinants of health are typically ascertained at the geographic area level (ie, county or neighborhood) rather than at the individual patient level. Recently, the International Classification of Diseases Tenth Revision, Tenth Edition created codes to capture health hazards related to patient socioeconomic and psychosocial circumstances. We sought to characterize the impact of these social determinants of health-related codes on perioperative outcomes among patients with acute care surgery needs., Methods: Patients diagnosed between 2017 and 2020 with acute care surgery needs (ie, emergency general surgery diagnosis or a trauma admission) were identified in the California Department of Healthcare Access and information Patient Discharge database. Data on concomitant social determinants of health-related codes (International Classification of Diseases Tenth Revision, Tenth Edition Z55-Z65), which designated health hazards related to socioeconomic and psychosocial (socioeconomic and psychosocial, respectively) circumstances, were obtained. After controlling for patient factors, including age, sex, race, payer type, and admitting hospital, the association of socioeconomic and psychosocial codes with perioperative outcomes and hospital disposition was analyzed., Results: Among 483,280 with an acute care surgery admission (emergency general surgery: n = 289,530, 59.9%; trauma: n = 193,705, 40.1%) mean age was 56.5 years (standard deviation: 21.5) and 271,911 (56.3%) individuals were male. Overall, 16,263 (3.4%) patients had a concomitant socioeconomic and psychosocial diagnosis code. The percentage of patients with a concurrent social determinants of health International Classification of Diseases Tenth Revision, Tenth Edition diagnosis increased throughout the study period from 2.6% in 2017 to 4.4% in 2020. Patients that were male (odds ratio 1.89; 95% confidence interval 1.82, 1.96), insured by Medicaid (odds ratio 5.43; 95% confidence interval 5.15, 5.72) or self-pay (odds ratio 3.04; 95% confidence interval 2.75, 3.36) all had higher odds of having an social determinants of health International Classification of Diseases Tenth Revision, Tenth Edition diagnosis. Black race did not have a significant association with an social determinants of health International Classification of Diseases Tenth Revision, Tenth Edition diagnosis (odds ratio 0.99; 95% confidence interval 0.94, 1.04); however, Hispanic (odds ratio 0.44; 95% confidence interval 0.43, 0.46) and Asian (odds ratio 0.40; 95% confidence interval 0.36, 0.44) race/ethnicity was associated with a lower odds of having an social determinants of health International Classification of Diseases Tenth Revision, Tenth Edition diagnosis. After controlling for competing risk factors on multivariable analyses, the risk-adjusted probability of hospital postoperative death was 3.1% (95% confidence interval 2.8, 3.4) among patients with a social determinants of health diagnosis versus 5.9% (95% confidence interval 5.9, 6.0) (odds ratio 0.48; 95% confidence interval 0.44, 0.54) among patients without a social determinants of health diagnosis. Risk-adjusted complications were 26.7% (95% confidence interval 26.1, 37.3) among patients with a social determinants of health diagnosis compared with 31.9% (95% confidence interval 31.7, 32.0) (odds ratio 0.74; 95% confidence interval 0.71, 0.77) among patients without a social determinants of health diagnosis., Conclusion: International Classification of Diseases Tenth Revision, Tenth Edition social determinants of health code use was low, with only 3.4% of patients having documentation of a socioeconomic and psychosocial circumstance. The presence of an International Classification of Diseases Tenth Revision, Tenth Edition social determinants of health code was not associated with greater odds of complications or death; however, it was associated with longer length of stay and higher odds of being discharged to a skilled nursing facility., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Case volume has been associated with improved outcomes for patients undergoing treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma, often with higher hospital expenditures. We sought to define the cost-effectiveness of hepatocellular carcinoma treatment at high-volume centers., Methods: Patients diagnosed with hepatocellular carcinoma from 2013 to 2017 were identified from Medicare Standard Analytic Files. High-volume centers were defined as the top decile of facilities performing hepatectomies in a year. A multivariable generalized linear model with gamma distribution and a restricted mean survival time model were used to estimate costs and survival differences relative to high-volume center status. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio was used to define the additional cost incurred for a 1-year incremental gain in survival., Results: Among 13,666 patients, 8,467 (62.0%) were treated at high-volume centers. Median expenditure was higher ($19,148, interquartile range $15,280-$29,128) among patients treated at high-volume centers versus low-volume centers ($18,209, interquartile range $14,959-$29,752). Despite similar median length-of-stay (6 days, interquartile range 4-9), a slightly higher proportion of patients were discharged to home from high-volume centers (n = 4,903, 57.9%) versus low-volume centers (n = 2,868, 55.2%) (P = .002). A 0.14-year (95% confidence interval 0.06-0.22) (1 month and 3 weeks) survival benefit was associated with an incremental cost of $1,070 (95% confidence interval $749-$1,392) among patients undergoing surgery at high-volume centers. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio for treatment at a high-volume center was $7,951 (95% confidence interval $4,236-$21,217) for an additional year of survival, which was below the cost-effective threshold of $21,217., Conclusion: Surgical care at high-volume centers offers the potential to deliver cancer care in a more cost-effective and value-based manner., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: We sought to characterize the impact access to gastroenterologists/hepatologists has on liver transplantation listing, as well as time on the liver transplantation waitlist and post-transplant outcomes., Methods: Liver transplantation registrants aged >18 years between January 1, 2004 and December 31, 2019 were identified from the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients Standard Analytic Files. The liver transplantation registration ratio was defined as the ratio of liver transplant waitlist registrations in a given county per 1,000 liver-related deaths., Results: A total of 150,679 liver transplantation registrants were included. Access to liver transplantation centers and liver-specific specialty physicians varied markedly throughout the United States. Of note, the liver transplantation registration ratio was lower in counties with poor access to liver-specific care versus counties with adequate access (poor access 137.2, interquartile range 117.8-163.2 vs adequate access 157.6, interquartile range 127.3-192.2, P < .001). Among patients referred for liver transplantation, the cumulative incidence of waitlist mortality and post-transplant graft survival was comparable among patients with poor versus adequate access to liver-specific care (both P > .05). Among liver transplantation recipients living in areas with poor access, after controlling for recipient and donor characteristics, cold ischemic time, and model for end-stage liver disease score, the area deprivation index predicted graft survival (referent, low area deprivation index; medium area deprivation index, hazard ratio 1.52, 95% confidence interval 1.03-12.23; high area deprivation index, 1.45, 95% confidence interval 1.01-12.09, both P < .05)., Conclusion: Poor access to liver-specific care was associated with a reduction in liver transplantation registration, and individuals residing in counties with high social deprivation had worse graft survival among patients living in counties with poor access to liver-specific care., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: We sought to develop and validate a preoperative model to predict survival after recurrence (SAR) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)., Background: Although HCC is characterized by recurrence as high as 60%, models to predict outcomes after recurrence remain relatively unexplored., Methods: Patients who developed recurrent HCC between 2000 and 2020 were identified from an international multi-institutional database. Clinicopathologic data on primary disease and laboratory and radiologic imaging data on recurrent disease were collected. Multivariable Cox regression analysis and internal bootstrap validation (5000 repetitions) were used to develop and validate the SARScore. Optimal Survival Tree analysis was used to characterize SAR among patients treated with various treatment modalities., Results: Among 497 patients who developed recurrent HCC, median SAR was 41.2 months (95% CI 38.1-52.0). The presence of cirrhosis, number of primary tumors, primary macrovascular invasion, primary R1 resection margin, AFP>400 ng/mL on the diagnosis of recurrent disease, radiologic extrahepatic recurrence, radiologic size and number of recurrent lesions, radiologic recurrent bilobar disease, and early recurrence (≤24 months) were included in the model. The SARScore successfully stratified 1-, 3- and 5-year SAR and demonstrated strong discriminatory ability (3-year AUC: 0.75, 95% CI 0.70-0.79). While a subset of patients benefitted from resection/ablation, Optimal Survival Tree analysis revealed that patients with high SARScore disease had the worst outcomes (5-year AUC; training: 0.79 vs. testing: 0.71). The SARScore model was made available online for ease of use and clinical applicability ( https://yutaka-endo.shinyapps.io/SARScore/ )., Conclusion: The SARScore demonstrated strong discriminatory ability and may be a clinically useful tool to help stratify risk and guide treatment for patients with recurrent HCC., Competing Interests: The authors report no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Although systemic postoperative therapy after surgery for colorectal liver metastases is generally recommended, the benefit of adjuvant chemotherapy has been debated. We used machine learning to develop a decision tree and define which patients may benefit from adjuvant chemotherapy after hepatectomy for colorectal liver metastases., Methods: Patients who underwent curative-intent resection for colorectal liver metastases between 2000 and 2020 were identified from an international multi-institutional database. An optimal policy tree analysis was used to determine the optimal assignment of the adjuvant chemotherapy to subgroups of patients for overall survival and recurrence-free survival., Results: Among 1,358 patients who underwent curative-intent resection of colorectal liver metastases, 1,032 (76.0%) received adjuvant chemotherapy. After a median follow-up of 28.7 months (interquartile range 13.7-52.0), 5-year overall survival was 67.5%, and 3-year recurrence-free survival was 52.6%, respectively. Adjuvant chemotherapy was associated with better recurrence-free survival (3-year recurrence-free survival: adjuvant chemotherapy, 54.4% vs no adjuvant chemotherapy, 46.8%; P < .001) but no overall survival significant improvement (5-year overall survival: adjuvant chemotherapy, 68.1% vs no adjuvant chemotherapy, 65.7%; P = .15). Patients were randomly allocated into 2 cohorts (training data set, n = 679, testing data set, n = 679). The random forest model demonstrated good performance in predicting counterfactual probabilities of death and recurrence relative to receipt of adjuvant chemotherapy. According to the optimal policy tree, patient demographics, secondary tumor characteristics, and primary tumor characteristics defined the subpopulation that would benefit from adjuvant chemotherapy., Conclusion: A novel artificial intelligence methodology based on patient, primary tumor, and treatment characteristics may help clinicians tailor adjuvant chemotherapy recommendations after colorectal liver metastases resection., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: This study sought to quantify the direct and indirect effects of race on postoperative outcomes after complex surgery., Methods: Medicare patients who underwent abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair, coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), lung resection or colectomy were identified (2014-2018). Generalized structural equation modelling was utilized to quantify the direct and indirect effects of race on Textbook outcome (TO)., Results: Among 930,033 patients, 46.8% of patients achieved a TO, with Black patients less likely to achieve a TO (referent: White; Black: OR 0.72, 95% CI 0.70-0.73). Notably, 32.3% of the disparities in TO were attributable to race itself, while 67.7% was explained by other factors. Specifically, residential segregation accounted for 39.4% of the lower TO rates among Black patients, while 21.0% was attributable to a high comorbidity burden., Conclusions: These data highlight the need to target structural racism as a policy priority to promote a more equitable healthcare system., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: We sought to characterize the risk of postoperative complications relative to the surgical approach and overall synchronous colorectal liver metastases tumor burden score., Methods: Patients with synchronous colorectal liver metastases who underwent curative-intent resection between 2000 and 2020 were identified from an international multi-institutional database. Propensity score matching was employed to control for heterogeneity between the 2 groups. A virtual twins analysis was performed to identify potential subgroups of patients who might benefit more from staged versus simultaneous resection., Results: Among 976 patients who underwent liver resection for synchronous colorectal liver metastases, 589 patients (60.3%) had a staged approach, whereas 387 (39.7%) patients underwent simultaneous resection of the primary tumor and synchronous colorectal liver metastases. After propensity score matching, 295 patients who underwent each surgical approach were analyzed. Overall, the incidence of postoperative complications was 34.1% (n = 201). Among patients with high tumor burden scores, the surgical approach was associated with a higher incidence of postoperative complications; in contrast, among patients with low or medium tumor burden scores, the likelihood of complications did not differ based on the surgical approach. Virtual twins analysis demonstrated that preoperative tumor burden score was important to identify which subgroup of patients benefited most from staged versus simultaneous resection. Simultaneous resection was associated with better outcomes among patients with a tumor burden score <9 and a node-negative right-sided primary tumor; in contrast, staged resection was associated with better outcomes among patients with node-positive left-sided primary tumors and higher tumor burden score., Conclusion: Among patients with high tumor burden scores, simultaneous resection of the primary tumor and liver metastases was associated with an increased incidence of postoperative complications., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Mental health has an important role in the care of cancer patients, and access to mental health services may be associated with improved outcomes. Thus, poor access to psychiatric services may contribute to suboptimal cancer treatment. We conducted a geospatial analysis to characterize psychiatrist distribution and assess the impact of mental healthcare shortages with surgical outcomes among patients with gastrointestinal cancer., Methods: Medicare beneficiaries with mental illness diagnosed with complex gastrointestinal cancers between 2004 and 2016 were identified in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER)-Medicare registry. National Provider Identifier-registered psychiatrist locations were mapped and linked to SEER-Medicare records. Regional access to psychiatric services was assessed relative to textbook outcome, a composite assessment of postoperative complications, prolonged length of stay, 90-day readmission and mortality., Results: Among 15,714 patients with mental illness and gastrointestinal cancer, 3937 were classified as having high access to psychiatric services while 3910 had low access. On multivariable logistic regression, areas with low access had higher risk of worse postoperative outcomes. Specifically, individuals residing in areas with low access had increased odds of prolonged length of stay (OR 1.11, 95%CI 1.01-1.22; p = 0.028) and 90-day readmission (OR 1.19, 95%CI 1.08-1.31; p < 0.001), as well as decreased odds of textbook outcome (OR 0.85, 95%CI 0.77-0.93; p < 0.001) and discharge to home (OR 0.89, 95%CI 0.80-0.99; p = 0.028)., Conclusion: Patients with mental illness and lower access to psychiatric services had worse postoperative outcomes. Policymakers and providers should prioritize incorporating mental health screening and access to psychiatric services to address disparities among patients undergoing gastrointestinal surgery., (© 2023. Society of Surgical Oncology.)

Objective: We sought to define the impact of community privilege on variations in travel patterns and access to care at high-volume hospitals for complex surgical procedures., Background: With increased emphasis on centralization of high-risk surgery, social determinants of health play a critical role in preventing equitable access to care. Privilege is a right, benefit, advantage, or opportunity that positively impacts all social determinants of health., Methods: The California Office of State-wide Health Planning Database identified patients who underwent esophagectomy (ES), pneumonectomy (PN), pancreatectomy (PA), or proctectomy (PR) for a malignant diagnosis between 2012 and 2016 and was merged using ZIP codes with the Index of Concentration of Extremes, a validated metric of both spatial polarization and privilege obtained from the American Community Survey. Clustered multivariable regression was performed to assess the probability of undergoing care at a high-volume center, bypassing the nearest and high-volume center, and total real driving time and travel distance., Results: Among 25,070 patients who underwent a complex oncologic operation (ES: n=1216, 4.9%; PN: n=13,247, 52.8%; PD: n=3559, 14.2%; PR: n=7048, 28.1%), 5019 (20.0%) individuals resided in areas with the highest privilege (i.e., White, high-income homogeneity), whereas 4994 (19.9%) individuals resided in areas of the lowest privilege (i.e., Black, low-income homogeneity). Median travel distance was 33.1 miles (interquartile range 14.4-72.2). Roughly, three-quarters of patients (overall: 74.8%, ES: 35.0%; PN: 74.3%; PD: 75.2%; PR: 82.2%) sought surgical care at a high-volume center. On multivariable regression, patients residing in the least advantaged communities were less likely to undergo surgery at a high-volume hospital (overall: odds ratio 0.65, 95% CI 0.52-0.81). Of note, individuals in the least privileged areas had longer travel distances (28.5 miles, 95% CI 21.2-35.8) to reach the destination facility, as well as over 70% greater odds of bypassing a high-volume hospital to undergo surgical care at a low-volume center (odds ratio 1.74, 95% CI 1.29-2.34) versus individuals living in the highest privileged areas., Conclusions and Relevance: Privilege had a marked effect on access to complex oncologic surgical care at high-volume centers. These data highlight the need to focus on privilege as a key social determinant of health that influences patient access to and utilization of health care resources., Competing Interests: The authors report no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: The composition of the US healthcare workforce relative to citizenship status remains ill-defined. We sought to characterize practice patterns among US doctors relative to citizenship status., Materials and Methods: Data were extracted from the 2008-2019 American Community Surveys, and citizenship was stratified as: citizens by birth, naturalized citizens for ≥ 10 years or < 10 years, and non-citizens. Multinomial logistic regression models and inverse probability weighting were employed. The data were reported as differences in proportions/means with 95% confidence intervals., Results: Among 97,775,606 respondents, 113,638 were identified as doctors (0.12%). Among the surveyed doctors, 72.4% (95% CI 72.1-72.8%) were citizens by birth, followed by naturalized citizens ≥ 10 years [14.4% (95% CI 14.1-14.6%)], non-citizens [7.2% (95% CI 7.0-7.4%)], and naturalized citizens < 10 years [6.0% (95% CI 5.8-6.1%)]. Naturalized citizens ≥ 10 and < 10 years worked 40.4 (95% CI 12.6-68.2) and 38.2 (95% CI 4.8-71.6) more hours annually compared with citizens by birth, respectively (both p < 0.05). While 22.7% of doctors who were citizens by birth worked in high socially vulnerable counties, immigrant doctors were more likely to work in these areas (difference (95% CI); naturalized citizens ≥ 10 years, 7.7% (6.1-9.4) vs. naturalized citizens < 10 years, 8.0% (5.9-10.1) vs. non-citizens, 4.1% (2.0-6.1)). Furthermore, naturalized citizens ≥ 10 years and < 10 years worked in lower physician density counties that had 29.6 (14.4-44.8) and 59.9 (42.3-77.5) more people, respectively, relative to doctors (all p < 0.001)., Conclusions: Immigrant doctors play a vital role in addressing US healthcare needs. Policies that encourage the increased integration and utilization of immigrant doctors and physicians-in-training may help to foster a sustainable healthcare workforce over the coming decades., (© 2023. The Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract.)

Background: A preoperative predictive score for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) can help stratify patients who undergo resection relative to long-term outcomes and tailor treatment strategies., Methods: Patients who underwent curative-intent hepatectomy for HCC between 2000 and 2020 were identified from an international multi-institutional database. A risk score (mFIBA) was developed using an Eastern cohort and then validated using a Western cohort., Results: Among 957 patients, 443 and 514 patients were included from the Eastern and Western cohorts, respectively. On multivariable analysis, alpha-feto protein (HR1.97, 95%CI 1.42-2.72), neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (HR1.74, 95%CI 1.28-2.38), albumin-bilirubin grade (HR1.66, 95%CI 1.21-2.28), and imaging tumor burden score (HR1.25, 95%CI 1.12-1.40) were associated with OS. The c-index in the Eastern test and Western validation cohorts were 0.69 and 0.67, respectively. Notably, mFIBA score outperformed previous HCC staging systems. 5-year OS incrementally decreased with an increase in mFIBA. On multivariable Cox regression analysis, the mFIBA score was associated with worse OS (HR1.18, 95%CI 1.13-1.23) and higher risk of recurrence (HR1.16, 95%CI 1.11-1.20). An easy-to-use calculator of the mFIBA score was made available online (https://yutaka-endo.shinyapps.io/mFIBA&#95;score/)., Discussion: The online mFIBA calculator may help surgeons with clinical decision-making to individualize perioperative treatment strategies for patients undergoing resection of HCC., (Copyright © 2023 International Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Benchmarking is a process of continuous self-evaluation and comparison with best-in-class hospitals to guide quality improvement initiatives. We sought to define global benchmarks relative to liver resection for malignancy and to assess their achievement in hospitals in the United States., Methods: Patients who underwent curative-intent liver resection for hepatocellular carcinoma, intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, or colorectal or neuroendocrine liver metastases between 2000 and 2019 were identified from an international multi-institutional database. Propensity score matching was conducted to balance baseline characteristics between open and minimally invasive approaches. Best-in-class hospitals were defined relative to the achievement rate of textbook oncologic outcomes and case volume. Benchmark values were established relative to best-in-class institutions. The achievement of benchmark values among hospitals in the National Cancer Database was then assessed., Results: Among 2,624 patients treated at 20 centers, a majority underwent liver resection for hepatocellular carcinoma (n = 1,609, 61.3%), followed by colorectal liver metastases (n = 650, 24.8%), intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (n = 299, 11.4%), and neuroendocrine liver metastases (n = 66, 2.5%). Notably, 1,947 (74.2%) patients achieved a textbook oncologic outcome. After propensity score matching, 6 best-in-class hospitals with the highest textbook oncologic outcome rates (≥75.0%) were identified. Benchmark values were calculated for margin positivity (≤11.7%), 30-day readmission (≤4.1%), 30-day mortality (≤1.6%), minor postoperative complications (≤24.7%), severe complications (≤12.4%), and failure to achieve the textbook oncologic outcome (≤22.8%). Among the National Cancer Database hospitals, global benchmarks for margin positivity, 30-day readmission, 30-day mortality, severe complications, and textbook oncologic outcome failure were achieved in 62.9%, 27.1%, 12.1%, 7.1%, and 29.3% of centers, respectively., Conclusion: These global benchmarks may help identify hospitals that may benefit from quality improvement initiatives, aiming to improve patient safety and surgical oncologic outcomes., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: While Medicaid Expansion (ME) has improved healthcare access, disparities in outcomes after volume-dependent surgical care persist. We sought to characterize the impact of ME on postoperative outcomes among patients undergoing resection for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) at high-volume (HVF) versus low-volume (LVF) facilities., Methods: Patients who underwent resection for PDAC were identified from the National Cancer Database (NCDB; 2011-2018). HVF was defined as ≥20 resections/year. Patients were divided into pre- and post-ME cohorts, and the primary outcome was textbook oncologic outcomes (TOO). Difference-in-difference (DID) analysis was used to assess changes in TOO achievement among patients living in ME versus non-ME states., Results: Among 33,764 patients who underwent resection of PDAC, 19.1% (n = 6461) were treated at HVF. Rates of TOO achievement were higher at HVF (HVF: 45.7% vs. LVF: 32.8%; p < 0.001). On multivariable analysis, undergoing surgery at HVF was associated with higher odds of achieving TOO (odds ratio [OR] 1.60, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.49-1.72) and improved overall survival (OS) [hazard ratio (HR) 0.96, 95% CI 0.92-0.99]. Compared with patients living in non-ME states, individuals living in ME states were more likely to achieve TOO on adjusted DID analysis (5.4%, p = 0.041). Although rates of TOO achievement did not improve after ME at HVF (3.7%, p = 0.574), ME contributed to markedly higher rates of TOO among patients treated at LVF (6.7%, p = 0.022)., Conclusions: Although outcomes for PDAC remain volume-dependent, ME has contributed to significant improvement in TOO achievement among patients treated at LVF. These data highlight the impact of ME on reducing disparities in surgical outcomes relative to site of care., (© 2023. Society of Surgical Oncology.)

Background: Disparities in utilization of post-discharge care and overall expenditures may relate to site of care and race/ethnicity. We sought to define the impact of minority-serving hospitals (MSHs) on postoperative outcomes, discharge disposition, and overall expenditures associated with an episode of surgical care., Methods: Patients who underwent resection for esophageal, colon, rectal, pancreatic, and liver cancer were identified from Medicare Standard Analytic Files (2013-2017). A MSH was defined as the top decile of facilities treating minority patients (Black and/or Hispanic). The impact of MSH on outcomes of interest was analyzed using multivariable logistic regression and generalized linear regression models. Textbook outcome (TO) was defined as no postoperative complications, no prolonged length of stay, and no 90-day mortality or readmission., Results: Among 113,263 patients, only a small subset of patients underwent surgery at MSHs (n = 4404, 3.9%). While 52.3% of patients achieved TO, rates were lower at MSHs (MSH: 47.2% vs. non-MSH: 52.5%; p < 0.001). On multivariable analysis, receiving care at an MSH was associated with not achieving TO (odds ratio [OR] 0.81, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.76-0.87) and concomitantly higher odds of additional post-discharge care (OR 1.10, 95% CI 1.01-1.20). Patients treated at an MSH also had higher median post-discharge expenditures (MSH: $8400, interquartile range [IQR] $2300-$22,100 vs. non-MSH: $7000, IQR $2200-$17,900; p = 0.002). In fact, MSHs remained associated with a 11.05% (9.78-12.33%) increase in index expenditures and a 16.68% (11.44-22.17%) increase in post-discharge expenditures., Conclusions: Patients undergoing surgery at a MSH were less likely to achieve a TO. Additionally, MSH status was associated with a higher likelihood of requiring post-discharge care and higher expenditures., (© 2023. Society of Surgical Oncology.)

Background: Although liver resection is a viable option for patients with early-stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), liver transplantation is the optimal treatment. The aim of this study was to identify characteristics of liver transplantation for elderly patients, and to assess the therapeutic benefit derived from liver transplantation over liver resection., Methods: This was a population-based study of patients undergoing liver transplantation for HCC in the USA between 2004 and 2018. Data were retrieved from the National Cancer Database. Elderly patients were defined as individuals aged 70 years and over. Propensity score overlap weighting was used to control for heterogeneity between the liver resection and liver transplantation cohorts., Results: Among 4909 liver transplant recipients, 215 patients (4.1 per cent) were classified as elderly. Among 5922 patients who underwent liver resection, 1907 (32.2 per cent) were elderly. Elderly patients who underwent liver transplantation did not have a higher hazard of dying during the first 5 years after transplantation than non-elderly recipients. After propensity score weighting, liver transplantation was associated with a lower risk of death than liver resection. Other factors associated with overall survival included diagnosis during 2016-2018, non-white/non-African American race, and α-fetoprotein level over 20 ng/dl., Conclusion: Elderly patients with HCC should not be excluded from liver transplantation based on age only. Transplantation leads to favourable survival compared with liver resection., (© The Author(s) 2023. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of BJS Society Ltd. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Background: Access to high-quality cancer care is affected by environmental exposures and structural inequities. This study sought to investigate the association between the environmental quality index (EQI) and achievement of textbook outcomes (TO) among Medicare beneficiaries over the age of 65 who underwent surgical resection for early-stage pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PDAC)., Methods: Patients diagnosed with early-stage PDAC from 2004 to 2015 were identified using the SEER-Medicare database and combined with the US Environmental Protection Agency's EQI data. High EQI category indicated poor environmental quality, whereas low EQI indicated better environmental conditions., Results: A total of 5,310 patients were included, of which 45.0% (n = 2,387) patients achieved TO. Median age was 73 years and more than half were female (n = 2,807, 52.9%), married (n = 3,280, 61.8%), and resided in the Western region of the US (n = 2,712, 51.1%). On multivariable analysis, patients residing in moderate and high EQI counties were less likely to achieve a TO (referent: low EQI; moderate EQI: OR 0.66, 95% CI 0.46-0.95; high EQI: OR 0.65, 95% CI 0.45-0.94; p < 0.05). Increasing age (OR 0.98, 95%CI 0.97-0.99), racial minorities (OR 0.73, 95% CI 0.63-0.85), having a Charlson co-morbidity index > 2 (OR 0.54, 95%CI 0.47-0.61) and stage II disease (OR 0.82, 95%CI 0.71-0.96) were also associated with not achieving a TO (all p < 0.001)., Conclusion: Older Medicare patients residing in moderate or high EQI counties were less likely to achieve an "optimal" TO after surgery. These results demonstrate that environmental factors may drive post-operative outcomes among patients with PDAC., (© 2023. The Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract.)

Introduction: The reasons for the geographic disparities in liver-related mortality across the US remain ill-defined. We sought to investigate the impact of travel distance to liver transplantation (LT) programs and social vulnerability on county differences in liver-related mortality., Methods: Data on LT registrants were obtained from the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients Standard Analytic Files (SRTR SAFs) between 2004 and 2019. Liver-related mortality data were obtained from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention's Wide-ranging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research (CDC WONDER) platform. Spatial epidemiological clustering of county-level LT registration and liver-related mortality rates was determined using local Moran's I. Comparison analyses assessed social vulnerability index (SVI) and travel distance within various county clusters., Results: Among 151 864 LT waitlist registrants who were diagnosed with liver disease due to hepatitis C virus (HCV) or hepatitis B virus (HBV) (n = 68 479, 45.1%), alcohol (n = 38 328, 25.2%), non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) (n = 17 485, 11.5%), liver tumors (n = 16 644, 11.0%), and other diseases (n = 10 928, 7.2%), median SVI was 59.3 (IQR, 40.1-83.4). SVI (76.2 vs. 24.3, p < .001) was greater in the highest versus lowest liver-related mortality quartiles. The travel distances to LT centers (143.1 miles vs. 107.2 miles, p < .001) was longer in the lowest versus highest LT registration quartiles. Counties with low LT registration rates and high liver-related mortality rates were associated with long travel distances and high SVI. In contrast, while counties with high LT registration rates and high liver-related mortality rates had comparable SVI, travel distance was relatively shorter., Conclusion: Counties with greater SVIs were associated with higher liver-related mortality, with the highest SVI  counties having the highest overall liver-related mortality. Longer travel distances were associated with higher liver-related mortality. These findings highlight the impact of social determinants of health (SDOH) on liver disease outcomes., (© 2023 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Objective: We sought to characterize the association between prolonged county-level poverty with postoperative outcomes., Background: The impact of long-standing poverty on surgical outcomes remains ill-defined., Methods: Patients who underwent lung resection, colectomy, coronary artery bypass graft, or lower extremity joint replacement were identified from Medicare Standard Analytical Files Database (2015-2017) and merged with data from the American Community Survey and the United States Department of Agriculture. Patients were categorized according to the duration of high poverty status from 1980 to 2015 [ie, never high poverty (NHP), persistent poverty (PP)]. Logistic regression was used to characterize the association between the duration of poverty and postoperative outcomes. Principal component and generalized structural equation modeling were used to assess the effect of mediators in the achievement of Textbook Outcomes (TO)., Results: Overall, 335,595 patients underwent lung resection (10.1%), colectomy (29.4%), coronary artery bypass graft (36.4%), or lower extremity joint replacement (24.2%). While 80.3% of patients lived in NHP, 4.4% resided in PP counties. Compared with NHP, patients residing in PP were at increased risk of serious postoperative complications [odds ratio (OR)=1.10, 95% CI: 1.05-1.15], 30-day readmission (OR=1.09, 95% CI: 1.01-1.16), 30-day mortality (OR=1.08, 95% CI: 1.00-1.17), and higher expenditures (mean difference, $1010.0, 95% CI: 643.7-1376.4) (all P <0.05). Notably, PP was associated with lower odds of achieving TO (OR=0.93, 95% CI: 0.90-0.97, P <0.001); 65% of this effect was mediated by other social determinant factors. Minority patients were less likely to achieve TO (OR=0.81, 95% CI: 0.79-0.84, P <0.001), and the disparity persisted across all poverty categories., Conclusions: County-level poverty duration was associated with adverse postoperative outcomes and higher expenditures. These effects were mediated by various socioeconomic factors and were most pronounced among minority patients., Competing Interests: The authors report no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: The Healthy People 2030 initiative has set national cancer screening targets at 77.1%, 74.4%, and 84.3% for breast, colon, and cervical cancers, respectively. We sought to assess the association between historical redlining relative and present-day social vulnerability on screening targets for breast, colon, and cervical cancer., Study Design: Data on national census-tract level cancer screening prevalence and social vulnerability index in 2020 was extracted from the CDC PLACES and CDC social vulnerability index databases, respectively. Census tracts were then assigned Home-Owners Loan Corporation grades (A: "Best", B: "Still Desirable", C: "Definitely Declining," and D: "Hazardous/Redlined"). Mixed-effects logistic regression and mediation analyses were conducted to evaluate the association between Home-Owners Loan Corporation grades and achievement of cancer screening targets., Result: Among 11,831 census tracts, 3,712 were classified as redlined (A: n = 842, 7.1% vs B: n = 2,314, 19.6% vs C: n = 4,963, 42.0% vs D: n = 3,712, 31.4%). Notably, 62.8% (n = 7,427), 21.2% (n = 2,511), and 27.3% (n = 3,235) of tracts met screening targets for breast, colon, and cervical cancer, respectively. After adjusting for present-day social vulnerability index and access to care metrics (population to primary care physician ratio and distance to nearest healthcare facility), redlined tracts were markedly less likely to meet breast (odds ratio [OR] 0.76, 95% CI 0.64 to 0.91), colon (OR 0.34, 95% CI 0.28 to 0.41), and cervical (OR 0.21, 95% CI 0.16 to 0.27) cancer screening targets compared with the "Best" tracts. Notably, poverty, lack of education, and limited English proficiency, among others, mediated the adverse effect of historical redlining on cancer screening., Conclusions: Redlining as a surrogate for structural racism continues to adversely impact cancer screening. Policies that aim to make access to preventive cancer care more equitable for historically marginalized communities should be a public priority., (Copyright © 2023 by the American College of Surgeons. Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: The high incidence of early recurrence after hepatectomy for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) has a detrimental effect on overall survival (OS). Machine-learning models may improve the accuracy of outcome prediction for malignancies., Methods: Patients who underwent curative-intent hepatectomy for ICC were identified using an international database. Three machine-learning models were trained to predict early recurrence (< 12 months after hepatectomy) using 14 clinicopathologic characteristics. The area under the receiver operating curve (AUC) was used to assess their discrimination ability., Results: In this study, 536 patients were randomly assigned to training (n = 376, 70.1%) and testing (n = 160, 29.9%) cohorts. Overall, 270 (50.4%) patients experienced early recurrence (training: n = 150 [50.3%] vs testing: n = 81 [50.6%]), with a median tumor burden score (TBS) of 5.6 (training: 5.8 [interquartile range {IQR}, 4.1-8.1] vs testing: 5.5 [IQR, 3.7-7.9]) and metastatic/undetermined nodes (N1/NX) in the majority of the patients (training: n = 282 [75.0%] vs testing n = 118 [73.8%]). Among the three different machine-learning algorithms, random forest (RF) demonstrated the highest discrimination in the training/testing cohorts (RF [AUC, 0.904/0.779] vs support vector machine [AUC, 0.671/0.746] vs logistic regression [AUC, 0.668/0.745]). The five most influential variables in the final model were TBS, perineural invasion, microvascular invasion, CA 19-9 lower than 200 U/mL, and N1/NX disease. The RF model successfully stratified OS relative to the risk of early recurrence., Conclusions: Machine-learning prediction of early recurrence after ICC resection may inform tailored counseling, treatment, and recommendations. An easy-to-use calculator based on the RF model was developed and made available online., (© 2023. Society of Surgical Oncology.)

Objective: We sought to evaluate the impact of liver transplantation (LT) programs on the prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients who underwent liver resection (LR) and noncurative intent treatment., Background: LT programs have an array of resources and services that would positively affect the prognosis of patients with HCC., Methods: Patients who underwent LT, LR, radiotherapy (RT), or chemotherapy (CTx) for HCC between 2004 and 2018 were included in the National Cancer Database. Institutions with LT programs were defined as those that performed 1 or more LT for at least 5 years. Centers were stratified by hospital volume. The impact of LT programs was assessed after propensity score matching to achieve covariate balance., Results: A total of 71,735 patients were identified, of which 7997 received LT (11.1%), 12,683 LR (17.7%), 15,675 RT (21.9%), and 35,380 CTx (49.3%). Among a total of 1267 distinct institutions, 94 (7.4%) were categorized as LT programs. Designation as an LT program was also associated with a high volume of LR and noncurative intent treatment (both P <0.001). After propensity score matching, LT programs were associated with better survival among LR and noncurative intent treatment patients. Although hospital volume was also associated with improved prognosis, LT programs were associated with additional survival benefits in noncurative intent treatment. On the other hand, no such benefit was noted in patients who underwent LR., Conclusions: The presence of an LT program was associated with a higher volume of LR and noncurative intent treatment. Furthermore, designation as an LT program had a "halo effect" on the prognosis of patients undergoing RT/CTx that went beyond the procedure-volume effect., Competing Interests: The authors report no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Telemedicine may serve as an important avenue to address disparities in access to cancer care. We sought to define factors associated with telemedicine use among Medicare beneficiaries who underwent hepatopancreatic (HP) surgery, as well as characterize trends in telemedicine usage relative to community vulnerability based on the enactment of the Medicare telemedicine coverage waiver., Methods: Patients who underwent HP surgery between 2013-2020 were identified from the Medicare Standard Analytic Files (SAF). Telemedicine utilization was assessed pre- versus post- implementation of the Medicare telemedicine coverage waiver; the county-level social vulnerability index (SVI) was obtained from the Center for Disease Control. Interrupted time series analysis with negative binomial and multivariable logistic regression methods were used to assess changes in telemedicine utilization after the implementation of the Medicare telemedicine coverage waiver relative to SVI., Results: Pre-waiver telemedicine visits were scarce among 16,690 patients (0.2%, n = 28), while post-waiver telemedicine adoption was substantial among 3,301 patients (45.8%, n = 1,388). Post-waiver, the median patient age was 70 years (IQR, 66-74) with the majority of patients being age 65-69 (n = 994, 32.8%); 1,599 (52.8%) were female. Most patients self-identified as White (n = 2641, 87.1%), while a minority of patients self-identified as Black (n = 190, 6.3%), Asian (n = 18, 0.6%), Hispanic (n = 35, 1.2%), or Other/unknown (n = 147, 4.9%). On multivariable regression analysis, patients who lived in highly vulnerable counties (referent Low SVI; moderate SVI: OR 1.09, 95% CI 0.86-1.39, p = 0.449; high SVI: OR 0.72, 95% CI 0.55-0.94, p = 0.001) and individuals with advancing age (referent 18-64; 65-69, OR 0.68, 95%CI 0.54-0.86; 70-74, OR 0.56, 95%CI 0.44-0.71; 75-79, OR 0.57, 95%CI 0.44-0.75; 80-84, OR 0.43, 95%CI 0.30-0.61; 85 + , OR 0.25, 95%CI 0.13-0.49) had lower odds of utilizing telemedicine. In contrast, Black patients (referent White; OR 2.26, 95% CI 1.65-3.10) and patients with a higher CCI score > 2 (referent ≤ 2; OR 1.49, 95% CI 1.28-1.71) were more likely to use telemedicine (all p < 0.001)., Conclusions: Medicare beneficiaries residing in counties with extreme vulnerability, as well as elderly individuals, were markedly less likely to use telemedicine services related to HP surgical episodes of care. The lower utilization of telemedicine in areas of high social vulnerability was attributable to concomitant lower rates of internet access in these areas., (© 2023. The Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract.)

Introduction: Concordance between clinical and pathological staging, as well as the overall survival (OS) benefit associated with neoadjuvant therapy (NAT) remain ill-defined. We sought to determine the impact of staging accuracy and NAT downstaging on OS among patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC)., Methods: Patients treated for ICC between 2010 and 2018 were identified using the National Cancer Database. A Bayesian approach was applied to estimate NAT downstaging. OS was assessed relative to staging concordant/overstaged disease treated with upfront surgery, understaged disease treated with upfront surgery, no downstaging, and downstaging after NAT., Results: Among 3384 patients, 2904 (85.8%) underwent upfront surgery, whereas 480 (14.2%) received NAT and 85/480 (18.4%) were downstaged. Patients with cT3 (odds ratio [OR] 2.12, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.34-3.34), cN1 (OR 2.47, 95% CI 1.71-3.58) disease, and patients treated at high-volume facilities (OR 1.63, 95% CI 1.13-2.36) were more likely to receive NAT (all p < 0.05). Median OS was 40.1 months (95% CI 38.6-43.4). Patients with cT1-2N1 (NAT: 31.5 months vs. upfront surgery: 22.4 months; p = 0.04) and cT3-4N1 (NAT: 27.8 months vs. upfront surgery: 14.4 months; p = 0.01) disease benefited most from NAT. NAT downstaging decreased the risk of death among patients with cT3-4N1 disease (hazard ratio [HR] 0.35, 95% CI 0.15-0.82). In contrast, understaged patients with cT1-2N0/X (HR 2.15, 95% CI 1.83-2.53) and cT3-4N0/X (HR 1.71, 95% CI 1.06-2.74) disease treated with upfront surgery had increased risk of death., Conclusions: Patients with N1 ICC treated with NAT demonstrated improved OS compared with upfront surgery. Downstaging secondary to NAT conferred survival benefits among patients with cT3-4N1 versus upfront surgery. NAT should be considered in ICC patients with advanced T disease and/or nodal metastases., (© 2023. Society of Surgical Oncology.)

Background: Structural racism within the U.S. health care system contributes to disparities in oncologic care. This study sought to examine the socioeconomic factors that underlie the impact of racial segregation on hepatopancreaticobiliary (HPB) cancer inequities., Methods: Both Black and White patients who presented with HPB cancer were identified from the linked Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER)-Medicare database (2005-2015) and 2010 Census data. The Index of Dissimilarity (IoD), a validated measure of segregation, was examined relative to cancer stage at diagnosis, surgical resection, and overall mortality. Principal component analysis and structural equation modeling were used to determine the mediating effect of socioeconomic factors., Results: Among 39,063 patients, 86.4 % (n = 33,749) were White and 13.6 % (n = 5314) were Black. Black patients were more likely to reside in segregated areas than White patients (IoD, 0.62 vs. 0.52; p < 0.05). Black patients in highly segregated areas were less likely to present with early-stage disease (relative risk [RR], 0.89; 95 % confidence interval [CI] 0.82-0.95) or undergo surgery for localized disease (RR, 0.81; 95% CI 0.70-0.91), and had greater mortality hazards (hazard ratio 1.12, 95% CI 1.06-1.17) than White patients in low segregation areas (all p < 0.05). Mediation analysis identified poverty, lack of insurance, education level, crowded living conditions, commute time, and supportive income as contributing to 25 % of the disparities in early-stage presentation. Average income, house price, and income mobility explained 17 % of the disparities in surgical resection. Notably, average income, house price, and income mobility mediated 59 % of the effect that racial segregation had on long-term survival., Conclusion: Racial segregation, mediated through underlying socioeconomic factors, accounted for marked disparities in access to surgical care and outcomes for patients with HPB cancer., (© 2023. Society of Surgical Oncology.)

Introduction: The impact of Medicaid expansion (ME) on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains controversial, and heterogeneous effects on care processes may relate to sociodemographic factors. We sought to evaluate the association between ME and receipt of surgery in early-stage HCC., Methods: Patients diagnosed with early-stage HCC between 40 and 64 years of age were identified from the National Cancer Database and divided into pre- (2004-2012) and post- (2015-2017) expansion cohorts. Logistic regression was used to identify predictors of surgical treatment. Difference-in-difference (DID) analysis assessed changes in surgical treatment between patients living in ME and non-ME states., Results: Among 19,745 patients, 12,220 (61.9%) were diagnosed before ME and 7525 (38.1%) after. Although overall utilization of surgery decreased after expansion (ME, pre-expansion: 62.2% versus post-expansion: 51.6%; non-ME, pre-expansion: 62.1% versus post-expansion: 50.8%, p < 0.001), this trend varied relative to insurance status. Notably, receipt of surgery increased among uninsured/Medicaid patients living in ME states after expansion (pre-expansion: 48.1%, post-expansion: 52.3%, p < 0.001). Moreover, treatment at academic or high-volume facilities increased the likelihood of undergoing surgery before expansion. After expansion, treatment at an academic facility and living in an ME state (OR 1.28, 95% CI 1.07-1.54, p < 0.01) were predictors of surgical treatment. DID analysis demonstrated increased utilization of surgery for uninsured/Medicaid patients living in ME states relative to non-ME states (uninsured/Medicaid: 6.4%, p < 0.05), although no differences were noted among patients with other insurance statuses (overall: 0.7%, private: -2.0%, other: 0.3%, all p > 0.05)., Conclusions: Implementation of ME heterogeneously impacted utilization of care in early-stage HCC. Notably, uninsured/Medicaid patients residing in ME states demonstrated increased utilization of surgical treatment after expansion., (© 2023. Society of Surgical Oncology.)

Background: Racial segregation, an effect of historical marginalization, may impact cancer care and outcomes. We sought to examine the impact of racial segregation on the diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes of patients with cholangiocarcinoma (CCA)., Patients and Methods: Data on Black and White patients with CCA were obtained from the linked SEER-Medicare database (2004-2015) and 2010 Census data. The index of dissimilarity (IoD), a validated measure of segregation, was used to assess Black-White disparities in stage disease presentation, surgery for localized disease, and cancer-specific mortality. Multivariable Poisson regression was performed, and competing risk regression analysis was used to determine cancer-specific survival., Results: Among 7480 patients with CCA, 90.2% (n = 6748) were White and 9.8% (n = 732) were Black. Overall, Black patients were more likely to reside in segregated areas compared with White patients (IoD, 0.42 vs. 0.38; p < 0.05). On multivariable Poisson regression, Black patients were more likely to present with advanced-stage disease [relative risk (RR) 1.17, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.08-1.27; p < 0.001] and were less likely to undergo surgery for localized disease (RR 0.62, 95% CI 0.51-0.76; p < 0.001). Black patients also had worse cancer-specific survival (CSS) compared with White patients (median CSS: 4 vs. 8 months; p < 0.01). Black patients living in the highest areas of segregation had 40% increased hazard of mortality versus White patients residing in the lowest IoD areas (hazard ratio 1.40, 95% CI 1.10-1.80; p < 0.01)., Conclusion: Racial segregation, as a proxy for structural racism, had a marked effect on Black-White disparities among patients with CCA., (© 2023. Society of Surgical Oncology.)

Background: The prognostic impact of major postoperative complications (POCs) for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) remains ill-defined. We sought to analyze the relationship between POCs and outcomes relative to lymph node metastases (LNM) and tumor burden score (TBS)., Methods: Patients who underwent resection of ICC between 1990-2020 were included from an international database. POCs were defined according to Clavien-Dindo classification ≥ 3. The prognostic impact of POCs was estimated relative to TBS categories (i.e., high and low) and lymph node status (i.e., N0 or N1)., Results: Among 553 patients who underwent curative-intent resection for ICC, 128 (23.1%) individuals experienced POCs. Low TBS/N0 patients who experienced POCs presented with a higher risk of recurrence and death (3-year cumulative recurrence rate; POCs: 74.8% vs. no POCs: 43.5%, p = 0.006; 5-year overall survival [OS], POCs 37.8% vs. no POCs 65.8%, p = 0.003), while POCs were not associated with worse outcomes among high TBS and/or N1 patients. The Cox regression analysis confirmed that POCs were significant predictors of poor outcomes in low TBS/N0 patients (OS, hazard ratio [HR] 2.91, 95%CI 1.45-5.82, p = 0.003; recurrence free survival [RFS], HR 2.42, 95%CI 1.28-4.56, p = 0.007). Among low TBS/N0 patients, POCs were associated with early recurrence (within 2 years) (Odds ratio [OR] 2.79 95%CI 1.13-6.93, p = 0.03) and extrahepatic recurrence (OR 3.13, 95%CI 1.14-8.54, p = 0.03), in contrast to patients with high TBS and/or nodal disease., Conclusions: POCs were independent, negative prognostic determinants for both OS and RFS among low TBS/N0 patients. Perioperative strategies that minimize the risk of POCs are critical to improving prognosis, especially among patients harboring favorable clinicopathologic features., (© 2023. The Author(s) under exclusive licence to Société Internationale de Chirurgie.)

Background: Racial/ethnic disparities in pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PDAC) outcomes may relate to receipt of National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guideline-compliant care. We assessed the association between treatment at minority-serving hospitals (MSH) and receipt of NCCN-compliant care., Patients and Methods: Patients who underwent resection of early-stage PDAC between 2006 and 2019 were identified from the National Cancer Database (NCDB). MSH was defined as the top decile of facilities treating minority ethnicities (Black and/or Hispanic). Factors associated with receipt of NCCN-compliant care and its impact on overall survival (OS) were assessed., Results: Among 44,873 patients who underwent resection of PDAC, most were treated at non-MSH (n = 42,571, 94.9%), while a smaller subset were treated at MSH (n = 2302, 5.1%). Patients treated at MSH were more likely to be at a younger median age (MSH 66 years versus non-MSH 67 years), Black or Hispanic (MSH 58.4% versus non-MSH 12.0%), and not insured (MSH 7.8% versus non-MSH 1.6%). While 71.7% (n = 31,182) of patients were compliant with NCCN care, guideline-compliant care was lower at MSH (MSH 62.5% versus non-MSH 72.2%). On multivariable analysis, receiving care at MSH was associated with not receiving guideline-compliant care [odds ratio (OR) 0.63, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.53-0.74]. At non-MSH, non-white patients had lower odds of receiving guideline-compliant PDCA care (OR 0.85, 95% CI 0.78-0.91). Failure to comply was associated with worse overall survival (OS) [hazard ratio (HR) 1.50, 95% CI 1.46-1.54, all p < 0.001]., Conclusions: Patients with PDAC treated at MSH and minorities treated at non-MSH were less likely to receive NCCN-compliant care. Failure to comply with guideline-based PDAC treatment was associated with worse OS., (© 2023. Society of Surgical Oncology.)

Background: Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) is associated with poor long-term outcomes, and limited evidence exists on optimal resection margin width. This study used artificial intelligence to investigate long-term outcomes and optimal margin width in hepatectomy for ICC., Methods: The study enrolled patients who underwent curative-intent resection for ICC between 1990 and 2020. The optimal survival tree (OST) was used to investigate overall (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS). An optimal policy tree (OPT) assigned treatment recommendations based on random forest (RF) counterfactual survival probabilities associated with each possible margin width between 0 and 20 mm., Results: Among 600 patients, the median resection margin was 4 mm (interquartile range [IQR], 2-10). Overall, 379 (63.2 %) patients experienced recurrence with a 5-year RFS of 28.3 % and a 5-year OS of 38.7 %. The OST identified five subgroups of patients with different OS rates based on tumor size, a carbohydrate antigen 19-9 [CA19-9] level higher than 200 U/mL, nodal status, margin width, and age (area under the curve [AUC]: training, 0.81; testing, 0.69). The patients with tumors smaller than 4.8 cm and a margin width of 2.5 mm or greater had a relative increase in 5-year OS of 37 % compared with the entire cohort. The OST for RFS estimated a 46 % improvement in the 5-year RFS for the patients younger than 60 years who had small (<4.8 cm) well- or moderately differentiated tumors without microvascular invasion. The OPT suggested five optimal margin widths to maximize the 5-year OS for the subgroups of patients based on age, tumor size, extent of hepatectomy, and CA19-9 levels., Conclusions: Artificial intelligence OST identified subgroups within ICC relative to long-term outcomes. Although tumor biology dictated prognosis, the OPT suggested that different margin widths based on patient and disease characteristics may optimize ICC long-term survival., (© 2023. Society of Surgical Oncology.)

Background: Mental illness (MI) and suicidal ideation (SI) often are associated with a diagnosis of cancer. We sought to define the incidence of MI and SI among patients with gastrointestinal cancers, as well as ascertain the predictive factors associated with SI., Methods: Patients diagnosed between 2004 and 2016 with stomach, liver, pancreatic, and colorectal cancer were identified from the SEER-Medicare database. County-level social vulnerability index (SVI) was extracted from the Centers for Disease Control database. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with SI., Results: Among 382,266 patients, 83,514 (21.9%) individuals had a diagnosis of MI. Only 1410 (0.4%) individuals experienced SI, and 359 (0.1%) committed suicide. Interestingly, SI was least likely among patients with pancreatic cancer (ref: hepatic cancer; odds ratio [OR] 0.67, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.52-0.86; p = 0.002), as well as individuals with stage III/IV disease (OR 0.59, 95% CI 0.52-067; p < 0.001). In contrast, male (OR 1.34, 95% CI 1.19-1.50), White (OR 1.34, CI 1.13-1.59), and single (OR 2.03, 95% CI 1.81-2.28) patients were at higher odds of SI risk (all p < 0.001). Furthermore, individuals living in relative privilege (low SVI) had markedly higher risk of SI (OR 1.33, 95% CI 1.14-1.54; p < 0.001). Moreover, living in a county with a shortage of mental health professionals was associated with increased odds of developing SI (OR 1.21, 95% CI 1.04-1.40; p = 0.012)., Conclusions: Oncology care teams should incorporate routine mental health and SI screening in the treatment of patients with gastrointestinal cancers, as well as target suicide prevention towards patients at highest risk., (© 2023. Society of Surgical Oncology.)