Citations

Abstract In this retrospective study, BRAF mutation status did not correlate with disease extent or (event-free) survival in 156 adults with Langerhans cell histiocytosis. BRAFV600E was associated with an increased incidence of second malignancies, often comprising hematological cancers, which may be clonally related.

Purpose: In light of disparities in breast cancer care and outcomes, we explored whether attention to fertility, genetic, and emotional health concerns, as well as satisfaction with care, differs by race/ethnicity among young breast cancer patients. Methods: The Young and Strong Study was a cluster randomized trial of an intervention for patients and providers at 54 U.S. oncology practices enrolling women diagnosed with breast cancer at ≤45 years of age. Provider attention to fertility, genetics, and emotional health was evaluated by medical record review. The proportions of patients with attention to these concerns were compared by race/ethnicity (Hispanic, non-Hispanic Black [NHB], Asian, non-Hispanic White [NHW], or multiracial/other). Satisfaction with care was assessed with the Patient Satisfaction Questionnaire-18 (PSQ-18) at 3 months, with median scores for each of 7 PSQ-18 subscales (general satisfaction, interpersonal manner, communication, financial, time spent with doctor, accessibility, and technical quality) compared by race/ethnicity. Results: Among 465 patients, median age at diagnosis was 40; 6% were Hispanic, 11% NHB, 4% were Asian, 75% NHW, and 3% multiracial/other. Provider attention to genetics, emotional health, and fertility did not differ by race/ethnicity. Median PSQ-18 scores did not differ by race/ethnicity, with median subscale scores ranging from 3.0 to 4.5 across groups, indicating high levels of satisfaction. Conclusion: Satisfaction with care and provider attention to age-specific concerns were similar across racial/ethnic groups among young patients enrolled in an educational and supportive care intervention study. These data suggest that high-quality, equitable care is feasible. Further care delivery research is warranted in more diverse patient and practice settings. Clinical Trial Registration number: NCT01647607.

Abstract Background Patients often turn to online reviews as a source of information to inform their decisions regarding care. Existing literature has analyzed factors associated with positive online patient ratings among hand and wrist surgeons. However, there is limited in-depth analysis of factors associated with low patient satisfaction for hand and wrist surgeons. The focus of this study is to examine and characterize extremely negative reviews of hand and wrist surgeons on Yelp.com. Methods A search was performed using the keywords “hand surgery” on Yelp.com for eight major metropolitan areas including Washington DC, Dallas, New York, Phoenix, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Boston, and Seattle. Only single-star reviews (out of a possible 5 stars) of hand and wrist surgeons were included. The complaints in the 1-star reviews were then categorized into clinical and nonclinical categories. Result A total of 233 single-star reviews were included for analysis, which resulted in 468 total complaints. Of these complaints, 81 (18.8%) were clinically related and 351 (81.3%) were nonclinical in nature. The most common clinical complaints were for complication (24 complaints, 6%), misdiagnosis (16 complaints, 4%), unclear treatment plan (16 complaints, 4%), and uncontrolled pain (15 complaints, 3%). The most common nonclinical complaints were for physician bedside manner (93 complaints, 22%), financially related (80 complaints, 19%), unprofessional nonclinical staff (61 complaints, 14%), and wait time (46 complaints, 11%). The difference in the number of complaints for surgical and nonsurgical patients was statistically significant (p < 0.05) for complication and uncontrolled pain. Clinical Relevance Patient satisfaction is dependent on a multitude of clinical and nonclinical factors. An awareness of online physician ratings is essential for hand and wrist surgeons to maintain and improve patient care and patient satisfaction. We believe the results of our study could be used to further improve the quality of care provided by hand and wrist surgeons.

ImportanceSystematic data on the association between anticancer therapies and thromboembolic events (TEEs) in patients with COVID-19 are lacking.ObjectiveTo assess the association between anticancer therapy exposure within 3 months prior to COVID-19 and TEEs following COVID-19 diagnosis in patients with cancer.Design, Setting, and ParticipantsThis registry-based retrospective cohort study included patients who were hospitalized and had active cancer and laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection. Data were accrued from March 2020 to December 2021 and analyzed from December 2021 to October 2022.ExposureTreatments of interest (TOIs) (endocrine therapy, vascular endothelial growth factor inhibitors/tyrosine kinase inhibitors [VEGFis/TKIs], immunomodulators [IMiDs], immune checkpoint inhibitors [ICIs], chemotherapy) vs reference (no systemic therapy) in 3 months prior to COVID-19.Main Outcomes and MeasuresMain outcomes were (1) venous thromboembolism (VTE) and (2) arterial thromboembolism (ATE). Secondary outcome was severity of COVID-19 (rates of intensive care unit admission, mechanical ventilation, 30-day all-cause mortality following TEEs in TOI vs reference group) at 30-day follow-up.ResultsOf 4988 hospitalized patients with cancer (median [IQR] age, 69 [59-78] years; 2608 [52%] male), 1869 had received 1 or more TOIs. Incidence of VTE was higher in all TOI groups: endocrine therapy, 7%; VEGFis/TKIs, 10%; IMiDs, 8%; ICIs, 12%; and chemotherapy, 10%, compared with patients not receiving systemic therapies (6%). In multivariable log-binomial regression analyses, relative risk of VTE (adjusted risk ratio [aRR], 1.33; 95% CI, 1.04-1.69) but not ATE (aRR, 0.81; 95% CI, 0.56-1.16) was significantly higher in those exposed to all TOIs pooled together vs those with no exposure. Among individual drugs, ICIs were significantly associated with VTE (aRR, 1.45; 95% CI, 1.01-2.07). Also noted were significant associations between VTE and active and progressing cancer (aRR, 1.43; 95% CI, 1.01-2.03), history of VTE (aRR, 3.10; 95% CI, 2.38-4.04), and high-risk site of cancer (aRR, 1.42; 95% CI, 1.14-1.75). Black patients had a higher risk of TEEs (aRR, 1.24; 95% CI, 1.03-1.50) than White patients. Patients with TEEs had high intensive care unit admission (46%) and mechanical ventilation (31%) rates. Relative risk of death in patients with TEEs was higher in those exposed to TOIs vs not (aRR, 1.12; 95% CI, 0.91-1.38) and was significantly associated with poor performance status (aRR, 1.77; 95% CI, 1.30-2.40) and active/progressing cancer (aRR, 1.55; 95% CI, 1.13-2.13).Conclusions and RelevanceIn this cohort study, relative risk of developing VTE was high among patients receiving TOIs and varied by the type of therapy, underlying risk factors, and demographics, such as race and ethnicity. These findings highlight the need for close monitoring and perhaps personalized thromboprophylaxis to prevent morbidity and mortality associated with COVID-19–related thromboembolism in patients with cancer.

OBJECTIVE Inferior petrosal sinus (IPS) sampling (IPSS) is a diagnostic procedure used to guide diagnostic localization of imaging-negative adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)–secreting pituitary microadenomas. However, the efficacy of IPSS has been suboptimal at accurately lateralizing the adenoma, reducing surgical cure rates and leading to unintended pituitary dysfunction due to the added exploration. One rationale for the occasional imprecision is the existence of additional petrosal sinus collateral channels that connect the IPS bilaterally, which may lead to false localization results during sampling. The aim of this study was to explore a potential connection between normal anatomical variation in the angioarchitecture of the IPSs and the ACTH results obtained in subsequent IPSS tests. METHODS A retrospective review was performed on all cases between 1998 and 2013 involving patients at a single institution who underwent IPSS for radiographically equivocal pituitary microadenomas. Cases were reviewed for tumor laterality noted on either operative or pathology reports, as well as the presence of angiographic evidence of cross-filling between the sinuses. In addition, ACTH levels from the right and left IPSs were documented at baseline and at 2, 5, and 10 minutes after corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) administration. A ratio of the change in ACTH levels measured at the time of maximal response (10 minutes) versus the levels measured at the initial response (2 minutes) was computed for each patient and compared between patients by their angiographic cross-filling status. RESULTS There were 41 patients with a histopathologically confirmed right- or left-sided ACTH-secreting pituitary microadenoma who underwent preoperative IPSS. Among these patients, 28 (68%) showed angiographic evidence of cross-filling between the IPSs, and 13 showed no cross-filling. On average, ACTH levels increased by a factor of 3.91 ± 0.77 in the contralateral IPS in patients with angiographic cross-filling, compared with a factor increase of only 1.80 ± 0.27 in patients without cross-filling (p = 0.014). In comparison, ACTH levels increased by a factor of 2.01 ± 0.57 in the ipsilateral IPS in patients with cross-filling, and by 8.78 ± 7.30 in those without cross-filling (p = 0.373). CONCLUSIONS The presence of angiographic cross-filling, suggestive of a greater degree of vascular channel networking between the right and left IPS, is a significant factor influencing the measured rates of change of ACTH in IPSS and may impact the specificity of this test to accurately determine microadenoma laterality in the preoperative setting.

PURPOSE Increased awareness of the distinct tumor biology for adolescents and young adults (AYAs) with cancer has led to improvement in outcomes for this population. However, in cholangiocarcinoma (CCA), a paucity of data exist on the AYA population. To our knowledge, we present the largest study to date on AYA disease biology, treatment patterns, and survival outcomes in CCA. METHODS A multi-institutional cohort of patients with CCA diagnosed with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) or extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ECC) was used for analysis. Retrospective chart review was conducted on patients who were 50 years old and younger (young; n = 124) and older than 50 years (older; n = 723). RESULTS Among 1,039 patients screened, 847 patients met eligibility (72% ICC, 28% ECC). Young patients had a larger median tumor size at resection compared with older patients (4.2 v 3.6 cm; P = .048), more commonly had N1 disease (65% v 43%; P = .040), and were more likely to receive adjuvant therapy (odds ratio, 4.0; 95% CI, 1.64 to 9.74). Tumors of young patients were more likely to harbor an FGFR2 fusion, BRAF mutation, or ATM mutation ( P < .05 for each). Young patients were more likely to receive palliative systemic therapy (96% v 69%; P < .001), targeted therapy (23% v 8%; P < .001), and treatment on a clinical trial (31% v 19%; P = .004). Among patients who presented with advanced disease, young patients had a higher median overall survival compared with their older counterparts (17.7 v 13.5 months; 95% CI, 12.6 to 22.6 v 11.4 to 14.8; P = .049). CONCLUSION Young patients with CCA had more advanced disease at resection, more commonly received both adjuvant and palliative therapies, and demonstrated improved survival compared with older patients. Given the low clinical trial enrollment and poor outcomes among some AYA cancer populations, data to the contrary in CCA are highly encouraging.

Abstract Background Cyclin D has been shown to play an essential role in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) initiation and progression, providing rationale for targeting the CDK4/6‐cyclin D complex that regulates cell cycle progression. Procedure The Children's Oncology Group AINV18P1 phase 1 trial evaluated the CDK4/6 inhibitor, palbociclib, in combination with standard four‐drug re‐induction chemotherapy in children and young adults with relapsed/refractory B‐ and T‐cell lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and lymphoma. Palbociclib (50 mg/m 2 /dose) was administered orally once daily for 21 consecutive days, first as a single agent (Days 1–3) and subsequently combined with re‐induction chemotherapy. This two‐part study was designed to determine the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) or recommended phase 2 dose (RP2D), followed by an expansion pharmacokinetic cohort. Results Twelve heavily pretreated patients enrolled, all of whom were evaluable for toxicity. One dose‐limiting hematologic toxicity (DLT) occurred at the starting dose of 50 mg/m 2 /dose orally for 21 days. No additional DLTs were observed in the dose determination or pharmacokinetic expansion cohorts, and overall rates of grade 3/4 nonhematologic toxicities were comparable to those observed with the chemotherapy platform alone. Five complete responses were observed, two among four patients with T‐ALL and three among seven patients with B‐ALL. Pharmacokinetic studies showed similar profiles with both liquid and capsule formulations of palbociclib. Conclusions Palbociclib in combination with re‐induction chemotherapy was well tolerated with a RP2D of 50 mg/m 2 /day for 21 days. Complete responses were observed among heavily pretreated patients.