Citations

98 Background: Prior authorization (PA) purports to control costs and ensure adherence to evidence-based guidelines but negatively impacts cancer care. Radiation oncology (RO) represents a minority of overall cancer spending yet bears a disproportionately high PA burden. Limited research exists on the effects of PA on patient outcomes and administrative workload within RO clinics. Methods: From 9/2024 to 10/2024, an online survey was open to U.S. members of the American Society for Radiation Oncology assessing experiences with PA including disposition (approval/denial/appeal including peer-to-peer [P2P] review) and perceived impact on patient care and administrative workload. Outcomes included treatment delays, changes from recommended treatment, and patient event including hospitalization, ED visits, permanent disability, or death. Descriptive statistics evaluated responses. Results: Of 736 responding radiation oncologists (16% response rate), 83% reported a rise in PA over the past three years, with 58% noting the burden has increased greatly. In the past year, 50% reported that more than half of their cases required PA, with a median approval rate of 75% and median overturn rate of 82% for denials. For more than half of their cases, nearly half of physicians (43%) noted that P2P was a futile effort to overturn PA denials due to insurance policies. Most (75%) reported that PA resulted in their practice needing to reallocate staff; 91% reported worsening burnout due to PA. P2P reviews were particularly burdensome, averaging 1.65 hours per week. A third (30%) reported that PA requirements had caused serious complications for their patients, including 7% who reported PA had contributed to patient death. Almost all (91%) reported PA-related treatment delays for some of their patients, with 58% indicating average delays of ≥5 days. Most (81%) reported that at times they had to use radiation techniques they considered less optimal due to PA, including 58% who were forced to deviate from national guidelines. The most common reasons for not appealing a PA denial were anticipated delays (73%), perceived futility based on prior PA experiences (62%), and administrative burden (45%). Conclusions: The administrative and clinical burdens associated with PA have significant implications for patient care, physician well-being, and healthcare resource allocation in RO. Treatment delays, compromised therapies, and adverse patient outcomes are commonly reported and underscore the need for PA reform to improve patient outcomes, reduce physician burnout, and improve efficiency.

406 Background: Anxiety is highly prevalent among oncology patients, often arising from uncertainty around diagnosis, treatment options, and prognosis. Elevated anxiety can impair decision-making, reduce treatment adherence, and diminish overall quality of life. Effective second opinion consultations may help mitigate anxiety and increase patients’ confidence in recommending healthcare services to others. Our study evaluates the impact of oncology second opinion (OSO) consultations on anxiety level (AL) and confidence in the organization (CIO) providing the second opinion, i.e., Cincinnati Cancer Advisors (CCA) and Naples Cancer Advisors (NCA). Methods: The study included patients with cancer diagnoses, age ≥18 years, who were served in person for OSO at CCA and NCA. A survey was used before and after consultation, measuring AL (scale 1- 10) and CIO level (scale 1 - 10), assessed by asking patients how likely they would refer loved ones to the organization. After the content and face validation, patients completed the survey anonymously, put it in a sealed envelope, and dropped it in a dedicated box. Data was analyzed using paired t-tests to compare the change from pre- to post-consultation scores. Spearman’s correlation test was used to assess the relation between the changes in AL and CIO. Statistical significance was assessed using an alpha-level of 0.05. Analyses were conducted via R and R Studio (version 2025.5.1.513). Results: Overall, 46 consecutive patients participated (45 completed AL pre and post visit survey and 43 completed the CIO pre and post visit survey). The mean pre-consultation anxiety score was 5.92 (SD = 2.58), and the post-consultation score was 3.87 (SD = 2.10), demonstrating a significant reduction (mean paired difference = -2.05; p < 0.0001). The mean pre-consult CIO was 8.21 (SD = 2.03), increasing to 9.73 post-consultation (SD = 0.53), indicating a significant improvement (mean paired difference = 1.66; p < 0.0001). The correlation between changes in AL and CIO was not statistically significant, which may be attributed to the high baseline CIO scores (ceiling effect) and the small sample size. Conclusions: Oncology second opinion was associated with a marked decrease in patient AL and a significant increase in CIO. The patient survey will continue to recruit additional participants to increase the sample size and explore the correlation between changes in AL and CIO. Studying the downstream impact on patient experience and outcome is warranted.

34 Background: Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer worldwide. Newer treatment options have significantly improved quality of life in these patients, albeit with the potential for more adverse effects. Patients with colorectal cancer tend to have varying degrees of protein energy malnutrition (PEM) due to multiple reasons, including cancer-related cachexia, sarcopenia, and adverse effects of chemotherapy. Therefore, the impact of PEM on outcomes among patients with colorectal cancer needs further exploration. Methods: We utilized the 2020 National Inpatient Sample (NIS) Database in conducting this retrospective cohort study. We identified patients with colorectal cancer and PEM using appropriate ICD-10 diagnostic codes. We stratified patients with colorectal cancer based on the presence or absence of PEM. A survey multivariable logistic and linear regression analysis was used to calculate adjusted odds ratios (ORs) for the primary and secondary outcomes. A p value of < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of PEM on in-hospital mortality, hospital length of stay (LOS), and total hospitalization charges among patients with colorectal cancer. Results: We identified a total of 77130 hospitalized patients with colorectal cancer, of which 11.06% (8535/77130) had comorbid PEM. The overall in-hospital mortality among patients with colorectal cancer was 2.74% (2115/77130). Among those with concomitant PEM, the mortality rate was significantly higher at 8.03% (686/8535, p < 0.001). Utilizing a stepwise survey multivariable logistic regression model that adjusted for patient and level confounders, PEM was found to be an independent predictor of increased in-hospital mortality (adjusted OR 2.94; 95% (confidence interval [CI] 2.26-3.81; p < 0.001), longer LOS (coefficient 5.37 days; CI 4.84-5.90; p < 0.001), higher total hospitalization charge ($53844; CI $45188-$62499; p < 0.001), increased need for mechanical ventilation (adjusted OR 3.87; CI 2.96-5.06; p < 0.001), and increased need for renal replacement therapy (adjusted OR 2.20; CI 1.08-4.50; p = 0.029). Conclusions: Our analysis demonstrated that PEM was widely prevalent in hospitalized patients with colorectal cancer and was associated with significantly higher in-hospital mortality and longer length of hospitalization. PEM was also associated with a significantly higher cost of healthcare utilization, increased need for mechanical ventilation and renal replacement therapy. A proactive approach to promote nutritional assessment and early nutritional optimization is indicated. Further prospective studies are needed to better understand the impact of nutritional optimization on the financial burden as well as short and long-term outcomes in this patient population.

Abstract Background The COVID-19 pandemic magnified longstanding racial and ethnic disparities in pediatric health, but it is unclear which populations experienced the largest disparities. Our objective was to determine whether disparities in COVID-19 severity differed with respect to patient factors analyzed as effect modifiers. Methods Using data from the Premier Healthcare Database, this retrospective cohort study included encounters among inpatients &lt; 19 years old from April 2020 through September 2022 in the USA with a COVID-19 diagnosis. Outcomes of COVID-19 severity were intensive care unit (ICU) admission and ventilator use. Comparisons between Black and White patients and Hispanic and White patients were adjusted for confounders using propensity score weights, reported as risk differences (RDs) in percentage points, and tested for heterogeneity (interaction P) across subgroups of effect modifiers such as complex chronic conditions (CCCs) and insurance status. Results Of 8947 pediatric inpatients with primary COVID-19 diagnosis, 3858 were White, 2153 were Black, and 2936 were Hispanic. Among children with a CCC, 14.3% of Black inpatients required a ventilator compared to 9.8% of White inpatients; among children without a CCC, 3.2% of both Black and White inpatients required a ventilator (RDs 4.5 vs 0.0; interaction P = .013). Comparisons of Hispanic and White inpatients showed a similar trend in ventilator use, with larger disparities among inpatients with CCCs and no difference among those without CCCs (RDs 2.7 vs −0.7; interaction P=.031). Among children with government insurance, 25.9% of Black inpatients were admitted to the ICU compared to 20.8% of White inpatients; among children with private insurance, Black and White inpatients had comparable ICU admission rates of 20.0% and 21.4%, respectively (RDs 5.1 vs −1.4; interaction P = .025). Conclusions Among hospitalized children, racial and ethnic disparities in COVID-19 severity were largest for those with CCCs or government insurance. These results can help identify target populations for interventions to reduce inequity.

Abstract Capgras syndrome is a delusional misidentification syndrome characterized by the recurrent belief that someone, usually a family member, has been replaced by an impostor. Although described over a century ago, its aetiology, clinical features and neuroimaging characteristics remain poorly understood due to its rarity. This study aimed to clarify these aspects through the analysis of a large cohort and to explore its clinical implications and underlying mechanisms. We conducted a retrospective cohort study by reviewing medical records of patients diagnosed with Capgras syndrome at the Mayo Clinic (Rochester, MN) over a 28-year period (January 1995 to December 2022). Clinical, neuropathological and neuroimaging data were analysed. A total of 204 patients were included (median age at onset: 73 years; 44% female). Twelve patients underwent neuropathological examination, all of whom exhibited α-synuclein pathology, including one patient with a clinical diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Regarding clinical diagnoses, neurodegenerative diseases were the most common (69%, n = 140), with dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) being predominant (58%, n = 118), followed by mixed aetiologies (‘two-hits’) (18%, n = 36) and AD (10%, n = 21). Psychotic disorders accounted for 9% (n = 18) of cases. No case was attributed to a single stroke, although 9% (n = 19) involved coexisting cerebrovascular disease in the context of AD or DLB. In DLB, the timing of Capgras syndrome onset varied: it occurred later than cognitive decline and core clinical features (e.g. visual hallucinations, fluctuating cognition, parkinsonism) in both DLB and mild cognitive impairment-onset prodromal DLB, but earlier in psychiatric-onset prodromal DLB. In both DLB and AD, Capgras syndrome typically targeted a single spouse, whereas in psychotic disorders, it often involved multiple, non-spousal targets. Depression or anxiety was present in 55% (n = 112). Capgras syndrome worsened in the evening or at night (87%, n = 45/52), suggesting a link to negative affective states. Among 82 patients with DLB and AD treated with cholinesterase inhibitors, 15% (n = 12) showed symptomatic improvement. Neuroimaging with MRI and 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose-PET revealed widespread bilateral cortical involvement and prominent right frontal dysfunction in DLB and AD. Capgras syndrome is associated with DLB and could serve as a potential early diagnostic clue. Recognizing its phenomenological features—the number and type of targeted individuals—can help differentiate between neurodegenerative and psychiatric aetiologies. In neurodegenerative diseases, Capgras syndrome may reflect a multifactorial, dynamic process, driven by widespread bilateral cortical dysfunction (particularly involving the right frontal lobe) and psychological factors. Thus, a combined approach involving pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions may offer effective management strategies.

Abstract While many postmitotic cells in the body harbor cilia, certain aggressive cancers such as glioblastoma (GBM) display low frequencies of cells harboring a primary cilium. Ciliated GBM cells that plan to multiply have to disassemble their cilium in order for centrioles to duplicate and re-purpose for mitosis. Little is known about the molecular mechanisms underlying cilia disassembly in GBM, or whether this may represent a driving factor in disease onset, progression, or recurrence. In many cell types, ciliary disassembly is thought to be orchestrated by the aurora kinase A (AURKA) and histone deacetylase 6 (HDAC6) signaling axis. These molecules are often overexpressed in GBM, perhaps owing to the less frequent observation of ciliated GBM cells. Here, we review regulators of the core pathway, and discuss recent studies attempting to inhibit AURKA and HDAC6 in patient and mouse models of GBM and resulting effects on cilia. In the face of potent inhibitors, GBM cells appear to engage pathways independent of the core axis to promote cilia disassembly and/or engage other forms of modified axonemal tubulin to ensure persistence of cilia on GBM cells. GBMs upregulate a host of proteins implicated to drive cilia disassembly. Thus, clarifying these alternate mechanisms may be important as the roles of cilia in tumor formation and propagation, angiogenesis, and treatment resistance are increasingly reported. A deeper understanding of the role of cilia in these hallmarks of glioma may hold clues to the high recurrence rate of GBM.

Abstract Background Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a risk factor for hypertension and some evidence suggests this risk may not be mitigated with positive airway pressure. Low-intensity statin therapy can modestly reduce blood pressure (BP). In this exploratory analysis, we examined if six months of high-intensity statin therapy could lower resting or ambulatory BP in patients with OSA. Methods 39 patients with OSA (13F, age = 49 ± 9yrs, body mass index = 32.9 ± 4.2kg/m2, apnea-hypopnea index = 22.2 ± 12.4 events/hour) were randomized to high-intensity atorvastatin or placebo. BP was assessed using seated, “office” measurements and in 20-minute intervals over 24 consecutive hours at three timepoints (baseline, three- and six-months post-randomization). Participants maintained a diary denoting sleep and wake times for analysis. Changes (Δ) in BP from baseline were assessed and adjusted for adherence to participants’ intervention (atorvastatin or placebo) as well as to their treatment for OSA (yes or no). Results There were no between-group differences in baseline BP variables (P = .09-.96). At three months, the changes in resting (P = .74-.87), 24 hour mean (P = .54-.96), daytime (P = .70-.96), nor nighttime (P = .74-.96) BP did not differ between groups. Similarly, the changes in resting (P = .23-.92), 24 hour mean (P = .51-.82), daytime (P = .17-.78), and nighttime (P = .51-1.00) BP did not differ between groups following six months of their respective intervention. Conclusions Our data suggest that high-intensity atorvastatin does not lower resting or ambulatory BP in patients with OSA relative to a placebo. Thus, it does not appear that atorvastatin is a viable adjunct intervention for BP reduction in patients with OSA. Registration URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov; Unique identifier: NCT03308578.

Background: Coronary artery disease (CAD) is common among liver transplantation (LT) candidates, yet whether pre-transplant percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) improves post-LT outcomes remains uncertain. Methods: We conducted a single-center, Institutional Review Board-approved cohort study of adults undergoing LT from 2005 to 2025. Asymptomatic candidates with significant stenosis on invasive angiography were included; prior coronary artery bypass grafting was excluded. The primary endpoint was major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE: myocardial infarction [MI], stroke/transient ischemic attack, new systolic dysfunction, post-LT coronary revascularization, or all-cause death). Results: Among 111 patients (median age 65 years; 84% male), 66 (59%) underwent PCI and 45 (41%) were managed medically. Over a median 32 months of follow-up, 61 patients (55%) experienced MACE. Composite MACE did not differ between PCI and non-PCI groups (52% vs. 60%, p = 0.40; log-rank p = 0.59). Fine–Gray modeling showed no association of PCI with MACE; independent predictors were prior MI (HR 1.81, 95% CI 1.01–3.24) and pre-transplant dialysis (HR 2.13, 95% CI 1.07–4.24). Major bleeding occurred in 7%. Matched and era-stratified analyses were concordant. Conclusions: In asymptomatic LT candidates with angiographically severe CAD, pre-LT PCI was not associated with a lower incidence of post-LT MACE.

Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is rapidly emerging as the leading cause of chronic liver disease, closely tied to rising global obesity rates. Endoscopic bariatric therapies (EBTs), including endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty (ESG), intragastric balloons (IGB), duodenal-jejunal bypass liners (DJBL), and duodenal mucosal resurfacing (DMR), offer minimally invasive interventions that target metabolic dysfunction and weight loss. This review synthesizes current evidence on the mechanisms and hepatic outcomes of EBTs in MASLD, highlighting improvements in hepatic steatosis, liver stiffness, and fibrosis biomarkers across multiple modalities. ESG is consistently associated with reductions in hepatic steatosis and fibrosis scores across multiple studies. IGB therapy improves liver stiffness and reduces hepatic fat as assessed by imaging modalities such as MRI- Proton Density Fat Fraction and ultrasound. DJBL lowers liver enzymes and improves non-invasive markers of steatohepatitis like the Fibroscan-AST score, although its effect on fibrosis appears limited. DMR demonstrates reductions in liver fat, particularly in patients with type 2 diabetes, but evidence for histological improvement in MASLD remains inconsistent. Despite their promise, most EBT studies remain limited by small sample sizes and short follow-up. Further randomized trials are needed to validate long-term efficacy and position EBTs alongside or as alternatives to surgical interventions for MASLD.