Citations

111 Background: Comparative evidence of quality of life (QoL) outcomes regarding life-prolonging treatments for the management of first-line treatment of metastatic castration sensitive prostate cancer (mCSPC) is not known. Methods: This systematic review uses the living interactive evidence synthesis framework (PMID: 36862387). Phase III randomized controlled trials assessing contemporary systemic treatments in mCSPC were included. Small sample size adjusted standardized mean differences (SMD; Hedges’ g) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were computed for global QoL at 3, 6, 12, and 24 mo. Positive SMD indicated better health-related QoL, with zero indicating a null effect. Mixed treatment comparisons were made using a network meta-analysis. P-scores were computed; a higher score indicated better QoL. Results: Of 10 clinical trials initially included, eight trials (15 references) reported QoL. At 3mo global QoL was improved with abiraterone (AAP)+ADT compared to D+ADT (SMD: 0.26; 95% CI: 0.13-0.39), enzalutamide (E)+ADT (0.18; 0.03-0.33), and ADT (0.14; 0.02-0.27). At 6mo, AAP+ADT significantly improved global QoL compared to D+ADT (0.74; 0.62-0.87), E+ADT (1.74; 1.56-1.92), and ADT (1.79; 1.65-1.93). D+ADT also improved global QoL at 6mo compared to ADT (1.05; 0.93-1.16) but not when compared to E+ADT. At 12mo, AAP+ADT improved global QoL compared to E+ADT (0.20; 0.05-0.34) and ADT (0.19; 0.07-0.31) but not compared to D+ADT (0.05; -0.07-0.17). D+ADT also improved global QoL at 12mo compared to ADT (0.14; 0.03-0.24) (Table). Global QoL has not been reported for ARASENS trial at this time. These results are available on the Living interactive website. Conclusions: The totality of evidence suggests improved global QoL with androgen-pathway inhibitors (API) doublet therapy. D+ADT may offer better QoL at longer 6 and 12 months of follow-up. QoL data for triplet therapy is still emerging and will be incorporated in the living review as soon as it becomes available. [Table: see text]

Abstract Background: Many patients use artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots as a rapid source of health information. This raises important questions about the reliability and effectiveness of AI chatbots in delivering accurate and understandable information. Purpose: To evaluate and compare the accuracy, conciseness, and readability of responses from OpenAI ChatGPT-4 and Google Bard to patient inquiries concerning the novel 177Lu-PSMA-617 therapy for prostate cancer. Materials and Methods: Two experts listed the 12 most commonly asked questions by patients on 177Lu-PSMA-617 therapy. These twelve questions were prompted to OpenAI ChatGPT-4 and Google Bard. AI-generated responses were distributed using an online survey platform (Qualtrics) and blindly rated by eight experts. The performances of the AI chatbots were evaluated and compared across three domains: accuracy, conciseness, and readability. Additionally, potential safety concerns associated with AI-generated answers were also examined. The Mann-Whitney U and chi-square tests were utilized to compare the performances of AI chatbots. Results: Eight experts participated in the survey, evaluating 12 AI-generated responses across the three domains of accuracy, conciseness, and readability, resulting in 96 assessments (12 responses x 8 experts) for each domain per chatbot. ChatGPT-4 provided more accurate answers than Bard (2.95 ± 0.671 vs 2.73 ± 0.732, p=0.027). Bard's responses had better readability than ChatGPT-4 (2.79 ± 0.408 vs 2.94 ± 0.243, p=0.003). Both ChatGPT-4 and Bard achieved comparable conciseness scores (3.14 ± 0.659 vs 3.11 ± 0.679, p=0.798). Experts categorized the AI-generated responses as incorrect or partially correct at a rate of 16.6% for ChatGPT-4 and 29.1% for Bard. Bard's answers contained significantly more misleading information than those of ChatGPT-4 (p = 0.039). Conclusion: AI chatbots have gained significant attention, and their performance is continuously improving. Nonetheless, these technologies still need further improvements to be considered reliable and credible sources for patients seeking medical information on 177Lu-PSMA-617 therapy.

Background Janus kinase inhibitors are actively investigated for treating various hematological, rheumatological, gastrointestinal and dermatological indications. Thus, we have initiated a living systematic review to define the toxicity profile of JAKi agents. Here, we report an up-to-date assessment of toxicity profile of JAKi in patients with myelofibrosis. Methods MEDLINE, EMBASE and CENTRAL were systematically searched from each database's inception through June 13, 2023, to identify phase I/II/III clinical trials assessing JAKi in myelofibrosis reporting adverse events. The main outcomes of interest included incidence rates of all-cause and treatment-related grade ≥ 3, grade 5 and all-grade AEs of interest (infections, hematological, gastrointestinal, and cardiovascular adverse events). Incidence rates (incidence per 100-person-years) for AEs of interest were calculated at the level of each trial. A random-effects meta-analysis was conducted to pool the incidence rates of AEs using an inverse-variance approach. Results The literature search identified 2044 studies from which 28 clinical trials (33 references) met the inclusion criteria - 4 (14%) trials were phase I, 4 (14%) trials were phase I/II, 13 (46%) trials were phase II, and 7 (25%) trials were phase III. A total of 4505 participants received JAKi and were eligible for analysis. All-cause and treatment-related hematological toxicities were reported in 28 (100%) and 18 (64%) trials, all-cause and treatment-related gastrointestinal toxicities were reported in 28 (100%) and 18 (64%) trials, all-cause and treatment-related cardiovascular toxicities were reported in 20 (71%) and 12 (43%) trials whereas all-cause and treatment-related infections were reported in 26 (93%) and 14 (50%) trials, respectively. The incidence rate per 100-person years for all-cause and treatment related adverse events of interest are summarized in Table 1a and 1b respectively. For treatment-related AEs, the incidence of grade ≥ 3 diarrhea with JAKi is 8.50 (95% CI: 5.34-13.53) events per 100-person years. The incidence of treatment-related grade ≥ 3 anemia and thrombocytopenia is 39.40 (95% CI: 25.57-60.71) and 29.25 (95% CI: 20.12-42.51) events per 100-person years respectively. The incidence of treatment-related grade 5 diarrhea with JAKi is 2.15 (95% CI: 1.07-4.29) events per 100-person years whereas the incidence of treatment-related grade 5 anemia and thrombocytopenia is 2.03 (95% CI: 1.04-3.97) and 2.01 (95% CI: 1.02-3.93) events per 100-person years respectively. For all-cause AEs, the incidence of grade ≥ 3 nausea, vomiting and diarrhea with JAKi is 1.72 (95% CI: 0.97-3.05), 3.56 (95% CI: 1.92-6.61) and 5.29 (95% CI: 3.48-8.04) events per 100-person years respectively. The incidence of all-cause grade ≥ 3 infections with JAKi is 4.38 (95% CI: 1.95-9.83) events per 100-person years whereas the incidence of all-cause grade ≥ 3 respiratory tract infections with JAKi is 4.21 (95% CI: 2.41-7.36) events per 100-person years. The incidence of all-cause grade ≥ 3 anemia, neutrophil decrease and thrombocytopenia is 46.83 (95% CI: 32.68-67.11), 29.11 (95% CI: 14.86-57.02) and 34.39 (95% CI: 23.82-49.64) events per 100-person years respectively. Moreover, the incidence of all-cause grade 5 nausea, vomiting and diarrhea with JAKi is 1.25 (95% CI: 0.72-2.18), 2.01 (95% CI: 1.08-3.74) and 1.60 (95% CI: 0.94-2.72) events per 100-person years respectively. In addition, the incidence of all-cause grade 5 infections and infestations is 3.71 (95% CI: 1.96-7.04) events per 100-person years with the incidence of grade 5 respiratory tract infections being 1.66 (95%CI: 0.89-3.10) events per 100-person years. Furthermore, the incidence of all-cause grade 5 anemia, neutrophil decrease and thrombocytopenia is 2.10 (95% CI: 1.26-3.52), 3.00 (95% CI: 1.25-7.21) and 1.95 (95% CI: 1.15-3.33) events per 100-person years respectively. Conclusions This report of living systematic review provides the best current evidence on toxicity profile of JAKi in patients with myelofibrosis. Current evidence suggests an overall higher incidence of all grade and grade ≥ 3 treatment related gastrointestinal adverse events in patients receiving JAKi. This living review will be updated as soon as new data becomes available.

Introduction The optimal maintenance regimen by prognostic categories remains unclear in newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (NDMM) patients undergoing autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT). Therefore, we conducted a systematic review and network meta-analysis (NMA) to assess the comparative effectiveness of novel agents by different prognostic groups. Methods A comprehensive systematically structured literature search was conducted to identify phase II/III randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating maintenance therapies in post-transplant NDMM patients and reporting data by subgroups including but not limited to international staging system (ISS), and cytogenetic risk. High cytogenetic risk (HCR) and standard cytogenetic risk (SCR) were defined in accordance with the eligible trials. Main outcomes of interest were overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS). Precomputed hazard ratios (HR) with 95% CI were pooled using an inverse variance approach. A frequentist network meta-analysis was conducted. P-score (PS) were used to assess relative rankings of the treatments and were interpreted in congruency with pairwise estimates. Higher ranks indicated better efficacy. Results This NMA included six RCTs with 4119 participants and six unique treatment arms. In patients with SCR, the combination of carfilzomib, lenalidomide, and dexamethasone (KRd) improved PFS when compared to lenalidomide (Len; HR: 0.44; 95% CI: 0.24-0.81), daratumumab (Dara; 0.27; 0.13-0.55), ixazomib (Ixa; 0.26; 0.13-0.53), and no maintenance therapy (0.17; 0.09-0.32). Similarly, KR improved PFS compared to lenalidomide (Len; 0.56; 0.33-0.96), daratumumab (Dara; 0.34; 0.18-0.65), ixazomib (Ixa; 0.33; 0.17-0.63), and no maintenance therapy (0.21; 0.12-0.38). There was no statistically significant difference between KRd and KR. KRd was ranked as potentially the most efficacious treatment (rank 1) followed by KR (rank 2), Len (rank 3), Dara (rank 4), and Ixa (rank 5) for improving PFS in SCR. In patients with HCR, KRd (0.35; 0.14-0.92), KR (0.32; 0.15-0.67), Dara (0.43; 0.25-0.73), and Len (0.48; 0.35-0.64) improved PFS when compared to no maintenance therapy. No other significant differences were observed in HCR patients. KR was ranked as potentially the most efficacious treatment followed by KRd (rank 2), Dara (rank 3), Len (rank 5), and Ixa (rank 5) for PFS in HCR patients. In patients with ISS-I/II, KRd and KR improved PFS when compared to Dara (KRd vs. Dara - 0.32; 0.16-0.65, KR vs Dara - 0.50; 0.26-0.94), and Ixa (KRd vs. Ixa - 0.22; 0.11-0.45, KR vs Ixa - 0.35; 0.18-0.65). KRd, not KR, improved PFS when compared to Len (0.41; 0.22-0.76). Rankings were consistent with those observed in SCR patients. No significant differences were observed among mixed treatment comparisons for ISS-III patients. Limited number of trials reporting OS precluded formal assessment. Conclusions The current data suggest that KRd and KR may delay disease progression regardless of risk category. Overall survival data is still emerging and, if consistent, may influence clinical practice. We maintain a living meta-analysis to incorporate new evidence constantly.

Background CV mortality has been recognized as the preventable cause of death in most cancers. However, there is a scarcity of data exploring CV mortality in adults diagnosed with leukemia. Hence, understanding the timing, and quantifying the magnitude of CV mortality can facilitate strategies to reduce the burden of mortality in these patients. Methods Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database (2004-2018) was queried to obtain CV mortality (defined as deaths due to heart diseases, hypertension, cerebrovascular diseases, atherosclerosis, and aortic aneurysm and dissection) in adults (>18 years of age) diagnosed with leukemias including acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL), chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), acute myeloid leukemia (AML), and chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). Standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) were calculated. SMR was defined as the observed deaths from each category divided by the expected number of deaths in the age-matched US population for the same period. SMR >1 indicated increased while <1 indicated decreased mortality. SMR was presented by latency periods of <2, 2-5, and >5 years after the initial diagnosis of leukemias and stratified by age (<50 years, 50-70 years, >70 years), race (White, Black, Asian/Pacific Islander, Native American), ethnicity (Hispanic, Non-Hispanic), and marital status (married vs single/divorced/widowed). Results This analysis included 120,193 leukemia patients. Of which, 61,763 had lymphocytic leukemia and 58,430 were diagnosed with myeloid leukemia. In overall population, a significant increase in mortality was observed in adults diagnosed with leukemia (SMR: 1.34, 95% CI: 1.27-1.40). The risk of CV death was highest <2 years of initial diagnosis (1.94, 1.87-2.01) as compared to the population who died 2-5 years (1.17, 1.11-1.23) and >5 years (1.07, 1.01-1.14) after the initial diagnosis. In terms of different subgroups, patients aged <50 years observed the highest risk of CV mortality within < 2 years (9.35, 6.54-13.38) compared to patients aged 50-70 years (2.73, 2.45-3.04), and aged >70 years (1.80, 1.73-1.88). Similarly, regarding race, Asians/Pacific islanders had the highest risk of CV mortality (4.41, 3.70-5.26) followed by Blacks (2.58, 2.26-2.94), and Whites (1.85, 1.78-1.92) within <2 years of initial diagnosis. There was a significant increase in observed mortality in Hispanic (2.83, 2.47-3.23) as well as in non-Hispanic (1.90, 1.83-1.97) population within <2 years of initial diagnosis. However, the magnitude was relatively higher in Hispanic as compared to non-Hispanics. The risk of CV death was observed to be higher in single/divorced/widowed patients (2.30, 2.00-2.20) compared to those who were married (1.81, 1.71-1.91). The CV mortality risk remained consistent for all subtypes of leukemias (ALL, CLL, AML and CML) in overall patient population and among subgroups of interest over different latency periods of <2, 2-5, and > 5years after the initial diagnosis. Small sample size in Native Americans precluded any meaningful statistics. Conclusions: Risk of CV mortality among adults with leukemia is observed to be highest among younger (<50 years), Asians, Hispanics, and single/divorced/widowed patients, especially within 2 years of initial diagnosis. A risk-adapted approach may be warranted for cardiovascular care in these patients. Targeted cardio-oncological strategies should be aimed at improving CV mortality in patients who are at the highest risk of death.

Introduction: Telemedicine has been widely utilized in the healthcare marketplace since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Over the last 3 years, virtual care has been widely employed in the care of patients with polycythemia vera (PV), essential thrombocythemia (ET) and myelofibrosis (MF) at Mayo Clinic. These rare disorders have few experts; therefore, telemedicine becomes an optimal approach for patients receive expert care even when they are not close to the medical center. 1 Additionally, telemedicine reduces financial burden for the patients. We aim to estimate potential cost savings to patients utilizing telemedicine. Methods: We identified patients with MPN seen at Mayo Clinic, Arizona who have had at least 2 visits (1 or more virtual visits) between March 2020 and June 2022. We extracted retrospective data from electronic medical records (EMR) including sociodemographic data, disease related data and number of visits - both virtual and in person - of the patients identified. The address recorded from the EMR was assumed to be the patient's location at the time of virtual visit. Driving distances were determined using zip codes in Google Maps and the patients were stratified into quartiles based on round trip travel distances. Patients in quartiles 1 through 3 were assumed to have driven while patients in quartile 4 were assumed to have traveled by plane. Patients in quartile 1 were assumed to have 1 travel day including the follow-up visit and no accommodation, patients in quartile 2 were assumed to have 2 travel days including the follow up visit and 1 night of accommodation whereas patients in quartiles 3 and 4 were assumed to have 2 travel days, 1 day for the follow up visit and 2 nights of accommodation. Mileage rate costs were based on US Internal Revenue Service (IRS) standard mileage rates for medical or moving purposes for 2021. 2 Owing to extreme variability in flight costs, flying costs were assumed to be equal to the driving costs. Per diem costs for accommodation and meals and incidentals were based on the US General Services Administration (GSA) 2021 rates for Phoenix 3 with the cost being 75% of the full per diem rate on traveling days via GSA formulaic approach. Results: One hundred and eight patients having 282 virtual visits were identified. Patients ranged from 30 - 87 years with the mean and median age of 65 years and 67 years respectively. Majority of the patients were female (62%) and white (98%) with gender distribution varying by distance. Descriptive statistics of the estimated out-of-pocket costs for patients by distance quartiles are summarized in Table 1a. Mean estimated cost savings ranged from $46.8 to $877.3 with the savings of $43.8 - $1372.2 at extremes. The total cost savings by all patients was $90,306.7. The breakdown of costs by category for each quartile is shown in Table 1b which shows that the majority of costs saved by patients in quartile 1 were due to avoiding costs spent on meals and incidentals (~90% of mean costs) whereas costs saved due to meals and incidentals for patients in quartile 4 were only ~16% of the mean costs. Conclusions: Our research highlighted telemedicine as a cost-effective approach for patients with MPN who received virtual care from March 2020 - June 2022. Study limitations included not weighing costs for childcare or accompanying individuals and using driving costs instead of flying costs, however, these considerations potentially underestimate the actual cost savings to the patient. Additionally, since the median age of this population was 65, we didn't include loss of wages to the analysis, which may further underestimate the costs. Despite concerns over billing, reimbursement, and state licensure, virtual care is being established as a critical part of medicine moving forward. 1. Doolittle, G.C. and A.O. Spaulding, Providing Access to Oncology Care for Rural Patients via Telemedicine. Journal of Oncology Practice, 2006. 2(5): p. 228-230. 2. Internal Revenue Service. Standard mileage rates for 2021. Available at: https://www.irs.gov/tax-professionals/standard-mileage-rates 3. US General Services Administration. Per diem rates. Available at: https://www.gsa.gov/travel/plan-book/per-diem-rates/per-diem-rates-results?action=perdiems_report&fiscal_year=2021&state=AZ&city=&zip=85054

AbstractBackgroundFor men with prostate cancer, radiographic progression may occur without a concordant rise in prostate‐specific antigen (PSA). Our study aimed to assess the prevalence of radiographic progression using C‐11 choline positron emission tomography (PET) imaging in patients achieving ultra‐low PSA values and to evaluate clinical outcomes in this patient population.MethodsIn a single institution study, we reviewed the prospectively maintained Mayo Clinic C‐11 Choline PET metastatic prostate cancer registry to identify patients experiencing radiographic disease progression (rDP) on C‐11 choline PET scan while the PSA value was less than 0.5 ng/mL. Disease progression was confirmed by tissue biopsy or response to subsequent therapy. Clinicopathologic variables were abstracted by trained research personnel. Overall survival was estimated using the Kaplan–Meier method. Intergroup differences were assessed using the log‐rank test. A univariate and multivariate Cox regression model was performed to investigate variables associated with poor survival after rDP.ResultsA total of 1323 patients within the registry experienced rDP between 2011 and 2021, including 220 (16.6%) men with rDP occurring at low PSA level. A median (interquartile range [IQR]) of 54.7 (19.7–106.9) months elapsed between the time of prostate cancer diagnosis and low PSA rDP, during which 173 patients (78%) developed castration‐resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). Sites of low PSA rDP included local recurrence (n = 17, 8%), lymph node (n = 90, 41%), bone (n = 94, 43%) and visceral metastases (n = 19, 9%). Biopsy at the time of rDP demonstrated small‐cell or neuroendocrine features in 21% of patients with available tissue. Over a median (IQR) follow‐up of 49.4 (21.3–95.1) months from the time of low PSA rDP, 46% (n = 102) of patients died. Factors associated with poorer survival outcomes include advanced age at rDP, CRPC status, bone and visceral metastasis (p value <0.05). Visceral metastases were associated with decreased overall survival (p = 0.009 by log‐rank) as compared with other sites of rDP.ConclusionsMen with prostate cancer commonly experience metastatic progression at very low or even undetectable PSA levels. Periodic imaging, even at low absolute PSA values, may result in more timely identification of disease progression.

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.

ImportancePatterns of clinical utilization and comparative effectiveness of anticoagulants for cancer-associated thrombosis (CAT) remain largely unexplored.ObjectivesTo assess patterns of and factors associated with anticoagulant use and to evaluate the comparative effectiveness of contemporary anticoagulants in patients with active cancer in a clinical setting.Design, Setting, and ParticipantsThis retrospective cohort study obtained deidentified OptumLabs electronic health record claims data from January 1, 2012, to September 30, 2019. Adult patients (≥18 years of age) with a primary cancer diagnosis (except skin cancer) during at least 1 inpatient or 2 outpatient visits within 6 months before the venous thromboembolism (VTE) date were included. Data were analyzed from April 2020 to September 2021.ExposuresThe patients were grouped according to the anticoagulant prescribed: (1) direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs), (2) low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH), and (3) warfarin.Main Outcomes and MeasuresOdds ratios (ORs) were used to present the association between factors of interest and utilization of anticoagulants. Main efficacy outcomes included risk of VTE recurrence and all-cause mortality. Main safety outcomes included the risk of hospitalization due to major bleeding. Relative treatment effect estimates were expressed as hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% CIs.ResultsThis study included 5100 patients (mean [SD] age, 66.3 [12.3] years; 2670 [52.4%] women; 799 [15.7%] Black, 389 [7.6%] Hispanic, and 3559 [69.8%] White individuals). Overall, 2512 (49.3%), 1488 (29.2%), and 1460 (28.6%) filled prescriptions for DOACs, LMWH, and warfarin, respectively. The median (IQR) treatment duration was 3.2 (1.0-6.5) months for DOACs, 3.1 (1.0-6.8) months for warfarin, and 1.8 (0.9-3.8) months for LWMH. Patients with lung (OR, 2.07; 95% CI, 1.12-3.65), urological (OR, 1.94; 95% CI,1.08-3.49), gynecological (OR, 4.25; 95% CI, 2.31-7.82), and colorectal (OR, 2.26; 95% CI, 1.20-4.32) cancer were associated with increased prescriptions for LMWH compared with DOACs. LMWH (HR, 1.47; 95% CI, 1.14-1.90) and warfarin (HR, 1.46; 95% CI, 1.13-1.87) were associated with an increased risk of VTE recurrences compared with DOACs. LMWH was associated with an increased risk of major bleeding (HR, 2.27; 95% CI, 1.62-3.20) and higher all-cause mortality (HR, 1.61; 95% CI, 1.15-2.25) compared with DOACs.Conclusions and RelevanceIn this comparative effectiveness study of claims-based data, patients with CAT received anticoagulation for a remarkably short duration in clinical settings. DOACs was associated with a lower risk of VTE recurrence, major bleeding, and mortality. Warfarin may still be considered for patients with contraindications to DOACs and those with poor persistence on LMWH.

Abstract Background Early-stage breast cancer is among the most common cancer diagnoses. Adjuvant radiotherapy is an essential component of breast-conserving therapy, and several options exist for tailoring its extent and duration. This study assesses the comparative effectiveness of partial-breast irradiation (PBI) compared with whole-breast irradiation (WBI). Methods A systematic review was completed to identify relevant randomized clinical trials and comparative observational studies. Independent reviewers working in pairs selected studies and extracted data. Randomized trial results were pooled using a random effects model. Prespecified main outcomes were ipsilateral breast recurrence (IBR), cosmesis, and adverse events (AEs). Results Fourteen randomized clinical trials and 6 comparative observational studies with 17 234 patients evaluated the comparative effectiveness of PBI. PBI was not statistically significantly different from WBI for IBR at 5 years (RR = 1.34, 95% CI = 0.83 to 2.18; high strength of evidence [SOE]) and 10 years (RR = 1.29, 95% CI = 0.87 to 1.91; high SOE). Evidence for cosmetic outcomes was insufficient. Statistically significantly fewer acute AEs were reported with PBI compared with WBI, with no statistically significant difference in late AEs. Data from subgroups according to patient, tumor, and treatment characteristics were insufficient. Intraoperative radiotherapy was associated with higher IBR at 5, 10, and over than 10 years (high SOE) compared with WBI. Conclusions Ipsilateral breast recurrence was not statistically significantly different between PBI and WBI. Acute AEs were less frequent with PBI. This evidence supports the effectiveness of PBI among selected patients with early-stage, favorable-risk breast cancer who are similar to those represented in the included studies.