Citations

e13677 Background: The development of AI led to the emergence of tools such as AIS, which have been increasingly adopted in medicine. However, formal evaluation of barriers and clinical care gaps in HemOnc is limited, particularly regarding treatment plan complexities and toxicity documentation. Methods: Structured investigator-developed surveys about AIS availability, adoption, benefits, and challenges were developed on Qualtrics and approved by the IRB. HemOnc faculty physicians (FP), advanced practice providers (APP), and trainees (HOT) were surveyed between 11/14/25-1/16/26. Surveys were distributed in the USA via email, social media (on X), and ASCO myConnection. Descriptive statistics were used for analysis. Results: 132 participants responded to the survey: 55 FP (42%), 14 APP (11%), and 63 HOT (48%). 80% of them reported having AIS at their institutions, and 54% of those reported using these tools in their clinical practice. Among FP and APP, 72% practiced in academic settings, 14% in community, and 13% in hybrid centers. Among those not using AIS, identified barriers were issues with note formatting (56%), lack of training (25%), and concerns that the note content is incorrect or inadequate (25%). 60% are willing to use AIS if note formatting matched their preference, and 42% would try it if contents better reflected the patient encounter. Table 1 details the proportion of encounters using AIS, the portion of documentation it was used for, and the perceived challenges with these tools. Among AIS users, the average satisfaction score was 5.3 on a 7 point scale, corresponding to participants being somewhat satisfied. Participants agreed slightly that AIS had reduced their feeling of work-related burnout, with an average score of 3.6 on a 5 point scale. Overall, participants felt neutral about how well-suited AIS are for HemOnc, with an average score of 4.0 on a 7 point scale. Conclusions: Despite AIS being widely available, 46% of the surveyed HemOnc workforce do not use them in clinical practice. Those who do reported decreased time spent on documentation outside work hours and a slight reduction in the feeling of burnout. Formatting issues and record integration remain barriers, with substantial concerns about AIS not adequately describing HemOnc treatment plans. To bridge the last mile of integration into HemOnc, partnership between AIS developers and the clinical workforce is essential to meet clinical needs, while prioritizing patient safety and data privacy. FP + APP % HOT % Patient encounters where AIS is used 62 44 Used AIS for the subjective portion of note 68 96 Used AIS for the assessment/plan portions of note 40 25 AIS decreased the time on clinical documentation outside work hours 96 93 AIS note formatting needs improvement 68 57 Issues integrating AIS and outside records 46 71 AIS note contents about the plan are suboptimal 32 61

In the rapidly evolving field of oncology, education and knowledge sharing have become essential aspects of oncology practice and must-needed tools to help patients conquer cancer. Oncology education is an art that needs to be mastered by applying scientific learning methods through structured frameworks into it, in order to have an impact. To effectively educate and share knowledge with oncology professionals, we propose following a “chain of education”. This chain consists of five links that are essential for creating a successful educational activity: “who”, “why”, “where”, “what”, and “how”. By following the “chain of education” through all links leading to the final key of how to educate, and guided by learning science principles, educators can optimize and enhance their teaching and knowledge-sharing skills and educate learners with more impact. Two common scenarios of medical education in oncology are the education of trainees and the education of community oncologists. In this article, we review them through the prism of the “chain of education”. We discuss how using effective learning science principles can guide small changes that lead to significant impacts in trainees' education and can also leverage social media platforms in the education of community oncologists. Alongside this described framework, we briefly review some available oncology education resources, and we discuss incorporating the “chain of education” into future technologies.

PURPOSE International medical graduates (IMGs) are an essential component of the oncology workforce in the United States, comprising a third of all practicing oncologists and almost half of hematology/oncology fellows. In this article, we discuss the contributions of IMGs in the US oncology workforce, review unique challenges faced by IMGs, and propose potential solutions to overcome these challenges. METHODS ASCO's IMG Community of Practice was established with the mission to connect, mentor, guide, raise awareness, and overcome the challenges unique to IMGs interested in pursuing medical oncology in the United States. The content of this article is based on discussions at the IMG Community of Practice meetings at ASCO's 2023 and 2024 Annual Meetings. RESULTS IMGs bring an inherent diversity of thought and experience to the oncology workforce. They provide high-quality, culture- and language-concordant care to a diverse population of patients with cancer. However, IMGs in oncology face significant hardships throughout their careers, including visa-related restrictions, psychosocial and cultural struggles, as well as differential treatment while applying for residency and fellowship training, and early career positions. Greater awareness of these challenges among the members of the hematology/oncology community, along with institutional and individual efforts to support IMGs, is warranted. CONCLUSION We encourage oncology professionals and institutions to join our efforts in recognizing the unique paths of IMGs and providing support and advocacy to maximize the potential of IMGs in the US oncology workforce.

Background and objectives: Area of residence may adversely affect survival and outcomes in many cancers. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of geographical and demographic disparities on survival of patients with colorectal cancer. Materials and methods: Data were obtained from the National Cancer Database (NCDB) colon, rectosigmoid, and rectal datasets. Patients were categorized by area of residence, namely, metropolitan (MA), urban (UA), or rural (RA). Sociodemographic and tumor-related data were collected and analyzed to evaluate variables affecting overall survival (OS). Results: In total, 973,139 patients between 2004 and 2013 were included in the study, of which 83%, 15%, and 2% were MA, UA, and RA residents, respectively. RA and UA patients were mostly white male with low income and no comorbidities. In univariate analysis, OS was worse for RA (hazard ratio [HR] 1.10) and UA (HR 1.06) colorectal cancer patients than that for MA colorectal cancer patients. In multivariate analysis revealed significant association between OS and geographic residence, with worse OS for RA (HR 1.02, p = 0.04) and UA (HR 1.01, p = 0.003) patients. Black (HR 1.14) and Native American (HR 1.17) patients had worse outcomes, while Asians (HR 0.8), women (HR 0.88), and patients with higher income had improved OS (HR 0.88). Conclusion: The differences in the OS for RA and UA patients with colorectal cancer were significantly driven by economic disparity. Area of residence represents an important factor independently limiting access to care, particularly in geographically isolated individuals.

Background: The incidence and prevalence of neuroendocrine neoplasms (NENs) are rapidly rising. Epidemiologic trends have been reported for common NENs, but specific data for lung NENs are lacking. Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis utilizing the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. Associated population data were utilized to report the annual age-adjusted incidence and overall survival (OS) trends. Trends for large-cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (LCNEC) and atypical carcinoid (AC) were reported from 2000–2015, while those for typical carcinoid (TC) and small cell lung cancer (SCLC) were reported from 1988–2015. Results: We examined a total of 124,969 lung NENs [103,890—SCLC; 3303—LCNEC; 8146—TC; 656—AC; 8974—Other]. The age-adjusted incidence rate revealed a decline in SCLC from 8.6 in 1988 to 5.3 in 2015 per 100,000; while other NENs showed an increase: TC increased from 0.57 in 1988 to 0.77 in 2015, AC increased from 0.17 in 2001 to 0.22 in 2015, and LCNEC increased from 0.16 in 2000 to 0.41 in 2015. The 5-year OS rate among SCLC, LCNEC, AC, and TC patients was 5%, 17%, 64%, and 84%, respectively. On multivariable analyses, OS and disease-specific survival (DSS) varied significantly by stage, sex, histological type, insurance type, marital status, and race, with a better survival noted in earlier stages, females, married, insured, Hispanic and other races, and urban population. Similarly, TC and AC had better survival compared to SCLC and LCNEC. Conclusion: The incidence of lung NENs is rising, possibly in part because of advanced radiological techniques. However, the incidence of SCLCs is waning, likely because of declining smoking habits. Such population-based studies are essential for resource allocation and to prioritize future research directions.

Abstract Background: Gastric cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer-related mortality worldwide, with a global burden of 5.7% new cases each year and 8.2% of cancer-related deaths. Area of residence has been found to affect survival in different cancers but their impact on gastric cancer remains largely unknown. The purpose of this study is to address the potential disparities between the rural and urban populations affected specifically by gastric adenocarcinoma. Methods: We conducted a retrospective study, analyzing different socio-economic factors associated with populations affected by gastric adenocarcinoma between 2004 and 2013. Data was obtained from the National Cancer Database (NCDB). Univariate and multivariable analyses were performed to evaluate overall survival (OS). Different socio-demographic factors, location of residence were included, urban area (UA) or rural area (RA), gender, race, insurance status and marital status were included in the analyses. Results: A total of 88,246 [RA, N=12,365; UA, N=75,881] patients were included in the study. Majority of the study population was white (N = 67,792, 77%) and male (N = 59,574, 68%). Univariate and multivariable analysis showed that RA had the worst OS (univariate - HR=1.08, p<0.001; multivariate HR=1.04; p<0.001) compared to UA. When comparing different racial backgrounds, univariate and multivariable analysis showed Native American and African American population had poor OS when compared to the white population, however, Asian patients tend to have better OS (univariate HR=0.66, multivariable HR=0.68, p<0.01). From quality of care standpoint, UA patients median days to undergo surgery (28 vs. 33; p<0.01) post diagnosis was significantly sooner, with significantly fewer positive margins (6.3% vs. 6.9%; p<0.01) when compared to RA patients. Though, there is no minimum number of lymph nodes examined during resection, but total of 15 or above is an accepted practice. When comparing the lymph node dissection, 19.6% UA patients underwent more than or equal to 15 lymph nodes dissection in comparison to 18.7% patients in RA (p=0.03). Discussion: This study identifies socio-demographic disparities in gastric adenocarcinoma. Access to healthcare, variations in patient care, environmental and lifestyle factors as well as genomic differences are all potential factors that affect the OS. This is consistent with the available literature in gastric cancer, including studies demonstrating survival differences in different populations undergoing surgical treatment in the United States. Based on the above data, it is imperative for future health policy initiatives to address these disparities in an effort to improve OS. Citation Format: Rohit Gosain, Navpreet Rana, Riccardo Lemini, Chong Wang, Sarbajit Mukherjee. Sociodemographic disparities in gastric adenocarcinoma: A population-based study [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Twelfth AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2019 Sep 20-23; San Francisco, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2020;29(6 Suppl_2):Abstract nr A054.

e19120 Background: The incidence and prevalence of Neuroendocrine Neoplasms (NENs) are rapidly rising. Epidemiologic trends have been reported for common NENs, but specific data for lung NENs has been lacking. Methods: We conducted a retrospective population-based analysis utilizing the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database, and studied lung NENs patients from 1988 to 2015. Associated population data was utilized to report the annual age-adjusted incidence and overall survival trends. Trends in the incidence and survival of large-cell lung cancer (LCLC) and atypical carcinoid (AC) were reported from 2000-2015, while that for typical carcinoid (TC) and small cell lung cancer (SCLC) were reported from 1988-2015. Results: We examined a total of 115,995 lung NENs [103,980 – SCLC; 3,303 – LCLC; 8,146 – TC; 656 – AC]. The age-adjusted incidence rate revealed decline in SCLC from 8.6 in 1988 to 5.3 in 2015 per 100,000; while other NENs showed an increase: TC increased from 0.57 in 1988 to 0.77 in 2015 per 100,000, AC increased from 0.17 in 2001 to 0.22 in 2015 per 100,000, and lastly, LCLC increased from 0.35 in 2001 to 0.41 in 2015 per 100,000. On multivariable analyses, the median overall survival (OS) and disease-specific survival (DSS) rate varied significantly by stage, grade, age at diagnosis, histological type, insurance type, marital status, and race. The 5-year OS rate among SCLC and LCLC patients was 5% and 17%, respectively, consistent with their high-grade nature. On the other hand, TC and AC, representing low-grade neuroendocrine tumors, had good 5-year OS: 84% and 64%, respectively. Conclusions: The incidence of lung NENs is rising, possibly because of advanced radiological techniques. However, we have seen a downtrend in the incidence of SCLCs likely because of declining smoking habits. Such population-based studies are essential for resource allocation and to prioritize future research directions.

e19047 Background: Colorectal cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer deaths in the US. Area of residence affects survival in many cancers, though largely unknown in colorectal cancer. The purpose of this study is to evaluate disparities between the metropolitan, urban and rural populations and the impact on survival in colorectal cancer. Methods: Data was obtained from the National Cancer Database (NCDB) colon, rectosigmoid, and rectal data sets. Patients (pts) were categorized by area of residence: metropolitan (MA), urban (UA), or rural (RA). Gender, race, insurance status, income, marital status, and tumor related data was collected. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to evaluate variables affecting overall survival (OS). Results: A total of 973,139 pts, spanning 2004-2013 were included in the study, 83% MA, 15% UA, 2% RA. RA and UA pts were more likely to be white than MA pts (92.7 v 91.4% v 83%). RA and UA were more likely to have lower income, with slightly lesser amounts of women and pts with no comorbidities. Uninsured rates were similar (3.3%). On univariate analysis, OS was worse for RA (HR 1.10) and UA (1.06) pts, as compared with MA. On multivariate analysis, small differences persisted with worse OS for RA (HR 1.02, p = .043) and UA (HR 1.01, p = .003). Black (HR 1.14) and native American (HR 1.17) pts had worse outcomes, while Asian (HR 0.8) pts had improved OS. Women (HR 0.88) and pts with higher incomes ( > 46K or 63K) had improved OS (HR 0.88). Conclusions: This study identifies socio-demographic disparities in colorectal cancer outcomes. Pts from rural and urban areas had worse OS, even though the proportion of minority pts with poor outcomes was lower. The difference in OS for RA and UA remained statistically significant in multivariate analysis, though it was largely corrected when adjusting for influencing variables. Part of this difference may be due to economic disparities, as lower income was linked to worse OS. This can independently limit access to care, especially for geographically isolated individuals. Additional research efforts are needed in order for us to better understand the key issues facing and the optimal means to improve outcomes in at risk populations.

Background: Gastric cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer-related mortality worldwide, accounting for 8.2% of cancer-related deaths. The purpose of this study was to investigate the geographic and sociodemographic disparities in gastric adenocarcinoma patients. Methods: We conducted a retrospective study in gastric adenocarcinoma patients between 2004 and 2013. Data were obtained from the National Cancer Data Base (NCDB). Univariate and multivariable analyses were performed to evaluate overall survival (OS). Socio-demographic factors, including the location of residence [metro area (MA) or rural area (RA)], gender, race, insurance status, and marital status, were analyzed. Results: A total of 88,246 [RA, N = 12,365; MA, N = 75,881] patients were included. Univariate and multivariable analysis showed that RA had worse OS (univariate HR = 1.08, p < 0.01; multivariate HR = 1.04; p < 0.01) compared to MA. When comparing different racial backgrounds, Native American and African American populations had poorer OS when compared to the white population; however, Asian patients had a better OS (multivariable HR = 0.68, p < 0.01). From a quality of care standpoint, MA patients had fewer median days to surgery (28 vs. 33; p < 0.01) with fewer positive margins (6.3% vs. 6.9%; p < 0.01) when compared to RA patients. When comparing the extent of lymph node dissection, 19.6% of MA patients underwent an extensive dissection (more than or equal to 15 lymph nodes) in comparison to 18.7% patients in RA (p = 0.03). Discussion: This study identifies socio-demographic disparities in gastric adenocarcinoma. Future health policy initiatives should focus on equitable allocation of resources to improve the outcomes.

INTRODUCTION: Gastric cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer-related mortality worldwide, with a global burden of 5.7% new cases each year and 8.2% of cancer-related deaths. Area of residence has been found to affect survival in different cancers but their impact on gastric cancer remains largely unknown. The purpose of this study is to address the potential disparities between the rural and urban populations affected by gastric cancer. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study, analyzing different socio-demographic factors associated with populations affected by gastric cancer between 1973 and 2015. Data was obtained from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to evaluate disease-specific survival (DSS) and overall survival (OS). Different socio-demographic factors including location of residence, that is urban area (UA) or rural area (RA), gender, race, insurance status and marital status were included in the analyses. RESULTS: A total of 68,959 [RA, N = 6,841; UA, N = 60,282] patients were included in the study. The incidence of gastric cancer was noted to have a steady decline during the studied time period, in both RA and UA. Majority of the study population was non-Hispanic white (N = 42,806, 62%) and male (N = 46,504, 67%). Univariate and multivariate analysis showed that RA had the worst DSS (univariate - HR = 1.15, P < 0.001; multivariate - HR = 1.13, P < 0.001) and OS (univariate - HR = 1.13, P < 0.001; multivariate HR = 1.11; P < 0.001) compared to UA. Similarly, DSS and OS was poor in uninsured and single patient population compared to insured patients and married couples respectively. Multivariate analysis further showed female patients had better DSS (HR = 0.91, P < 0.001) and OS (HR = 0.88, P < 0.001) in comparison to their male counterparts. CONCLUSION: This study identifies socio-demographic disparities in gastric cancer. Access to healthcare, variations in patient care, environmental and lifestyle factors as well as genomic differences are all potential factors that affect the OS. This is consistent with the available literature in gastric cancer, including studies demonstrating survival differences in different populations undergoing surgical treatment in the United States. Based on the above data, it is imperative for future health policy initiatives to address these disparities in an effort to improve OS.