Search

Simple Summary: Survivors of childhood cancer are predisposed to a range of late effects of treatment, including high symptom burden. Symptom burden may vary over time. The aim of this prospective pilot study was to assess the feasibility of collecting daily symptoms from adult survivors of childhood cancer using mobile health (mHealth) technology to evaluate symptom fluctuation and associations with future health-related quality of life (HRQOL). The 41 survivors included in this study had high adherence to symptom reporting (83%) and HRQOL reporting (95%). Variability of daily symptom burden differed from person-to-person (74%), day-to-day (18%), and month-to-month (8%). Additionally, a higher symptom burden was associated with poorer HRQOL in the future. Daily assessment of symptoms using mHealth technology revealed fluctuations in symptomology and the association between symptom burden and HRQOL. This method of symptom assessment is valuable for improving our understanding of symptom dynamics and sources of variability. Background: Cancer therapies predispose survivors to a high symptom burden. This study utilized mobile health (mHealth) technology to assess the feasibility of collecting daily symptoms from adult survivors of childhood cancer to evaluate symptom fluctuation and associations with future health-related quality-of-life (HRQOL). Methods: This prospective study used an mHealth platform to distribute a 20-item cancer-related symptom survey (5 consecutive days each month) and an HRQOL survey (the day after the symptom survey) over 3 consecutive months to participants from the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study. These surveys comprised a PROMIS-29 Profile and Neuro-QOL assessed HRQOL. Daily symptom burden was calculated by summing the severity (mild, moderate, or severe) of 20 symptoms. Univariate linear mixed-effects models were used to analyze total, person-to-person, day-to-day, and month-to-month variability for the burden of 20 individual symptoms. Multivariable linear regression was used to analyze the association between daily symptom burden in the first month and HRQOL in the third month, adjusted for covariates. Results: Out of the 60 survivors invited, 41 participated in this study (68% enrollment rate); 83% reported their symptoms ≥3 times and 95% reported HRQOL in each study week across 3 months. Variability of daily symptom burden differed from person-to-person (74%), day-to-day (18%), and month-to-month (8%). Higher first-month symptom burden was associated with poorer HRQOL related to anxiety (regression coefficient: 6.56; 95% CI: 4.10–9.02), depression (6.32; 95% CI: 3.18–9.47), fatigue (7.93; 95% CI: 5.11–10.80), sleep (6.07; 95% CI: 3.43–8.70), pain (5.16; 95% CI: 2.11–8.22), and cognitive function (–6.89; 95% CI: –10.00 to –3.79) in the third month. Conclusions: Daily assessment revealed fluctuations in symptomology, and higher symptom burden was associated with poorer HRQOL in the future. Utilizing mHealth technology for daily symptom assessment improves our understanding of symptom dynamics and sources of variability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The Affordable Care Act (ACA) increased private nonemployer health insurance options, expanded Medicaid eligibility, and provided preexisting health condition protections. We evaluated insurance coverage among long-term adult survivors of childhood cancer pre- and post-ACA implementation. Methods Using the multicenter Childhood Cancer Survivor Study, we included participants from 2 cross-sectional surveys: pre-ACA (2007-2009; survivors: n = 7505; siblings: n = 2175) and post-ACA (2017-2019; survivors: n = 4030; siblings: n = 987). A subset completed both surveys (1840 survivors; 646 siblings). Multivariable regression models compared post-ACA insurance coverage and type (private, public, uninsured) between survivors and siblings and identified associated demographic and clinical factors. Multinomial models compared gaining and losing insurance vs staying the same among survivors and siblings who participated in both surveys. Results The proportion with insurance was higher post-ACA (survivors pre-ACA 89.1% to post-ACA 92.0% [+2.9%]; siblings pre-ACA 90.9% to post-ACA 95.3% [+4.4%]). Post-ACA insurance increase in coverage was higher among those aged 18-25 years (survivors: +15.8% vs +2.3% or less ages 26 years and older; siblings +17.8% vs +4.2% or less ages 26 years and older). Survivors were more likely to have public insurance than siblings post-ACA (18.4% vs 6.9%; odds ratio [OR] = 1.7, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.1 to 2.6). Survivors with severe chronic conditions (OR = 4.7, 95% CI = 3.0 to 7.3) and those living in Medicaid expansion states (OR = 2.4, 95% CI = 1.7 to 3.4) had increased odds of public insurance coverage post-ACA. Among the subset completing both surveys, low- and mid-income survivors (<$40 000 and <$60 000, respectively) experienced insurance losses and gains in reference to highest household income survivors (≥$100 000), relative to odds of keeping the same insurance status. Conclusions Post-ACA, more childhood cancer survivors and siblings had health insurance, although disparities remain in coverage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The impact of adverse childhood experiences (ACE, e.g., abuse, neglect, and/or household dysfunction experienced before the age of 18) and resilience on risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) has not previously been investigated in adult survivors of childhood cancer. Methods: We conducted a nested case-control study among long-term, adult-aged survivors of childhood cancer from the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study. Self-report questionnaires ascertained ACEs and resilience, and scores were compared between cases with serious/life-threatening CVD and controls without CVD matched on demographic and cardiotoxic treatment factors. Results: Among 95 cases and 261 controls, the mean ACE score was 1.4 for both groups; 53.4% of survivors endorsed =1 ACE. No association was observed between ACEs or resilience and CVD in adjusted models. Conclusions: ACEs and resilience do not appear to contribute to CVD risk for adult survivors of childhood cancer with cardiotoxic treatment exposures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Early efforts at risk-adapted therapy for neuroblastoma are predicted to result in differential late effects; the magnitude of these differences has not been well described. Methods Late mortality, subsequent malignant neoplasms (SMNs), and severe/life-threatening chronic health conditions (CHCs), graded according to CTCAE v4.03, were assessed among 5-year Childhood Cancer Survivor Study (CCSS) survivors of neuroblastoma diagnosed 1987-1999. Using age, stage at diagnosis, and treatment, survivors were classified into risk groups (low [n = 425]; intermediate [n = 252]; high [n = 245]). Standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) and standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) of SMNs were compared with matched population controls. Cox regression models estimated hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals for CHC compared with 1029 CCSS siblings. Results Among survivors (49.8% male; median age = 21 years, range = 7-42; median follow-up = 19.3 years, range = 5-29.9), 80% with low-risk disease were treated with surgery alone, whereas 79.1% with high-risk disease received surgery, radiation, chemotherapy ± autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT). All-cause mortality was elevated across risk groups (SMRhigh = 27.7 [21.4-35.8]; SMRintermediate = 3.3 [1.7-6.5]; SMRlow = 2.8 [1.7-4.8]). SMN risk was increased among high- and intermediate-risk survivors (SIRhigh = 28.0 [18.5-42.3]; SIRintermediate = 3.7 [1.2-11.3]) but did not differ from the US population for survivors of low-risk disease. Compared with siblings, survivors had an increased risk of grade 3-5 CHCs, particularly among those with high-risk disease (HRhigh = 16.1 [11.2-23.2]; HRintermediate = 6.3 [3.8-10.5]; HRlow = 1.8 [1.1-3.1]). Conclusion Survivors of high-risk disease treated in the early days of risk stratification carry a markedly elevated burden of late recurrence, SMN, and organ-related multimorbidity, whereas survivors of low/intermediate-risk disease have a modest risk of late adverse outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Long-term survivors of childhood cancer face elevated risk for financial hardship. We evaluate whether childhood cancer survivors live in areas of greater deprivation and the association with self-reported financial hardships. Methods We performed a cross-sectional analysis of data from the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study between 1970 and 1999 and self-reported financial information from 2017 to 2019. We measured neighborhood deprivation with the Area Deprivation Index (ADI) based on current zip code. Financial hardship was measured with validated surveys that captured behavioral, material and financial sacrifice, and psychological hardship. Bivariate analyses described neighborhood differences between survivors and siblings. Generalized linear models estimated effect sizes between ADI and financial hardship adjusting for clinical factors and personal socioeconomic status. Results Analysis was restricted to 3475 long-term childhood cancer survivors and 923 sibling controls. Median ages at time of evaluation was 39 years (interquartile range [IQR] = 33-46 years and 47 years (IQR = 39-59 years), respectively. Survivors resided in areas with greater deprivation (ADI ≥ 50: 38.7% survivors vs 31.8% siblings; P <.001). One quintile increases in deprivation were associated with small increases in behavioral (second quintile, P =.017) and psychological financial hardship (second quintile, P =.009; third quintile, P =.014). Lower psychological financial hardship was associated with individual factors including greater household income (≥$60 000 income, P <.001) and being single (P =.048). Conclusions Childhood cancer survivors were more likely to live in areas with socioeconomic deprivation. Neighborhood-level disadvantage and personal socioeconomic circumstances should be evaluated when trying to assist childhood cancer survivors with financial hardships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Childhood cancer survivors are at increased risk of late mortality (death =5 years after diagnosis) from cancer recurrence and treatment-related late effects. The authors conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to provide comprehensive estimates of late mortality risk among survivors internationally and to investigate differences in risk across world regions. Methods: Health sciences databases were searched for cohort studies comprised of 5-year childhood cancer survivors in which the risk of mortality was evaluated across multiple cancer types. Eligible studies assessed all-cause mortality risk in survivors relative to the general population using the standardized mortality ratio (SMR). The absolute excess risk (AER) was assessed as a secondary measure to examine excess deaths. Cause-specific mortality risk was also assessed, if reported. SMRs from nonoverlapping cohorts were combined in subgroup meta-analysis, and the effect of world region was tested in univariate meta-regression. Results: Nineteen studies were included, and cohort sizes ranged from 314 to 77,423 survivors. Throughout survivorship, SMRs for all-cause mortality generally declined, whereas AERs increased after 15-20 years from diagnosis in several cohorts. All-cause SMRs were significantly lower overall in North American studies than in European studies (relative SMR, 0.63; 95% confidence interval, 0.49-0.80). SMRs for subsequent malignant neoplasms and for cardiovascular, respiratory, and external causes did not vary significantly between world regions. Conclusions: The current findings suggest that late mortality risk may differ significantly between world regions, but these conclusions are based on a limited number of studies with considerable heterogeneity. Reasons for regional differences remain unclear but may be better elucidated through future analyses of individual-level data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: We aimed to establish content validity and assess the psychometric properties of the FACE-Q Craniofacial Module, a patient-reported outcome measure, for use in pediatric and adolescent patients with head and neck cancer (HNC). Methods: To establish content validity (Part 1), between June 2017 and August 2019, cognitive interviews were conducted with survivors of pediatric HNC (n = 15), and input was obtained from clinical experts (n = 21). To examine item and scale performance (Part 2), Rasch Measurement Theory (RMT) analysis was performed using data from two international studies (n = 121). Results: Part 1: Qualitative data from 15 survivors and input from 21 experts provided evidence to support the use of the FACE-Q Craniofacial Module in pediatric HNC. Part 2: The field-test study sample included 121 survivors of pediatric HNC. RMT analysis provided evidence of reliability and validity for 10 FACE-Q scales. Data for each scale fit the RMT model. Scale reliability was high, with Person Separation Index and Cronbach's alpha values ≥0.82 for 9 scales. Mean scores on the Appearance, Psychological, and Social scales were higher for those who liked aspects of their face more. For participants with (vs. without) a facial difference, mean scores were lower for the Face, Jaws, Psychological, and Social scales. Conclusion: The FACE-Q Craniofacial Module evidenced reliability and validity for HNC survivors aged 8–29 years and can be used in research and clinical care to measure quality of life of pediatric survivors with HNC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Siblings of children with cancer may experience adverse household economic consequences, but their financial outcomes in adulthood are unknown. Methods: A total of 880 siblings (aged 18–64 years) of adult‐aged childhood cancer survivors were surveyed to estimate the prevalence of financial hardship by three established domains (behavioral, material, and psychological). For individual financial hardship items matching the contemporaneous National Health Interview Survey or Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, siblings were compared with the general population by calculating adjusted prevalence odds ratios (ORs) to sample‐weighted responses. Multivariable logistic regression models examined associations between sibling characteristics and each hardship domain and between sibling hardship and survivors' cancer/treatment characteristics. Results: Behavioral, material, and psychological hardship was reported by 24%, 35%, and 28%, respectively. Compared with national survey respondents, siblings were more likely to report worries about medical bills (OR, 1.14; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.06–1.22), difficulty affording nutritious foods (OR, 1.79; 95% CI, 1.54–2.07), and forgoing needed medical care (OR, 1.38; 95% CI, 1.10–1.73), prescription medications (OR, 2.52; 95% CI, 1.99–3.20), and dental care (OR, 1.34; 95% CI, 1.15–1.57) because of cost. Sibling characteristics associated with reporting financial hardship in one or more domains included female sex, older age, chronic health conditions, lower income, not having health insurance, high out‐of‐pocket medical expenditures, and nonmedical/nonhome debt. No survivor cancer/treatment characteristics were associated with sibling financial hardship. Conclusions: Adult siblings of childhood cancer survivors were more likely to experience financial hardship compared with the general population. Childhood cancer may adversely affect entire households, with potentially lasting implications. Adult siblings of long‐term childhood cancer survivors may experience greater aspects of financial hardship compared with the general population. A childhood cancer diagnosis and treatment may adversely affect entire households, with potentially lasting implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Complementary Health Approaches (CHA) are commonly used by children with cancer; however, a few health care providers (HCPs) inquire about the use of CHA. A standardized questionnaire could facilitate such clinical discussions. We aimed to adapt and determine the face and content validity of the "Which Health Approaches and Treatments are you using?" (WHAT) child and parent-report questionnaires in pediatric oncology. Methods: An electronic Delphi survey that included children with cancer (8–18 years), parents, and HCPs and CHA researchers was conducted to reach consensus on the content of the WHAT questionnaires in pediatric oncology. Children and parents from the Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids), and HCPs and researchers from the International Society of Pediatric Oncology and Pediatric Complementary and Alternative Medicine Research and Education Network completed the survey. To determine the face and content validity of the questionnaires, two iterative cycles of individual interviews were conducted with purposive samples of children (8–18 years), parents, and HCPs from SickKids. Results: Consensus was reached on all domains and items of the original WHAT questionnaires after one Delphi cycle (n = 61). For face and content validity testing, the first cycle of interviews (n = 19) revealed that the questionnaires were mostly comprehensive and relevant. However, the paper-based format of the original WHAT was not user-friendly, and generic items were vague and not aimed at facilitating clinical dialogues about CHA use. The WHAT questionnaires were then modified into electronic cancer-specific self- and proxy-report questionnaires including 13 and 15 items, respectively. The second cycle (n = 21) showed no need for further changes. Conclusions: The modified electronic cancer-specific WHAT questionnaires showed adequate face and content validity. The next step is to determine inter-rater reliability, construct validity, and feasibility of administration of the modified WHAT questionnaires in pediatric oncology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Childhood cancer treatment while often curative, leads to elevated risks of morbidity and mortality. Survivors require lifelong periodic surveillance for late effects of treatment, yet adherence to guideline-recommended tests is suboptimal. We created ONLOOP to provide adult survivors of childhood cancer with detailed health information, including summaries of their childhood cancer treatment and recommended surveillance tests for early detection of cardiomyopathy, breast cancer, and/or colorectal cancer, with personalized reminders over time. Methods: This is an individually randomized, registry-based pragmatic trial with an embedded process and economic evaluation to understand ONLOOP's impact and whether it can be readily implemented at scale. All adult survivors of childhood cancer in Ontario overdue for guideline-recommended tests will be randomly assigned to one of two arms: (1) intervention or (2) delayed intervention. A letter of information and invitation will detail the ONLOOP program. Those who sign up will receive a personalized toolkit and a screening reminder 6 months later. With the participants' consent, ONLOOP will also send their primary care clinician a letter detailing the recommended tests and a reminder 6 months later. The primary outcome will be the proportion of survivors who complete one or more of the guideline-recommended cardiac, breast, or colon surveillance tests during the 12 months after randomization. Data will be obtained from administrative databases. The intent-to-treat principle will be followed. Based on our analyses of administrative data, we anticipate allocating at least 862 individuals to each trial arm, providing 90% power to detect an absolute increase of 6% in targeted surveillance tests completed. We will interview childhood cancer survivors and family physicians in an embedded process evaluation to examine why and how ONLOOP achieved success or failed. A cost-effectiveness evaluation will be performed. Discussion: The results of this study will determine if ONLOOP is effective at helping adult survivors of childhood cancer complete their recommended surveillance tests. This study will also inform ongoing provincial programs for this high-risk population. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05832138. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: A previous multicenter study showed that longitudinal changes in standard cardiac functional parameters were associated with the development of cardiomyopathy in childhood cancer survivors (CCS). Evaluation of the relationship between global longitudinal strain (GLS) changes and cardiomyopathy risk was limited, largely due to lack of quality apical 2‐ and 3‐chamber views in addition to 4‐chamber view. We sought to determine whether apical 4‐chamber longitudinal strain (A4LS) alone can serve as a suitable surrogate for GLS in this population. Methods: A4LS and GLS were measured in echocardiograms with acceptable apical 2‐, 3‐, and 4‐chamber views. Correlation was evaluated using Pearson and Spearman coefficients, and agreement was evaluated with Bland–Altman plots. The ability of A4LS to identify normal and abnormal values compared to GLS as the reference was evaluated. Results: Among a total of 632 reviewed echocardiograms, we identified 130 echocardiograms from 56 patients with adequate views (38% female; mean age at cancer diagnosis 8.3 years; mean follow‐up 9.4 years). Correlation coefficients between A4LS and GLS were.89 (Pearson) and.85 (Spearman), with Bland–Altman plot of GLS—A4LS showing a mean difference of −.71 ± 1.8. Compared with GLS as the gold standard, A4LS had a sensitivity of 86% (95% CI 79%–93%) and specificity of 82% (69%–95%) when using normal range cutoffs and 90% (82%–97%) and 70% (58%–81%) when using ±2 standard deviations. Conclusion: A4LS performs well when compared with GLS in this population. Given the more recent adoption of apical 2‐ and 3‐chamber views in most pediatric echocardiography laboratories, A4LS is a reasonable stand‐alone measurement in retrospective analyses of older study cohorts and echocardiogram biorepositories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study aimed to test the inter-rater reliability, construct validity, and feasibility of the modified "Which Health Approaches and Treatments Are You Using?" (WHAT) questionnaires in pediatric oncology; Methods: Parent–child dyads were invited to complete self- and proxy-report-modified WHAT, Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory, demographics, a diary of the child's recent use of CHA, and a questionnaire assessing the aspects of feasibility. Parents were asked to complete a satisfaction of their children's use of the CHA survey; Results: Twenty-four dyads completed the study. The mean weighted kappa showed strong inter-rater reliability (k = 0.77, SE = 0.056), and strong agreements between the modified WHAT and the diary (self-report [k = 0.806, SE = 0.046] and proxy-report [k = 0.894, SE = 0.057]). Significant relationships were found only between recent and non-recent CHA users in relation to the easy access to CHA (self-report [p = 0.02], proxy-report [p < 0.001]). The mean scores of the feasibility scale (out of 7.0) for the self- and proxy-report were 5.64 (SD = 0.23) and 5.81 (SD = 0.22), respectively, indicating the feasibility of the modified WHAT; Conclusions: The findings provide initial evidence of the reliability and validity of the modified WHAT and their feasibility. Further research is needed to test the theoretical relationships and further explore the validity and reliability of the modified WHAT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A cancer diagnosis during adolescence or young adulthood can have a negative impact on long-term physical and mental health. However, little is known about the financial outcomes for survivors of adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancers. A recent study in the Netherlands found that AYA cancer survivors experienced an average decrease of 8.5% in their annual earnings and a decrease in employment levels after diagnosis compared to a control group. The study also highlighted the potential economic consequences for family members who provide informal care and the broader impact on household financial security. While these findings may not be directly applicable to countries like the United States, where access to healthcare and worker protections are different, it is likely that young adult cancer survivors in the US face greater economic challenges. The oncology community is working to identify interventions to reduce the financial burden on AYA cancer survivors, including assessing financial hardship throughout the cancer journey, implementing screening tools, providing financial navigators, and advocating for improved access to affordable cancer care and social safety nets. [Extracted from the article]

Summary: We leveraged population‐based clinical and healthcare data to identify treatment patterns and long‐term outcomes among adolescents and young adults (AYA) with nodular lymphocyte‐predominant Hodgkin lymphoma (NLPHL). All Ontario, Canada, AYA aged 15–21 years at diagnosis with NLPHL between 1992 and 2012 were identified, and their detailed clinical data were collected. Linkage to healthcare databases identified additional events (subsequent malignant neoplasms [SMN], relapses and deaths). Event‐free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS) were compared by locus of care (adult vs. paediatric) and predictors of outcomes determined. Of 1014 AYA with Hodgkin lymphoma, 54 (5.3%) had NLPHL; 15 (27.8%) were treated at a paediatric centre. No paediatric centre patient received radiation only versus 16 (41.0%) of adult centre patients. Excision only was more common in paediatric centres (p < 0.001). The 20‐year EFS and OS rates were 82.9% ± 5.2% and 100% respectively. Advanced stage (hazard ratio: 4.9, 95% CI: 1.3–18.4; p = 0.02) was associated with inferior EFS. Although the 25‐year cumulative incidence of SMN was 19.3% ± 9.6% for the entire cohort, there were no SMN among the patients treated with excision only. AYA with NLPHL have outstanding long‐term survival. Resection alone was rare outside of paediatric institutions but associated with excellent outcomes. Given substantial SMN risks, chemotherapy‐sparing and radiation‐sparing strategies for appropriate subsets of patients are warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Symptom burden in adolescents and young adults (AYA) with cancer is poorly characterized but impacts quality of life. Methods: All Ontario, Canada AYA aged 15-29 years at diagnosis between 2010 and 2018 were linked to population-based healthcare databases, including to Edmonton Symptom Assessment System-revised (ESAS) scores, an 11-point scale routinely obtained at the time of cancer-related outpatient visits and collected provincially. Multistate models estimated mean duration of symptom severity states [none (0) vs. mild (1 vs. 2 vs. 3) vs. moderate (4-6) vs. severe (7-10)], trajectories, and subsequent mortality risk. Variables associated with severe symptoms were also determined. Results: In total, 4296 AYA with =1 ESAS score within a year of diagnosis were included (median age 25 years). Prevalent moderate/severe symptoms included fatigue (59% of AYA) and anxiety (44%). Across symptom type, AYA reporting moderate symptoms were likelier to subsequently experience improvement versus worsening. Risk of death within 6 months increased with increasing symptom burden and was highest in AYA with severe dyspnea (9.0%), pain (8.0%), or drowsiness (7.5%). AYA in the poorest urban neighborhoods were more likely to experience severe symptoms than in the wealthiest areas, with twice the odds of reporting severe depression [adjusted odds ratio (OR) 1.95, 95th confidence interval (95% CI) 1.37-2.78], pain (OR: 1.94, 95% CI: 1.39-2.70), and dyspnea (OR: 1.96, 95% CI: 1.27-3.02). Conclusions: AYA with cancer experience substantial symptom burden. Risk of death increased with symptom severity. Interventions targeting cancer fatigue and anxiety, and targeting AYA in lower-income neighborhoods, are likely to improve quality of life in this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

56 Background: Childhood cancer survivors face increased risks of heart failure and myocardial dysfunction associated with cancer treatment exposure. Children's Oncology Group (COG) guidelines recommend periodic cardiac screening for survivors exposed to anthracycline or radiation. However, the extent of adherence to cardiac screening among Medicaid-enrolled survivors—a group typically characterized by socioeconomic disadvantages—remains unclear. Additionally, as Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act has occurred in most, but not all states, cardiac screening adherence may vary based on survivors' state of residence. Methods: Data from the CCSS were linked to administrative Medicaid insurance claims from 2015 to 2019. We included at-risk survivors (i.e., received radiation to chest or heart, total body irradiation, and/or anthracyclines), aged 18-64 years, continuously covered by Medicaid during 2015-2019, and without a history of grade 3-4 cardiovascular conditions by 2019 to ensure the identified cardiac tests were for screening purposes. Our primary outcome assessed adherence to COG guidelines (V4.0) based on age- and therapy dose-specific frequency of cardiac testing (i.e., echocardiogram, multigated acquisition scan, or magnetic resonance imaging) during the study period. Multivariable logistic models assessed sociodemographic, clinical, and policy-related factors associated with adherence, with adjusted probability differences (i.e., marginal effects [MEs]) reported. Results: We identified 1,062 survivors at risk of cardiovascular conditions, with 57.0% female, 52.8% young adults (ages 18-39 years), and 72.8% non-Hispanic White. During 2015-2019, 285 (26.8%) survivors received any cardiac test, and 102 (9.6%) adhered to COG guideline-based frequency of cardiac testing. In multivariable models, survivors residing in states that expanded Medicaid in 2014 and later has 4.3 percentage points (ppts, 95% CI=0.58.1, p =0.025) and 6.1 ppts (95% CI=0.611.6, p =0.031) increased likelihood of adhering to guideline-based frequency of cardiac testing respectively compared to states that did not. Compared to leukemia survivors, the likelihood of adhering to guideline-based frequency of cardiac testing was higher in survivors of central nervous system tumors (ME=7.6 ppt, 95% CI=2.712.6, p =0.002), Hodgkin lymphoma (ME=10.7 ppt, 95% CI=1.320.1, p =0.026), and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (ME=9.4, 95% CI=1.017.8, p =0.028). Conclusions: Adherence to risk-based cardiac testing is low among Medicaid-enrolled survivors of childhood cancer, and associated with residence in a Medicaid expansion state and cancer type. Policy reforms toward improving affordable, continuous health insurance coverage are important means to increase adherence to guideline-based cardiac tests among survivors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Health care systems and providers have a responsibility to ensure that access to cancer clinical trials, opportunities to complete the trial, and access to lifelong survivor care are all thoughtfully examined with an equity lens. This will allow the greatest possible number of pediatric and adolescent and young adult cancer patients to receive the highest quality of care possible, in treatment and beyond. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]