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•Despite increases in the reporting of race/ethnicity, Black and Hispanic persons were consistently underrepresented in hemophilia trials.•Strategies must be developed to overcome the underrepresentation of historically marginalized populations in interventional trials.

Hemophilia-related distress (HRD) has been shown to be higher among those with lower educational attainment, but potential racial/ethnic differences have not been previously described. Thus, we examined HRD according to race/ethnicity. This cross-sectional study was a planned secondary analysis of the hemophilia-related distress questionnaire (HRDq) validation study data. Adults aged ≥ 18 years with Hemophilia A or B were recruited from one of two hemophilia treatment centers between July 2017-December 2019. HRDq scores can range from 0–120, and higher scores indicate higher distress. Self-reported race/ethnicity was grouped as Hispanic, non-Hispanic White (NHW) and non-Hispanic Black (NHB). Unadjusted and multivariable linear regression models were used to examine mediators of race/ethnicity and HRDq scores. Among 149 participants enrolled, 143 completed the HRDq and were included in analyses. Approximately 17.5% of participants were NHB, 9.1% were Hispanic and 72.0% were NHW. HRDq scores ranged from 2 to 83, with a mean of 35.1 [standard deviation (SD) = 16.5]. Average HRDq scores were significantly higher among NHB participants (mean = 42.6,SD = 20.6; p-value = .038) and similar in Hispanic participants (mean = 33.8,SD = 16.7, p-value = .89) compared to NHW (mean = 33.2,SD = 14.9) participants. In multivariable models, differences between NHB vs NHW participants persisted when adjusting for inhibitor status, severity, and target joint. However, after household income was adjusted for, differences in HRDq scores were no longer statistically significant (β = 6.0 SD = 3.7; p-value = .10). NHB participants reported higher HRD than NHW participants. Household income mediated higher distress scores in NHB compared to NHW participants, highlighting the urgent need to understand social determinants of health and financial hardship in persons with hemophilia.

Background: Previous study reported shared decision making was underused in PSA-based prostate cancer screening. In mid-2018, the US Preventive Service Task Force recommended shared decision making (SDM) before PSA-based prostate cancer screening among men aged 55–69 year while remained against PSA testing in men aged 70 or older. The objective of this study is to examine recent changes in SDM and prostate cancer screening following recent USPSTF recommendations. Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional study among men aged 50 years or older were conducted using 2015 and 2018 National Health Interview Survey data (n= 10,926). Outcomes included self-reported PSA testing for prostate cancer screening last year, and if yes, whether respondent ever had a discussion with the healthcare provider about its advantages and disadvantages. Analyses were stratified by respondent’s age (50–54 vs. 55–69 vs. 70+). Results: Routine PSA screening rates remained stable from 34.3% in 2015 to 35.4% in first half of 2018, and 36.0% in second half of 2018 (ptrend = 0.57). A similar pattern was found in men ≥70 years (ptrend = 0.98). Receipt of SDM increased in men aged ≥50 years from 30.5% in 2015 to 33.6% in first half of 2018, and 36.7% in second half of 2018 (ptrend = 0.002). The increase was most prominent in men aged 55 to 69 years (31.6, 36.9, and 40.2% in 2015, first half of 2018 and second half of 2018 respectively; ptrend = 0.001). Conclusions: Between 2015 and 2018, there was no significant increase in the PSA-based prostate cancer screening. However, a significant increasing trend in SDM was observed, especially in men aged 55–69 years.

•Immune tolerance induction was associated with less bleeding, less health care use, less chronic pain, and improved function.•Immune tolerance induction was not associated with unemployment or mortality.

Introduction:Immune tolerance induction (ITI) is the only treatment to eradicate inhibitors in people with severe hemophilia A with inhibitors (PwSHAi). An earlier study reported lower receipt of ITI treatment in non-Hispanic (NH) Black and Hispanic compared to NH White PwSHAi (Kempton CL, 2022). Since risk of inhibitor development is greater among Black and Hispanic persons with hemophilia, it has been hypothesized that race and ethnicity may impact the success of ITI. Limited studies have evaluated this hypothesis. This study examined the success of ITI by race and ethnicity among PwSHAi in the Community Counts (CC) Registry between 2013-2017 in the United States (US).

Background: One of the most devastating complications of Hemophilia A or B (HemA, HemB) is end-stage joint damage characterized by chronic pain and functional disability. Joint bleeding is the best predictor of joint damage in hemophilia. A wide range of new therapeutics from extended half-life factor (EHL) concentrates to non-factor therapies such as factor VIII mimetics, hemostatic rebalancers and gene therapy have been recently approved or are in late-stage clinical trials that hold the promise of decreased joint disease in severe hemophilia.

Background: Racial and ethnic representativeness in clinical trials is a crucial step to mitigate disparities in outcomes. In 2017, the United States (US) Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a final ruling requiring trial sponsors to report race/ethnicity data to the clinicaltrials.gov registry. Black and Hispanic persons are underrepresented in clinical trials for several diseases, including hematologic malignancies (Hantel, Luskin et al. 2021). However, the reporting and representation of race and ethnicity for hemophilia interventional trials is unknown. Congenital Hemophilia is a rare bleeding disorder for which there have been significant treatment advances leading to substantial gains in life expectancy and improvements in quality of life for those with access to treatment. The aims of the current study are to assess 1) the frequency of race and ethnicity reporting; and 2) the racial and ethnic distribution of participants in interventional clinical trials enrolling persons with hemophilia (PwH).

Head and neck malignancies comprise a heterogeneous group of malignancies that cause significant morbidity to those affected. These malignancies are associated with specific risk factors and exposures, some of which impact prognosis. The most common risk factors for developing head and neck cancers are tobacco and alcohol use. Marijuana and e-cigarettes, occupational exposures, and use of topical substances have also been linked to head and neck cancers. Human papilloma virus has been associated with oropharyngeal cancer. Such measures as oral hygiene, screening, smoking cessation, and vaccination are measures taken to decrease the incidence and morbidity of head and neck cancers.

Lung cancer screening (LCS) with low-dose CT (LDCT) imaging was recommended in 2013, making approximately 8 million Americans eligible for LCS. The demographic characteristics and outcomes of individuals screened in the United States have not been reported at the population level.

Background/Aim:Beginning in 2011, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the use of multikinase inhibitors (MKIs) for medullary thyroid cancers (MTCs), and in 2013 MKIs were approved for metastatic differentiated thyroid cancers (DTCs). However, little is known about the use of chemotherapy in thyroid cancer patients. Thus, the goal of our study was to describe patterns of chemotherapy use, including MKIs, among DTC and MTC patients in the National Cancer Database (NCDB). Methods:Chemotherapy use, along with other treatment types (surgery and radiation), was assessed between 2004 and 2013. The primary predictor was the year of diagnosis (2004-2010 and 2011-2013), based on the FDA's approval of chemotherapy for MTC (2011). Baseline use of MKIs in DTCs in 2013 was also examined. Multivariable logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios (OR) and 95% CI of receipt of chemotherapy. Results:Overall, 199,654 patients were included in our analytic sample with 194,667 nonmetastatic DTCs, 1,633 metastatic DTCs, and 3,354 MTCs. Among MTCs, chemotherapy use significantly increased from 3.1% in 2004-2010 to 5.0% in 2011-2013 (p = 0.018) in unadjusted and adjusted (OR = 1.54, 95% CI: 1.00, 2.36) analyses. In metastatic DTCs, 4.9% of patients received chemotherapy in 2013, which was not significantly higher than in previous years (p = 0.755). Conclusions:Overall, chemotherapy use among MTCs increased marginally following the FDA's approval of MKIs in 2011, although their use remains very low. MKIs were infrequently used in metastatic DTCs in 2013. Future studies examining patterns of chemotherapy in thyroid cancer patients are warranted.

Analysis of USRDS and SRTR listings, hospitalization and transplantation data shows that Black and Hispanic patients are more likely to be hospitalized and less likely to be transplanted, controlling for hospitalization rates. Supplemental digital content is available in the text.

IMPORTANCE: State-specific information about the health burden of smoking is valuable because state-level initiatives are at the forefront of tobacco control. Smoking-attributable cancer mortality estimates are currently available nationally and by cancer, but not by state. OBJECTIVE: To calculate the proportion of cancer deaths among adults 35 years and older that were attributable to cigarette smoking in 2014 in each state and the District of Columbia. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: The population-attributable fraction (PAF) of cancer deaths due to cigarette smoking was computed using relative risks for 12 smoking-related cancers (acute myeloid leukemia and cancers of the oral cavity and pharynx; esophagus; stomach; colorectum; liver; pancreas; larynx; trachea, lung, and bronchus; cervix uteri; kidney and renal pelvis; and urinary bladder) from large US prospective studies and state-specific smoking prevalence data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: The PAF of cancer deaths due to cigarette smoking in each US state and the District of Columbia. RESULTS: We estimate that at least 167 133 cancer deaths in the United States in 2014 (28.6% of all cancer deaths; 95% CI, 28.2%-28.8%) were attributable to cigarette smoking. Among men, the proportion of cancer deaths attributable to smoking ranged from a low of 21.8% in Utah (95% CI, 19.9%-23.5%) to a high of 39.5% in Arkansas (95% CI, 36.9%-41.7%), but was at least 30% in every state except Utah. Among women, the proportion ranged from 11.1% in Utah (95% CI, 9.6%-12.3%) to 29.0% in Kentucky (95% CI, 27.2%-30.7%) and was at least 20% in all states except Utah, California, and Hawaii. Nine of the top 10 ranked states for men and 6 of the top 10 ranked states for women were located in the South. In men, smoking explained nearly 40% of cancer deaths in the top 5 ranked states (Arkansas, Louisiana, Tennessee, West Virginia, and Kentucky). In women, smoking explained more than 26% of all cancer deaths in the top 5 ranked states, which included 3 Southern states (Kentucky, Arkansas, and Tennessee), and 2 Western states (Alaska and Nevada). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: The proportion of cancer deaths attributable to cigarette smoking varies substantially across states and is highest in the South, where up to 40% of cancer deaths in men are caused by smoking. Increasing tobacco control funding, implementing innovative new strategies, and strengthening tobacco control policies and programs, federally and in all states and localities, might further increase smoking cessation, decrease initiation, and reduce the future burden of morbidity and mortality associated with smoking-related cancers.

IMPORTANCE: Medullary thyroid cancer (MTC) is a relatively rare neoplasm of the thyroid but accounts for 14% of thyroid cancer–related deaths. Female sex, young age, and stage at presentation have been found to predict survival and treatment. However, patterns of survival and treatment by socioeconomic status and race/ethnicity have not been fully described. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether socioeconomic status and race/ethnicity are associated with survival and treatment in patients with MTC. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: Data for 1647 patients with MTC from January 1, 1998, to December 31, 2011, in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program registry were examined. Data analysis was conducted from June 1, 2013, to July 31, 2014. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Differences in receipt of thyroidectomy and lymph node examination by race/ethnicity were examined using logistic regression models. Overall and disease-specific survival were examined by race/ethnicity using Kaplan-Meier survival curves and adjusted Cox proportional hazards regression models. RESULTS: Of the 1647 patients with MTC were 1192 white (72.4%), 139 black (8.4%), 222 Hispanic (13.5%), and 94 other races/ethnicities (5.7%). Of these, 1539 (93.4%) underwent surgical treatment. There were no differences in receipt of thyroidectomy by race/ethnicity; however, black patients (adjusted odds ratio, 0.61; 95% CI, 0.39-0.93) and female patients (adjusted odds ratio, 0.76; 95% CI, 0.59-0.99) were less likely to undergo lymph node examination compared with non-Hispanic white and male patients. Black patients had lower overall (adjusted hazard ratio, 2.40; 95% CI, 1.45-3.98) and disease-specific survival (adjusted hazard ratio, 2.9; 95% CI, 1.64-5.14) compared with non-Hispanic white patients. CONCLUSIONS AND REVELANCE: In this population-based study of patients with MTC, black patients were less likely to have lymph node examination following surgery. Furthermore, Hispanic and black patients had poorer overall and disease-specific survival compared with non-Hispanic white patients after accounting for clinical factors. Racial/ethnic disparities exist in the type of treatment as well as outcomes in patients with MTC.

IMPORTANCE: Previous studies of prognostic factors of carcinoma of the minor salivary gland (MSG) have been limited to single-institution studies and small case series. Thus, limited data are available to guide the head and neck oncologist in counseling patients on the prognosis and management of these malignant neoplasms. OBJECTIVE: To examine 5- and 10-year cause-specific survival (CSS) rates of MSG carcinomas across all histologic subtypes and head and neck tumor subsites. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PATIENTS: Retrospective, population-based study using National Cancer Institute’s Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) data from January 1, 1988, through December 31, 2009. The study included 5334 patients diagnosed as having MSG carcinoma and registered in the SEER database. Patients without follow-up, diagnostic confirmation, and/or race designation were excluded from the analysis (131 [2.4%]). Final follow-up was completed on December 31, 2009, and data were analyzed from August 5, 2013, to July 1, 2014. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Five- and 10-year CSS rates for US patients with MSG carcinoma. Cox proportional hazard models were used to estimate adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% CIs. RESULTS: Among the 5334 patients with MSG carcinoma included, the most common histologic subtypes included mucoepidermoid carcinoma (1568 [29.4%]), adenoid cystic carcinoma (1228 [23.0%]), and adenocarcinoma (1313 [24.6%]). The most frequent sites of primary tumor were the oral cavity (3132 [58.7%]) and pharynx (1130 [21.2%]). Five-year CSS rate was significantly worse for MSG malignant neoplasms located in the larynx (HR, 2.42; 95% CI, 1.67-3.50) and nasal cavity and/or paranasal sinus (HR, 1.73; 95% CI, 1.29-2.32). Being older than 75 years was associated with a significantly worse 5-year CSS rate (HR, 2.88; 95% CI, 2.05-4.06). Compared with no surgery, local tumor destruction (HR, 0.44; 95% CI, 0.30-0.64), partial surgery (HR, 0.33; 95% CI, 0.23-0.47), and total surgery (HR, 0.55; 95% CI, 0.41-0.74) were each found to be a significant positive prognostic factor. No differences were observed in the 5-year hazard of death for race/ethnicity, sex, diagnosis year, or socioeconomic status, and 10-year adjusted HRs were similar to the 5-year patterns. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: This study, to date, represents the largest US survival analysis of carcinoma of the MSG. Prognosis is associated with histologic subtype, tumor subsite, age at diagnosis, grade, and surgical therapy.

OBJECTIVE To investigate whether patients treated with laryngectomy had less comorbidity than those treated with chemoradiation, which could help explain the improved survival for the laryngectomy cohorts in recent studies. DESIGN Observational cross-sectional study. PATIENTS Patients receiving diagnoses of primary invasive advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx between 2003 and 2008 were selected from the National Cancer Database, which collects information from more than 1400 facilities accredited by the American College of Surgeons' Commission on Cancer. Patient-level independent variables included age at diagnosis, sex, diagnosis year, race/ethnicity, primary payer status, and zip code–level education. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Primary treatment information. The association between treatment and patient clinical, sociodemographic, and facility-level and zip code–level socioeconomic status variables were analyzed using univariate statistics and multivariate models. Charlson Deyo Comorbidity and The Washington University Head and Neck Comorbidity Index scores were calculated from the hospital face sheet. RESULTS The study demonstrated that receipt of treatment (chemoradiation vs total laryngectomy) was significantly associated with comorbidity. Treatment was not significantly associated with insurance status, race/ethnicity, or age. Patients with comorbidity were less likely to receive chemoradiation than subtotal or total laryngectomy, with a risk ratio (RR) of 0.84 (95% CI, 0.81-0.87) for patients with 1 or more comorbidities compared with those without any comorbidity, after controlling for factors such as tumor stage, age, race/ethnicity, insurance, and socioeconomic status. Patients were also less likely to receive chemoradiation than total laryngectomy if they had stage IV disease (RR, 0.81; 95% CI, 0.79-0.83) and if they had been diagnosed at a teaching or research institution (RR, 0.80; 95% CI, 0.77-0.84). Patients were more likely to receive chemoradiation if they were diagnosed after 2003 (RR, 1.37; 95% CI, 1.30-1.45) or if they lived in a zip code with a high percentage of high school graduates (RR, 1.1; 95% CI, 1.05-1.15). CONCLUSIONS This is the first study, to our knowledge, that demonstrates that patients with advanced laryngeal cancer with 1 or more comorbidities are more likely to receive surgery than chemoradiation compared with patients without any comorbidity, independent of numerous clinical and nonclinical variables among a large national cohort. A limitation of this study is the use of comorbidity data from the National Cancer Database, which gathers its information from hospital discharge face sheets. We recognize that the National Cancer Database may be an imperfect system for the collection of comorbidity data and encourage discussion on different methods to improve the system, including incorporating comorbidity data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Medicare Database and medical chart–based comorbidity data collection by cancer registrars.

OBJECTIVE To describe trends and 4-year survival rate of surgical and nonsurgical treatment for laryngeal cancer. DESIGN Observational cross-sectional study. PATIENTS A total of 131 694 cases of laryngeal cancer diagnosed from 1985 to 2007 identified from the National Cancer Database. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Primary treatment information, including radiation therapy (RT), chemoradiation (CRT), and curative intent surgery, were identified. The association between treatment and the patient's clinical and nonclinical variables was analyzed using univariate and multivariate statistics. The 4-year survival rate was generated through Kaplan-Meier estimates, and multivariate Cox proportional hazard models were used to generate hazard ratios. RESULTS Among patients with early-stage cancer, the proportion receiving primary surgery increased (from 20% in 1985 to 33% in 2007), whereas the use of RT decreased from 64% to 52%. Patients with early-stage cancer who resided in areas with higher socioeconomic status (SES) zip codes, had private insurance, who were not African American, and who were treated at academic facilities were more likely to receive surgery. The 4-year survival rate for patients with early-stage laryngeal cancer treated with surgery was higher than the rate for those treated with RT (79% vs 71%). Among patients with advanced-stage cancer, the use of CRT increased from less than 7% to 45%, whereas the use of total laryngectomy decreased from 42% to 32%. The use of CRT was more common among patients who resided in areas with higher SES zip codes, had private insurance, and who were younger. The 4-year survival rates for patients with advanced laryngeal cancer treated with total laryngectomy, CRT, and RT were 51%, 48%, and 38%, respectively. Factors associated with an increased risk of death from advanced laryngeal cancer included receiving CRT and race/ethnicity. CONCLUSIONS Among patients with early-stage laryngeal cancer, we observed an increasing proportion of primary surgical therapy during this study period. Among patients with advanced-stage cancer, we observed an increasing proportion of CRT. Not only were clinical factors associated with type of treatment, but select sociodemographic elements were also associated with treatment. Further investigation as to the decision-making process of patients with different sociodemographic backgrounds will assist in mitigating the differences in survival for this group of patients.

Since the 1970s, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone (CHOP) has been the standard treatment for patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). Beginning in 2002, published randomized, controlled clinical trials changed the standard of care by demonstrating that when rituximab is added to CHOP complete response rates and overall survival improved. However, it remains unclear how these results influenced the use of combination chemo-immunotherapy in clinical practice in the United States. We examined a national cohort of patients with DLBCL to assess clinical and demographic features of patients who receive chemo-immunotherapy and those who do not.Patients diagnosed with DLBCL (ICD-O codes 9679 and 9680) between January 1, 2001 and December 31, 2004, were selected from the National Cancer DataBase (NCDB), a hospital-based cancer registry jointly sponsored by the American Cancer Society and the American College of Surgeons that includes more than 1,400 Commission-on-Cancer-approved sites and captures ∼75% of all newly diagnosed cases of cancer in the United States. Data on patient demographics, stage at diagnosis, health insurance, area-level education status, facility characteristics, and type of treatment were collected. Multivariable log binomial models were performed to examine the association between race, insurance and the use chemo-immunotherapy compared with chemotherapy alone, adjusting for other covariates.The study population included 38,002 patients with DLBCL. Overall, 27% received combination chemo-immunotherapy and 50% received chemotherapy alone. At diagnosis there were racial differences in baseline characteristics. Black pts were younger (median age 53 vs. 70 years), more likely to present with stage III/IV disease (44.5% vs. 40.9%), more likely to be uninsured (9.5% vs. 2.5%) or Medicaid insured (17.3% vs. 3.4%) and more likely to reside in a zip code where ≥29% of the population had no high school diploma (38.1% vs. 11.6%) when compared with White pts (all p<0.0001). Patients who were Black, had limited stage disease, were diagnosed in 2001, were uninsured/Medicaid insured, or lived in an area where a greater % had no high school diploma were less likely to receive any form of chemotherapy (all p <0.0001). Patients who were Black (RR 0.83, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.78-0.89), >60 years (RR 0.94, 95% CI 0.90-0.98), had limited stage disease (RR 0.89, 95% CI 0.86-0.92) or missing staging information (RR 0.54, 95% CI 0.50-0.58), or were diagnosed in 2001-2002 were less likely to receive chemo-immunotherapy. Receiving treatment at a high lymphoma volume teaching/research facility was associated with the greatest likelihood of chemo-immunotherapy use (RR 1.69, 95% CI 1.52-1.89). Sixteen percent of patients did not receive treatment and were more likely to be diagnosed in 2001, uninsured/non-Private insured, Black, older, or treated at low volume community or low volume comprehensive cancer center when compared with patients receiving any form of treatment.These results indicate that disparities exist in the use of chemo-immunotherapy for patients with DLBCL treated in the US. During the period immediately following the demonstration that chemo-immunotherapy improved survival over chemotherapy alone, patients who were Black, older than 60 years, or from areas of lower educational status were less likely to receive this new standard of care. While the use of chemo-immunotherapy appears to be rising, improving outcomes for patients with lymphoma in the US will require increased attention to strategies to extend the benefits of proven advances in therapy to all segments of the population.Flowers: Amos Medical Faculty Development Program grant from the American Society of Hematology/Robert Wood Johnson Foundation: Research Funding.