tbuckley/cabot-search huggingface dataset:
Acupuncture for cancer symptoms: Clinical application and longitudinal impact.
Authors: Wael Lasheen, Declan Walsh, Susan Yaguda, Jonathan Polsky
Journal: Journal of Clinical Oncology (2024)

e23191 Background: Evidence for acupuncture (ACUP) in cancer care is inconsistent. ACUP is variously used for multiple symptoms, e.g. anxiety, chemotherapy-related peripheral neuropathy, dyspnea, hot flashes, insomnia, and pain. Approximately 500 unique patients are treated for ACUP annually in our Section of Integrative Oncology. Our objective was to evaluate ACUP’s clinical application and longitudinal impact on symptoms severity. Methods: This was a retrospective analysis of those treated in a group ACUP session. Symptoms were rated before each session on a severity numeric rating scale (0-10). Clinical improvement was defined as a 2-point decrease from baseline (T1). We report symptoms from baseline to the fourth sessions (T1-T4). Counts are presented as percentages and numbers summarized by mean (standard deviation; SD) or median (interquartile range; IQR). Groups were compared statistically as appropriate. Results: 2239 consecutive patients were treated between 2015-2022. Mean (SD) age was 57 (±12); 83% were female; 57% breast primary site, 9% hematologic, 9% gastrointestinal, 8% gynecologic, 4% lung, 3% prostate, and 9% other malignancies. Symptoms treated were pain (61%), insomnia (48%), fatigue (44%), neuropathy (41%), anxiety (37%), hot flashes (37%), and other symptoms (17%). 68% presented with multiple symptoms. They received a median (IQR) of 4 (2-6) sessions and 7 (7-14) days apart. At T1 symptom severity scores, median (IQR), were anxiety 5(2-7), fatigue 5(3-7), hot flashes 6(4-8), insomnia 6(4-8), neuropathy 5(3-8), and pain 5(3-7); Table1. By T2, improvement was observed in patients, N (%), with hot flashes 476 (66%), anxiety 434 (62%), fatigue 464 (56%), insomnia 407 (55%), neuropathy 441 (55%), and pain 563 (50%). Symptom severity improvement was statistically significant by T2 and by T3 clinically relevant; Table 1. By T4, about 60% were still on ACUP treatment. Multiple ACUP sessions ( &gt; 1) were associated with older age and higher symptom burden, and fewer sessions with more severe T1 anxiety and fatigue. Fewer males were treated, yet symptoms improved like in females. Conclusions: Symptoms were of moderate severity at referral. In this large consecutive sample (N = 2239) of mostly younger breast cancer women, group ACUP was associated with broad based symptom benefit. Repeated ACUP treatments were important for clinical improvement. Males and females benefited equally however fewer males were referred. Several confounders need to be considered interpreting these results. [Table: see text]
Real-world data of cancer-associated venous thromboembolism in a tertiary-care hospital in India.
Authors: Manoranjan Mahapatra, Prashun Upadhaya, Mukul Aggarwal, Jasmita Dass, DEEPAM PUSHPAM, Rishi Dhawan, Pradeep Kumar, Ganesh Kumar Viswanathan, Tulika Seth
Journal: Journal of Clinical Oncology (2024)

e23298 Background: Cancer-associated venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with various malignancies. Anticoagulation is crucial for preventing and treating thrombosis associated with cancer. However, its use faces challenges due to increased risks of bleeding, recurrent thrombosis and complexities in dosing, particularly in patients with concurrent comorbidities. Prophylactic anticoagulation is under-utilized and the cost of low- molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) and direct oral anticoagulants is a major barrier in developing countries. Methods: It was an ambispective observational study. All the cancer-associated thrombosis patients attending the thrombosis clinic at a tertiary-level referral hospital based in north India between 2018 and 2023 were analysed. Patient demographics, disease-related and treatment-related parameters were collected and analysed. The study was approved by the Institute Ethics Committee. Results: A total of 1312 patients attended the thrombosis clinic during study period, of which 139 (10.59%) cases were Cancer-associated VTE. The median age was 48 years and 61.2% were female. Most of VTE (54.6%) occurred within 6 months of cancer diagnosis and only 7% occurred after 3 years. Gynaecological malignancies (25.18%) and adenocarcinomas (21.58%) were the most common site and histological type of cancer respectively. Common risk factors observed for VTE development were: active cancer (80.3%), active chemotherapy (36.7%), cancer surgery (15.1%). Lower limb thrombosis was the most commonly seen type (46%), while abdominal and pulmonary thrombosis were seen in 17% and 7.9% respectively. Out of total patients, 124 (89.2%) patients received anticoagulation. Low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) was used as an initial anticoagulation in majority (52.41%) and direct oral anticoagulant (DOACs) was used as long term anticoagulation in 54% of patients. In 26 patients, anticoagulation was interrupted, the major reasons being bleeding and thrombocytopenia. There was no significant difference in frequency of bleeding with use of different anticoagulants (P = 0.48). Conclusions: Most cases of cancer associated VTE occur shortly after cancer diagnosis. Prophylactic anticoagulation is still underutilized in our patients with cancer. Early suspicion and prompt treatment can improve quality of life in such patients.
Economic analysis of combined multi-cancer detection blood test and usual care.
Authors: Liangqing Dong, Yezhen Shi, Jing Zhao, Qiang Gao
Journal: Journal of Clinical Oncology (2024)

e23055 Background: A previous multi-cancer detection blood test (MCDBT) in six prevalent and deadly cancers including colorectal, esophageal, liver, lung, ovarian, and pancreatic cancers, has been reported to decrease late-stage incidence and increase 5-year survival rate. However, the economic cost-effectiveness of integrating the MCDBT with usual care and the factors influencing it have not been investigated. Methods: An interception model was utilized to estimate the stage distribution at the time of cancer diagnosis, while a decision-tree model was developed to assess the clinical and economic outcomes of annual MCDBT for individuals aged 50 to 79 in the United States. The performance metrics for the MCDBT were based on the findings of a previous study called THUNDER. The incidence data were derived from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program (SEER), and the associated costs were obtained from SEER-Medicare. Other input data was estimated based on information available in the published literature. Results: In addition to the usual care, the integration of the MCDBT resulted in a shift of 27.9% in cancer cases from stage III-IV to stage I-II, which led to a decrease in per-cancer treatment cost by $5971 and an increase in quality-adjusted life-years by 0.10 per cancer case. The major factors that influenced the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) included price, incidence, specificity, and sensitivity. The MCDBT with a price less than $800 showed cost-effectiveness with an ICER below three times the per capita GDP of the United States in the average-risk population. In a high-risk population with the incidence two-fold higher than the average-risk population, the ICER decreased by 58.3%. When compared the influence of specificity and sensitivity on the ICER of the MCDBT, a 5% increase in specificity resulted a decrease in ICER by 48.8%, while a 5% increase in sensitivity only reduced the ICER by 12.7%, suggesting the importance of high specificity in MCDBT. Conclusions: The MCDBT with a price less than $800 showed cost-effectiveness in the detection of colorectal, esophageal, liver, lung, ovarian, and pancreatic cancers. Price, incidence of the intended-use population, specificity and sensitivity were the major factors that influenced the cost-effectiveness.
Overall survival in soft tissue sarcomas (STS) in Hispanic vs non-Hispanic White patients: Single center experience.
Authors: DIana Zamora, Waleed Ikram, Jonathan Braat, Han Dinh, Chelsea Azevedo, Shyamal Patel, Jason T. Wiseman, Miguel Gonzalez Velez
Journal: Journal of Clinical Oncology (2024)

e23526 Background: Racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic factors have been implicated in the variability of survival rates among soft tissue sarcoma (STS). These disparities are multifactorial and may reflect differences in disease biology, access to care, treatment responses, and others. In situations where different racial groups have equitable access to healthcare, healthcare disparities can decrease, and survival gaps can narrow. Differences in survival in STS in racial minorities have been poorly studied. Recognizing the potential impact of such disparities, our study thereby contributes to the ongoing discourse on healthcare equity in STS outcomes. Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of 30 STS patients, stratifying them into Hispanic (H) and non-Hispanic white (NHW) groups at Dignity Health Cancer Institute in Phoenix, Arizona. The Mann-Whitney U test was chosen to compare survival distributions, given the non-normal distribution of our sample. Survival analysis was performed using the Kaplan-Meier method, and the log-rank test was applied to determine statistical significance. All analyses were executed in GraphPad Prism software. Results: Our cohort comprised 13 (43%) NHW and 17 (57%) H patients. The mean ages were 57.2 years for NHW and 48.9 years for H, with a balanced gender distribution across groups. The most common subtypes of STS in NHW were liposarcoma (n = 3, 23.1%), and spindle cell carcinoma (n = 2,15.4%). Comparatively, the most common subtypes of STS in H were liposarcoma (n = 5, 29.4%) and leiomyosarcoma (n = 3, 17.6%). All patients were diagnosed with Stage 4 STS. Treatment modalities differed marginally, with NHW patients undergoing more surgical interventions, while H patients were more frequently administered chemotherapy. Median overall survival from the start of first-line therapy was 412 days for NHW and 500 days for H patients. Despite the longer median overall survival observed in Hispanics, the intergroup difference did not reach statistical significance (P = 0.68). Conclusions: The similar survival times between H and NHW STS patients at our institution may hint at an equitable provision of care across racial demographics in a relatively controlled single-center experience. However, the trend of extended survival in the Hispanic group, while not statistically confirmed, raises questions that merit further inquiry. This study serves as a preliminary exploration into racial disparities in STS, advocating for larger-scale research with more diverse patient populations. Further studies are essential to understand these findings and identify and optimize factors contributing to narrowing the survival gap in minorities, with the goal of enhancing STS prognosis for all racial groups.
Long-term survival of patients with lung cancer with kinase fusions (KF) treated at a tertiary community-based cancer program.
Authors: Vicki Doctor, Bradford A. Tan, Julian C. Schink, Dhivya Prabhakar, Ajaz M. Khan, Evan P. Pisick, Karina Szymulanska-Ramamurthy, Maurie Markman
Journal: Journal of Clinical Oncology (2024)

e23279 Background: Comprehensive Genomic Profiling (CGP) has been routinely obtained on patients with advanced cancers without standard-of-care therapeutic options managed in our community-based cancer program for more than a decade. Methods: In 2018, we reported that 1% (77 of 7,260 pts) who underwent CGP (Foundation Medicine Inc. hybrid capture based CGP platform) were found to have a KF abnormality (median age 53), including 55 patients (pts) (71%) with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and 22 (29%) with other malignancies. The incidence of KF in the NSCLC population tested was approximately 5%. Of the 55 patients with NSCLC, 36 pts (65%) had ALK fusions, 12 pts (22%) has RET fusions, 7 pts (13%) had ROS1 fusions. Results: This report describes long-term survival of NSCLC pts with metastatic disease within this population treated with KF targeted therapy for &gt; 5 years. Five pts (9% of NSCLC with a KF; all females; median age 63 [range 57-72]) remain on active therapy a median of 10 years (range 6.5-12 years) from the initiation of therapy. 2 pts have EML4-ALK fusions, 1 pt has EZR-ROS1 fusion, 1 pt has CD74-ROS1 fusion, and 1 pt has ALK PRKAR1A fusion. 2 of 5 pts have continued their initial KF agent while 2 switched &gt;1 times to an alternative KF targeted drug and 1 is currently receiving chemotherapy. Only two pts had the identical KF abnormality. Conclusions: In this series approximately 10% of NSCLC pts with a KF experienced extended survival (greater than five years) despite the presence of metastatic disease, including three patients with brain mets. It is critical to conduct molecular testing on all NSCLC pts for the presence of a kinase fusion abnormality. Treatment directed at this molecular target can result in long-term survival.
Rethinking the impact of pretransplant malignancy on eligibility for double lung transplantation (DLT): An analysis of 23,291 recipients.
Authors: Wongi Woo, Hye Sung Kim, Ankit Bharat, Young Kwang Chae
Journal: Journal of Clinical Oncology (2024)

11180 Background: The outcomes for double lung transplant recipients with a history of pretransplant malignancy (PreTM) have not been extensively studied in a large, multicenter database. Given the rising need for transplants among older patients with a history of cancer and the improving outcomes of DLT, this study aimed to analyze recipient outcomes in the modern era. Methods: This study evaluated the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) registry for adult DLT performed between 2005 and 2023. Patients with a history of previous or multi-organ transplants, and those with donors who had a history of malignancy, were excluded. Propensity-score matching was used to compare patients with or without PreTM. Posttransplant malignancies (PostTM) were classified into cutaneous and non-cutaneous types. The primary outcomes were overall and PostTM-free survival. Results: Of the 23,291 DLT recipients, 1,870 recipients (8.0%) had a history of PreTM, which was classified into twelve types. Patients with PreTM experienced worse overall (HR 1.20 [95% CI 1.12-1.29], p&lt;0.001) and PostTM-free survival (HR 1.32 [95% CI 1.24-1.41], p&lt;0.001). After propensity-score matching for age, sex, and race, the differences in overall survival between the two groups were diminished (HR 1.05 [95% CI 0.97-1.13], p=0.229). Although PostTM-free survival was still worse in the PreTM group, this difference was not observed after excluding cutaneous PostTM (HR 1.06 [95% CI 0.99-1.15], p=0.116). The incidence of PostTM of the same PreTM type among patients with PreTM was 13.5% (253/1870), which was not higher than the incidence of de novo PostTM incidence among patients without PreTM (p=0.633). Conclusions: Patients with PreTM show similar overall survival rates after DLT as those without PreTM, despite a higher incidence of PostTM, mainly cutaneous. Importantly, there is no increased risk of the original cancer type recurring in PreTM patients compared to the risk of de novo malignancy. These findings highlight the necessity for a more nuanced evaluation of transplant candidacy to prevent premature exclusion of PreTM patients from potentially life-saving surgeries. [Table: see text]
Differences in baseline characteristics and healthcare costs among insured patients with advanced cancer with vs without clinical trial participation.
Authors: Karen M Stockl, Pamela Morin, Carolina Reyes, Brock Schroeder, Julia M Certa, Jamie Tucker, Damon Hostin, John Leonard Fox
Journal: Journal of Clinical Oncology (2024)

11154 Background: Despite concerted efforts to improve clinical trial participation (CTP), enrollment remains low. Perceived additional costs to the patient or health plan may be barriers to CTP; low biomarker testing rates may be another. This study assessed differences in characteristics of patients with CTP versus patients without CTP in an insured population with advanced cancer. Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted using de-identified administrative claims data from commercially insured and Medicare Advantage (MA) enrollees in the Optum Labs Data Warehouse. Patients ≥18y with claims evidence of advanced cancer and systemic therapy between 01/01/2018 and 02/28/2022 were stratified into 2 groups: 1) with CTP: ≥1 claim with a CTP diagnosis (ICD10 Z00.6) and ≥1 claim with a Q modifier on or within 90 days after index date; and 2) without CTP: no claims with a CTP diagnosis or Q modifier. Patients with &gt;1 primary cancer, T-cell therapy, or &lt;360 days baseline or follow-up (unless death) enrollment were excluded. Biomarker testing, targeted therapy use, and healthcare costs per patient per month (PPPM) were assessed in the baseline period. Results: Of 61,490 patients identified, 1753 (3%) had CTP and 59,737 (97%) did not have CTP; 4% of commercial and 3% of MA patients had CTP. Most common tumor types were breast (27%; 2% had CTP), lung (16%; 3% had CTP), digestive tract (15%; 2% had CTP), and prostate (15%; 3% had CTP). Patients with CTP were younger and more frequently had documented biomarker test use in the baseline period than patients without CTP (Table). In unadjusted analyses, the CTP group had higher healthcare costs in the baseline period prior to CTP regardless of insurance type, driven by 51% higher systemic cancer therapy costs and 35% higher ambulatory visit costs. An ongoing propensity score matched analysis will evaluate the impact of CTP on cost of care in the follow-up period. Conclusions: Consistent with prior studies, the overall CTP rate among patients with advanced cancers was low (3%). Baseline costs (prior to CTP) were higher for patients that later enrolled in clinical trials than for patients without CTP. Further research is ongoing to assess differences in follow-up healthcare costs for patients with vs without CTP adjusting for baseline characteristics. [Table: see text]
Real-world outcomes in patients with biomarker-selected early-stage non-small cell lung cancer.
Authors: Fawzi Abu Rous, Jesse Sussell, Celina Ngiam, Qing Zhang, Thomas Majda, Daniel Sheinson, Sarika Ogale, Ilze Bara, Katja Schulze, Shirish M. Gadgeel
Journal: Journal of Clinical Oncology (2024)

11156 Background: Extensive literature has assessed the prognostic value of Lung driver mutations (LDMs) in advanced non-small cell lung cancer (aNSCLC). However, their role in predicting outcomes in early-stage cases (eNSCLC) is less defined due to limited data on biomarker-selected eNSCLC. Study variations have led to diverse findings on the prognostic value of individual LDMs in eNSCLC. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed patients with resected stage I-IIIa NSCLC diagnosed between 2011-2023 using the nationwide (US-based) de-identified Flatiron Health-Foundation Medicine lung clinico-genomic database, which consolidates data from approximately 280 US cancer clinics (~800 sites of care). We allocated patients to five cohorts classified by early-stage LDM status: ALK+, EGFR+, KRAS G12C+, KRAS non-G12C+ and wild-type (WT - negative for the listed biomarkers). The clinical attributes and treatment patterns for this cohort were described by our group in a previous abstract; here we analyze recurrence-free and overall survival (RFS and OS) by cohort, using the Kaplan-Meier method. We used Cox regression for multivariate analysis, controlling for demographic and clinical characteristics including age, race, insurance status, stage, histology, and smoking status. Results: The sample contained 1,595 stage I-IIIa patients with known LDM status. Of these, 2.8%, 20.4%, 10.7%, 19.3%, and 46.8% were ALK+, EGFR+, KRAS G12C+, KRAS non-G12C+, and WT. Median OS and RFS were shorter in the WT group compared to any LDM group; results can be found in the table. These differences in OS and RFS persisted in multivariate analysis; hazard ratios (HR) were all statistically significant (p&lt;0.05) and can be found in the table below. Conclusions: In this real-world analysis, patients with eNSCLC LDM-positive tumors had improved OS and RFS relative to WT patients. Differences in OS between WT and LDM+ patients are likely due to frequent receipt of targeted therapy (TT) following progression to advanced disease. However, the small fraction of patients that received adjuvant TT within 6 months of surgery (described in our previous abstract) is not likely to explain observed differences in RFS; thus the differences may be due to innate characteristics of these LDMs. [Table: see text]
Mutated <i>KRAS</i>as a promising target in pancreas cancer: PURPLE registry data to inform real-world incidence and prognostic significance and to aid trial recruitment.
Authors: Belinda Lee, Eric Tian, Daniel Croagh, Marion Harris, Benjamin Thomson, Michael Michael, Benjamin Loveday, Sue-Anne McLachlan, Brett Knowles, Jeremy David Shapiro, Rachel Wong, Adrian Fox, Ross Jennens, Tuck Yong, Russell Hodgson, Nezor Houli, Sumitra Ananda, Larissa Rachel Lipton, Shehara Ramyalini Mendis, Peter Gibbs
Journal: Journal of Clinical Oncology (2024)

11150 Background: With around 90% KRASmutation (mt) frequency, pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is considered the most RAS-addicted cancer. Despite guideline recommendations, genomic testing is not routine in all PDAC patients (pts) in Australia, due to unproven clinical impact. As more novel KRAS-direct therapeutics enter clinical trials, understanding the real-world frequency of individual mutations and prognostic significance, and facilitating trial recruitment are important goals, all of which can be supported by registry data. Methods: Data extracted from the PURPLE pancreatic cancer registry from 9 participating Australian cancer centres, between 2016-2022, was analysed to compare clinicopathological features, survival based on KRASmt status, and assess feasibility of the platform to identify and molecularly stratify patients for future clinical trials. Survival estimates were calculated using Kaplan-Meier curves and log-rank testing on SPSS (Macintosh v.29). Results: Of 721 PDAC routine care pts identified, next generation sequencing (NGS) was undertaken in 378/721 (52%). Median patient age was 68 years (range 52-83); 152 (40%) had resectable, 111 (29%) locally advanced and 115 (30%) metastatic disease. 57/378 (15%) were KRAS wildtype. Of 321 pts with a KRAS mt, codons 12,13, and 61 were the most common sites of mt, including G12D (45%), and G12V (30%), with lower frequencies of G12R (13%), Q61H (6%), G12A (3%), G12C (1%), and G13D (1%). Comparing KRAS wildtype to KRASmt pts, there was no difference in median age (68 vs 67, p=0.63), gender (male: 49% vs 60%, p=0.23), Charlson comorbidity index (p=0.30), or stage at first presentation (p=0.99). Overall KRAS wildtype pts were more likely to be ECOG PS 0 at diagnosis (p=0.01) and to receive at least 1 modality of treatment (p=0.004). For all pts, median overall survival (OS) in KRASwildtype versus KRAS mt pts was 29.0 months versus 19.7 months (p=0.007), and for the 115 metastatic pts 15.1 versus 10.4 months (p=0.28). Further analysis of the impact by disease stage and by individual RAS mt is underway. Conclusions: Registry based analysis informs understanding of KRAS mt status of PDAC in a community setting. Here, KRAS mt status was associated with worse OS outcomes, likely in part due to the association with ECOG PS and receiving less active treatment. With newer promising KRAS-targeted therapies becoming available in clinical trials, known RAS status will aid identification of trial candidates. The clinical utility of NGS and rationale for reflex testing in PDAC is increasing. Clinical Registry information (ACTRN12617001474347).