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Background: Although frailty is known to impact short-term postoperative outcomes, its long-term impact is unknown. This study examined the association between frailty and remaining alive and at home after cancer surgery among older adults. Methods: Adults aged ≥70 years undergoing cancer resection were included in this population-based retrospective cohort study using linked administrative datasets in Ontario, Canada. The probability of remaining alive and at home in the 5 years after cancer resection was evaluated using Kaplan-Meier methods. Extended Cox regression with time-varying effects examined the association between frailty and remaining alive and at home. Results: Of 82,037 patients, 6,443 (7.9%) had preoperative frailty. With median follow-up of 47 months (interquartile range, 23–81 months), patients with frailty had a significantly lower probability of remaining alive and at home 5 years after cancer surgery compared with those without frailty (39.1% [95% CI, 37.8%–40.4%] vs 62.5% [95% CI, 62.1%–63.9%]). After adjusting for age, sex, rural living, material deprivation, immigration status, cancer type, surgical procedure intensity, year of surgery, and receipt of perioperative therapy, frailty remained associated with increased hazards of not remaining alive and at home. This increase was highest 31 to 90 days after surgery (hazard ratio [HR], 2.00 [95% CI, 1.78–2.24]) and remained significantly elevated beyond 1 year after surgery (HR, 1.56 [95% CI, 1.48–1.64]). This pattern was observed across cancer sites, including those requiring low-intensity surgery (breast and melanoma). Conclusions: Preoperative frailty was independently associated with a decreased probability of remaining alive and at home after cancer surgery among older adults. This relationship persisted over time for all cancer types beyond short-term mortality and the initial postoperative period. Frailty assessment may be useful for all candidates for cancer surgery, and these data can be used when counseling, selecting, and preparing patients for surgery.

Recurrent and anaplastic pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma (r&aPXA) is a rare primary brain tumor that is challenging to treat. Two-thirds of PXA tumors harbor a BRAF gene mutation. BRAF inhibitors have been shown to improve tumor control. However, resistance to BRAF inhibition develops in most cases. Concurrent therapy with MEK inhibitors may improve tumor control and patient survival. In this study, we identified 5 patients diagnosed with BRAF-mutated PXA who received BRAF and MEK inhibitors over a 10-year interval at our institution. Patient records were evaluated, including treatments, adverse effects (AEs), outcomes, pathology, next-generation sequencing, and MRI. The median age was 22 years (range, 14–66 years), 60% male, and 60% anaplastic PXA. Median overall survival was 72 months (range, 19–112 months); 1 patient died of tumor-related hemorrhage while off therapy, and the other 4 experienced long-term disease control (21, 72, 98, and 112 months, respectively). Dual BRAF/MEK inhibitors were well tolerated, with only grade 1–2 AEs, including rash, neutropenia, fatigue, abdominal discomfort, and diarrhea. No grade 3–5 AEs were detected. A literature review was also performed of patients diagnosed with BRAF-mutated PXA and treated with BRAF and/or MEK inhibitors through August 2021, with a total of 32 cases identified. The median age was 29 years (range, 8–57 years) and the median PFS and OS were 8.5 months (range, 2–35 months) and 35 months (range, 10–80 months), respectively. The most common AEs were grade 1–2 fatigue and skin rash. Results of this case series and literature review indicate that dual-drug therapy with BRAF and MEK inhibitors for r&aPXA with BRAF V600E mutation may delay tumor progression without unexpected AEs.

Background: Little is known about how changes in a constellation of lifestyle factors affect health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in colorectal cancer (CRC) survivors. Our study aimed to investigate the association between changes in healthy lifestyle and HRQoL over time in survivors of stage I–IV CRC. Methods: We included 2,283 long-term (≥5 years postdiagnosis) survivors. A healthy lifestyle score (HLS) comprising smoking, alcohol consumption, diet, physical activity, and body fatness was derived at diagnosis and 5-year follow-up (5YFU) and categorized as low, moderate, or high. We assessed HRQoL with the EORTC Quality of Life Questionnaire-Core 30 at 5YFU and 10-year follow-up. We used multivariable linear regression and linear mixed models to explore associations between changes in HLS and HRQoL over follow-up. Results: A low baseline HLS was associated with poorer functioning and global health/QoL and a higher symptom burden at 5YFU compared with a high baseline HLS. An improved HLS from baseline to 5YFU was associated with better functioning, higher global health/QoL, and fewer symptoms at 5YFU than a maintained-high HLS. In longitudinal analyses, improved HLS was associated with better functioning at follow-up. Survivors with a maintained-high or an improved HLS reported generally less fatigue, pain, and dyspnea at follow-ups compared with survivors with a maintained-low or decreased HLS. Conclusions: Change toward a healthier lifestyle since diagnosis was associated with better HRQoL in long-term CRC survivors. Our results support the importance of maintaining and/or promoting a healthier lifestyle among CRC survivors postdiagnosis.

Background: Racial disparities exist in receipt of guideline-concordant treatment of ovarian cancer (OC). However, few studies have evaluated how various dimensions of healthcare access (HCA) contribute to these disparities. Methods: We analyzed data from non-Hispanic (NH)–Black, Hispanic, and NH-White patients with OC diagnosed in 2008 to 2015 from the SEER-Medicare database and defined HCA dimensions as affordability, availability, and accessibility, measured as aggregate scores created with factor analysis. Receipt of guideline-concordant OC surgery and chemotherapy was defined based on the NCCN Guidelines for Ovarian Cancer. Multivariable-adjusted modified Poisson regression models were used to assess the relative risk (RR) for guideline-concordant treatment in relation to HCA. Results: The study cohort included 5,632 patients: 6% NH-Black, 6% Hispanic, and 88% NH-White. Only 23.8% of NH-White patients received guideline-concordant surgery and the full cycles of chemotherapy versus 14.2% of NH-Black patients. Higher affordability (RR, 1.05; 95% CI, 1.01–1.08) and availability (RR, 1.06; 95% CI, 1.02–1.10) were associated with receipt of guideline-concordant surgery, whereas higher affordability was associated with initiation of systemic therapy (hazard ratio, 1.09; 95% CI, 1.05–1.13). After adjusting for all 3 HCA scores and demographic and clinical characteristics, NH-Black patients remained less likely than NH-White patients to initiate systemic therapy (hazard ratio, 0.86; 95% CI, 0.75–0.99). Conclusions: Multiple HCA dimensions predict receipt of guideline-concordant treatment but do not fully explain racial disparities among patients with OC. Acceptability and accommodation are 2 additional HCA dimensions which may be critical to addressing these disparities.

No population-based study exists to demonstrate the full-spectrum impact of COVID-19 on hindering incident cancer detection in a large cancer system. Building upon our previous publication in JNCCN, we conducted an updated analysis using 12 months of new data accrued in the pandemic era (extending the study period from September 26, 2020, to October 2, 2021) to demonstrate how multiple COVID-19 waves affected the weekly cancer incidence volume in Ontario, Canada, and if we have fully cleared the backlog at the end of each wave.

Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) are the most common type of soft tissue sarcoma that occur throughout the gastrointestinal tract. Most of these tumors are caused by oncogenic activating mutations in the KIT or PDGFRA genes. The NCCN Guidelines for GIST provide recommendations for the diagnosis, evaluation, treatment, and follow-up of patients with these tumors. These NCCN Guidelines Insights summarize the panel discussion behind recent important updates to the guidelines, including revised systemic therapy options for unresectable, progressive, or metastatic GIST based on mutational status, and updated recommendations for the management of GIST that develop resistance to specific tyrosine kinase inhibitors.

Background: We sought to examine the lack of paid sick leave among working cancer survivors by sociodemographic/socioeconomic and employment characteristics and its association with preventive services use in the United States. Methods: Working cancer survivors (ages 18–64 years; n=7,995; weighted n=3.43 million) were identified using 2001–2018 National Health Interview Survey data. Adjusted prevalence of lack of paid sick leave by sociodemographic and socioeconomic characteristics, as well as job sector, working hours, and employer size, were generated using multivariable logistic regression models. Separate analyses examined the associations of lack of paid sick leave with use of various preventive services. Results: Of all working cancer survivors, 36.4% lacked paid sick leave (n=2,925; weighted n=1.25 million), especially those working in food/agriculture/construction/personal services occupations or industries (ranging from 54.9% to 88.5%). In adjusted analyses, working cancer survivors with lower household income (<200% of the federal poverty level, 48.7%), without a high school degree (43.3%), without health insurance coverage (70.6%), and who were self-employed (89.5%), were part-time workers (68.2%), or worked in small businesses (<50 employees, 48.8%) were most likely to lack paid sick leave. Lack of paid sick leave was associated with lower use of influenza vaccine (ages 18–39 years, 21.3% vs 33.3%; ages 40–49 years, 25.8% vs 38.3%; ages 50–64 years, 46.3% vs 52.4%; P<.001 for all), cholesterol screening (ages 18–39 years, 43.1% vs 62.5%; P<.05), and blood pressure check (ages 18–39 years, 43.1% vs 62.5%; P<.05) compared with survivors having paid sick leave. Conclusions: In the United States, more than one-third of all working cancer survivors and more than half of survivors working for small employers and in certain occupations/industries lack paid sick leave. Survivors with lower household income or educational attainment are particularly vulnerable. Moreover, lack of paid sick leave is associated with lower use of some recommended preventive services, suggesting that ensuring working cancer survivors have access to paid sick leave may be an important mechanism for reducing health disparities.