Rates and patterns of uninsured cancer survivors before and after implementation of the Affordable Care Act, 2000-2017

e18105 Background: Cancer survivors experience difficulties in maintaining healthcare coverage, however the reasons and risk factors for lack of insurance are poorly defined. We sought to assess self-reported reasons for not having insurance and to assess demographic and socioeconomic factors associated with non-insurance among cancer survivors, before and after implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in 2014. Methods: We used the National Health Interview Survey to identify adult participants (18-64 years) reporting a cancer diagnosis between 2000-2017. Multivariable logistic regression was used to define the association between demographic and socioeconomic variables and odds being uninsured. The prevalence of the most common self-reported reasons for not having insurance (unemployment, employment-related reason, family-related) were estimated, with AORs for each of the reasons defined by multivariable logistic regression. Results: Among 17,806 survey participants, 10.3% reported not having health insurance. Individuals surveyed in 2000-2013 had higher odds of not having insurance as compared to those surveyed in 2014-2017 (10.6% vs. 6.2%, AOR 1.75, 95% CI 1.49-2.08). Variables associated with higher odds of non-insurance throughout the entire study interval included younger age, annual family income below the poverty threshold, black race, Hispanic ethnicity, non-citizen status and current smoking (p < 0.001 for all). After implementation of the ACA, increasing interval from cancer diagnosis and black race were no longer associated with not having insurance. The most commonly cited reason for not having insurance were cost followed by unemployment, both of which decreased after ACA implementation (cost: 49.6% vs. 37.6%, AOR 0.62, 95% CI 0.46-0.85; unemployment: 37.1% vs. 28.5%, AOR 0.62, 95% CI 0.45-0.87). Conclusions: The proportion of uninsured cancer survivors decreased after implementation of the ACA, however certain subgroups remain at greater risk of being uninsured. Cost remains the primary barrier to obtaining insurance, although more than half of cancer survivors reported other barriers to coverage. Given the growing number of cancer survivors in conjunction with rising health costs, efforts addressing barriers to insurance coverage are needed for this population

Mental distress and mental health services receipt in foreign-born survivors of cancer: A national health interview survey analysis

e19001 Background: There is a greater burden of mental illness, in survivors of cancer compared with the general population. Though mental health interventions may reduce mental distress and improve subsequent oncological outcomes, there are disparities in mental health service (MHS) receipt in immigrant populations. Therefore, we examined contemporary patterns of mental distress and mental health service receipt by immigrant status in cancer survivors in the United States. Methods: Data are collected in non-institutionalized civilian adults by the US National Health Interview Survey. For this study, harmonized data of participants reporting a cancer diagnosis were extracted from the Integrated Health Interview Series from 2009-2018. Sample weight-adjusted estimates of mental distress were defined by the validated Kessler 6 (K6). MHS receipt in the past 12 months was estimated, stratified by K6 status. Multivariable logistic regression defined adjusted odds ratios (AOR) and 95% confidence intervals (95CI) for the odds of MHS receipt, with birth status (US vs. non-US) as the primary independent variable of interest. Results: Among 14,653 adult survivors of cancer and 207,018 adults without cancer, 4.16% vs. 3.01% had K6 >13, respectively (AOR 0.96, 95CI 0.87-1.07, P = 0.504). Among survivors of cancer, younger age, female sex, and white race were associated with K6>13, while factors associated with lower MHS receipt included non-US born status, non-white race, and older age. The distribution of severe mental illness (K6>13) did not differ by place of birth. However, non-US birth status was associated with lower MHS receipt among survivors of cancer with K6 13 (9.43% vs 37.8%, AOR 0.19, 95CI 0.08-0.45, P < 0.001) (Pinteraction= 0.002). Conclusions: In this large contemporary cross-sectional survey, though there was a similar distribution of mental distress in survivors of cancer based on birth status, non-US born adults with severe mental distress (K613) were 81% less likely to receive MHS relative to US born adults. These data suggest that immigrant survivors of cancer who suffer from severe mental distress may be a greater risk not receiving appropriate MHS, which could lead to subsequent adverse outcome. Given the demonstrated gap in use of MHS in non-US born adults with cancer and severe mental distress, increased efforts are needed to screen for mental illness and the need for MHS in immigrant populations

The impact of race and socioeconomic status on outcomes for HPV-associated squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck

e18103 Background: The socioeconomic factors affecting outcomes of human papillomavirus (HPV)-associated squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN) are poorly characterized. Methods: A custom Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database identified adult patients with primary non-metastatic SCCHN and known HPV status diagnosed between 2013-14. Multivariable logistic regression defined associations between patient characteristics and HPV status, with adjusted odds ratios (AORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) reported. Fine-Gray competing risks regression estimated adjusted hazard ratios (AHRs) and 95% CIs for cancer-specific mortality (CSM), including a disease subsite*HPV status*race interaction term. Results: 4735 patients with non-metastatic SCCHN and known HPV status were identified. HPV-associated SCCHN was positively associated with oropharyngeal primary, male sex and higher education and negatively associated with uninsured status, single marital status, and non-white race (p≤0.001 for all). For HPV-positive oropharyngeal SCCHN, white race was associated with lower CSM (AHR 0.55, 95%CI 0.34-0.88, p = 0.01) and uninsured status was associated with higher CSM (AHR 3.12, 95%CI 1.19-8.13, p = 0.02). These associations were not observed in HPV-negative or non-oropharynx SCCHN. Accordingly, there was a statistically significant disease subsite*HPV status*race interaction (pint< 0.001). Conclusions: Non-white race and uninsured status were associated with worse CSM in HPV-positive oropharyngeal SCCHN, while no such associations were observed in HPV-negative or non-oropharyngeal SCCHN. These results suggest that, despite having clinically favorable disease, non-white patients with HPV-positive oropharyngeal SCCHN have worse outcomes than their white peers. Further work is needed to understand and reduce socioeconomic disparities in SCCHN

“Management Migration” in United States patients diagnosed with localized prostate cancer from 2010-2015

11 Background: National guidelines have increasingly supported active surveillance/watchful waiting (AS/WW) in low- and favorable intermediate-risk prostate cancer (PCa). It is unknown how these changes have influenced national management patterns across localized PCa. Therefore, we sought to define the U.S. trends in management of localized PCa across National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) risk groups. Methods: Using the novel and non-public Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program Prostate with AS/WW Database, we identified 164,760 men diagnosed with localized PCa and actively treated with either AS/WW, radical prostatectomy [RP], or radiation therapy [RT] from 2010-2015. Rates of initial management type over time, stratified by NCCN risk-category, were determined. Multivariable logistic regression defined adjusted odds ratios (AORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for receipt of each initial management type, with year of diagnosis (2010-2015) as the independent variable of interest (Year 2010 = referent). Results: AS/WW utilization increased from 14.5% to 42.1% from 2010-2015 in low-risk disease (AOR 4.50 [95% CI 4.17–4.86, P < 0.001]); conversely, RT and RP decreased from 38.0% to 26.6% (AOR 0.55 [0.51–0.59, P < 0.001]), and from 47.4% to 31.3% (AOR 0.50, [0.47-0.54, P < 0.001]), respectively (all Ptrends< 0.001). AS/WW increased in intermediate-risk disease from 5.78% to 9.60% (AOR 1.83 [1.67–2.00, P < 0.001]) and RT also decreased from 42.4% to 39.8% (AOR 0.81 [0.77–0.85], P < 0.001; Ptrends< 0.001)—Yet, there was no change in RP (51.8% vs. 50.6%; AOR 1.03 [0.98–1.09, P = 0.254]). Notably, while RP for high-risk disease increased from 38.0% to 42.8% (AOR 1.41 [1.30–1.53, P < 0.001]), RT decreased from 60.1% to 55.0% (AOR 0.71 [0.65–0.77, P < 0.001]; Ptrends< 0.001). Conclusions: These findings capture the rapidly shifting landscape of management for localized PCa and are suggestive of “management migration”—where down-trending RP utilization in low-risk disease (in the setting of up-trending AS/WW) may drive non-evidence based management bias toward RP over RT in higher risk disease. These national patterns serve as a targetable trend that should be addressed

Patterns of care and outcomes of definitive external beam radiotherapy and radioembolization for localized hepatocellular carcinoma: A propensity score-adjusted analysis

329 Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a leading cause of cancer mortality worldwide. Most patients with localized HCC are not surgically operable or transplantation candidates, thus there is an increasing role for nonsurgical locoregional therapies. Ablative external beam radiotherapy (XRT) and transarterial radioembolization (TARE) are two emerging radiotherapeutic treatments for localized HCC. However, there are little data comparing their efficacy. We therefore sought to evaluate their utilization and efficacy in a large nationwide cohort. Methods: We conducted an observational study of 2,685 patients from the National Cancer Database diagnosed with American Joint Committee on Cancer 7th edition clinical stage I-III HCC between 2004-2015, treated with definitive-intent XRT delivered in 1-15 fractions or TARE. The association between treatment modality (XRT versus TARE [referent]) and overall survival (OS) was defined using propensity score-weighted Kaplan-Meier estimators and propensity score-weighted multivariable Cox regressions. Results: Among 2,685 patients, 2,007 (74.7%) received TARE and 678 (25.3%) received XRT, with increasing usage for both from 2004-2015 ( Ptrend < 0.001), but with overall greater uptake and absolute usage of TARE. Patients who received TARE were more likely to have elevated alpha fetoprotein and more advanced stage ( P < 0.05 for all). Median OS was 14.5 months for the entire cohort. XRT was associated with an OS advantage compared to TARE on propensity score-unadjusted analysis (adjusted hazard ratio [AHR] 0.80, 95% CI 0.67-0.95, P = 0.013), but not on propensity score-adjusted analysis (AHR 0.93, 95% CI 0.76-1.14, P = 0.491). Conclusions: Our study demonstrates that while both XRT and TARE usage have increased with time, there was greater uptake and absolute use of TARE, especially in advanced disease. Nevertheless, we found no difference in survival between XRT and TARE after propensity score-adjustment. Given their equivalence on retrospective study, prospective trials are necessary

Factors influencing noncompletion of radiotherapy among men with localized prostate cancer

199 Background: Treatment non-completion may occur with radiotherapy (RT), especially with protracted treatment courses such as RT for prostate cancer, and may affect the efficacy of RT. For men with localized prostate cancer managed with primary RT, we evaluated associations between rates of treatment non-completion and RT fractionation schedules. Methods: The National Cancer Database identified men diagnosed from 2004-2014 treated with primary RT. Patients receiving 180cGy/fraction (conventional), 200cGy/fraction (conventional), 250cGy/fraction (moderate hypofractionation), and 300cGy/fraction (moderate hypofractionation) were defined as having completed radiotherapy if they received ≥40 fractions, ≥37 fractions, ≥28 fractions, and ≥19 fractions, respectively. Stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) was defined as 5-8 fractions of 600-800cGy/fraction. Odds ratios compared rates of treatment noncompletion, adjusting for various sociodemographic covariates. Propensity-adjusted multivariable Cox regression assessed the association between treatment completion and overall survival. Results: Of 93,079 patients, 90.5% (N = 84,260) received conventional fractionation, 2.3% (N = 2,181) received moderate hypofractionation, and 7.1% (N = 6,638) received SBRT. Rates of non-completion were 10.0% (N = 8,406) among patients who received conventional fractionation, 7.5% (N = 163) among patients who received moderate hypofractionation, and 1.7% (N = 115) among patients who received SBRT (OR versus conventional: 0.214, 95%CI 0.177-0.258, P < 0.001). The rate of non-completion among 15,417 African American patients was 11.8%, compared to 8.8% among 74,189 white patients (OR 1.39, 95%CI 1.31-1.47, P < 0.001). On subgroup analysis, the disparity in non-completion persisted for conventional fractionation (12.4% vs. 9.4%, OR 1.36, 95%CI 1.29-1.44, P < 0.001) and moderate hypofractionation (13.6% vs. 6.6%, OR 2.24, 95%CI 1.52-3.29, P < 0.001), but not for SBRT (2.0% vs. 1.6%, OR 1.25, 95%CI 0.76-2.06, P = 0.384). Non-completion was associated with worse survival on propensity-adjusted multivariate analysis (HR 1.37, 95%CI 1.31-1.43, P < 0.001). Conclusions: SBRT was associated with lower rates of RT non-completion among men with localized prostate cancer. African American race was associated with greater rates of treatment non-completion, although the disparity may be decreased among men receiving SBRT