Patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) who were treated at a National Cancer Institute-designated cancer center had a 53% lower risk of early mortality, according to a study published in Cancer.
Patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) who were treated at a National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated cancer center had a 53% lower risk of early mortality, according to a study published in Cancer.
The researchers used linked data from the California Cancer Registry and the Patient Discharge Dataset (1999-2014) to identify patients age 18 or older with AML who had received inpatient treatment within 30 days of their diagnosis. Of the 7007 patients with AML who were identified, 1762 (25%) were treated at an NCI-designated cancer center.
“We found the early mortality, deaths less than 60 days after diagnosis, was significantly lower at the NCI-designated cancer centers compared to non—NCI-designated cancer centers in California,” Brian Jonas, MD, PhD, assistant professor of medicine at the University of California Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center and co-author on the paper, said in a statement. “We were surprised by the magnitude of the differential.”
The patients in the study who were treated at NCI-designated cancer centers were more likely to be older (at least 65 years), live in higher socioeconomic status neighborhoods, have fewer comorbidities, have public health insurance, had higher rates of renal failure, and had lower rates of respiratory failure and cardiac arrest.
The researchers found that after adjusting for baseline characteristics, patients who were treated at NCI-designated cancer centers had an average early mortality rate of 12% compared with 24% for patients treated at non—NCI-designated cancer centers. Complication rates did not vary significantly.
“This is clearly provocative data that makes you want to understand exactly why,” said Jonas. “We’re going to have to dive into that question in a more significant way.”
The authors noted that the findings highlight that there needs to be more work to fully understand the differences in care driving these issues. Potential contributing factors could be volume of patients seen, access to clinical trials, better nursing ratios, and more significant intensive care units, the authors hypothesize.
“Lower early mortality may result from differences in hospital or provider experience and supportive care,” the authors concluded.
Reference
Ho G, Wun T, Muffly L, et al. Decreased early mortality associated with the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia at National Cancer Institute-designated cancer centers in California. [published online February 16, 2018]. Cancer. doi:10.1002/cncr.31296.
California Aims for Equity by Redefining Cancer Care
December 8th 2023Authors highlight key aspects of the California Cancer Care Equity Act, including its focus on Medi-Cal beneficiaries, the requirement for managed care plans to contract with specialized cancer centers, and the definition of complex cancers.
Read More
Oncology Onward: A Conversation With Thyme Care CEO and Cofounder Robin Shah
October 2nd 2023Robin Shah, CEO of Thyme Care, which he founded in 2020 with Bobby Green, MD, president and chief medical officer, joins hosts Emeline Aviki, MD, MBA, and Stephen Schleicher, MD, MBA, to discuss his evolution as an entrepreneur in oncology care innovation and his goal of positively changing how patients experience the cancer system.
Listen
Humana Report Shows Benefits of Value-Based Care for Patients, Physicians
December 6th 2023Patients seen at value-based care clinics received more preventive screenings and had lower risks of hospitalization and emergency room visits, according to Humana’s 10th annual value-based care report.
Read More
Nathan Walcker Discusses Value-Based Oncology Care Initiatives at FCS
September 8th 2023Nathan Walcker, CEO at Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute (FCS), highlights some of the recent partnerships and initiatives at FCS to improve community-based oncology care from a value-based perspective.
Listen
Gaps in Access to Cancer Care Resources May Contribute to Racial, Ethnic Disparities
December 1st 2023Researchers found that core oncology services were less likely to be available at hospitals serving racial and ethnic minority groups compared with other hospitals in the United States.
Read More
IQVIA Report Spotlights Shortages for Pain, Obesity, and Oncology Therapies
November 21st 2023A new report from IQVIA provides an overview of current US drug shortages, shedding light on major areas of concern, such as medications to address pain, cardiovascular conditions, obesity and diabetes, and multiple forms of cancer.
Read More