Discrimination in the medical setting among LGBTQ+ adults and associations with cancer screening.

Purpose: Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and other sexual and gender diverse (LGBTQ+) individuals experience disparities in cancer screening. We examined whether experience of LGBTQ+ -related discrimination in medical settings was associated with cancer screening disparities.

Methods: Participants were recruited via social media for a cross-sectional survey study.

Prevalence of active cytomegalovirus infection at diagnosis of ovarian cancer and during chemotherapy and subsequent changes in cognitive functioning.

Purpose: One of the most frequently reported effects of cancer and its treatments is cancer-related cognitive impairment (CRCI). Viral infections may affect inflammation and immune function and therefore may influence patient symptoms, including CRCI. The goal of this study was to describe the prevalence of cytomegalovirus (CMV) infections at diagnosis, during, and after chemotherapy in individuals with ovarian cancer and explore CMV infection at diagnosis with cancer-related cognitive impairment (CRCI) following chemotherapy.

Outcomes in patients discharged with extended venous thromboembolism prophylaxis after hospitalization with COVID-19.

Background: Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a known complication of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in patients requiring hospitalization and intensive care. We examined the association between extended pharmacological VTE prophylaxis and outcomes among patients hospitalized with COVID-19.

Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study of patients with an index positive SARS-CoV-2 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test at the time of, or during hospitalization.

Outcomes and Clinical Characteristics of COVID-19 in Patients with Tuberculosis: A Retrospective Matched Cohort Study.

The outcomes and characteristics of acute coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection in patients with tuberculosis (TB) represent an evolving area of literature. This retrospective cohort study (March 2020-January 2021) within a large United States health system evaluated clinical and demographic characteristics, illness severity, complications, and mortality associated with acute COVID-19 infection in patients with TB (n = 31) compared to a matched (1:3) COVID-19 cohort without TB (n = 93). In the COVID-19 + TB cohort, TB was active in 32% and latent in 65% of patients, most patients (55%) had pulmonary TB, and 68% had previously undergone treatment for their TB.

Retrospective Analysis of Direct-Acting Oral Anticoagulants (DOACs) Initiation Timing and Outcomes After Thrombolysis in High- and Intermediate-Risk Pulmonary Embolism.

Direct-acting oral anticoagulants (DOACs) are prescribed in the treatment of venous thromboembolism, including pulmonary embolism (PE). Evidence is limited regarding the outcomes and optimal timing of DOACs in patients with intermediate- or high-risk PE treated with thrombolysis. We conducted a retrospective analysis of outcomes among patients with intermediate- and high-risk PE who received thrombolysis, by choice of long-term anticoagulant agent.

Racial Disparities in Opioid Administration Practices Among Undifferentiated Abdominal Pain Patients in the Emergency Department.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to examine racial disparities in opioid prescribing practices for patients presenting to the emergency department (ED) with a common chief complaint of abdominal pain.

Methods: Treatment outcomes were compared for non-Hispanic White (NH White), non-Hispanic Black (NH Black), and Hispanic patients seen over 12 months in three emergency departments in the Minneapolis/St. Paul metropolitan area.

The intersection of sexual orientation with race and ethnicity in cervical cancer screening.

Background: Cervical cancer screening is recommended for those with a cervix who are 21 to 65 years old, with specific timelines being dependent on individual risk. This study compared rates of ever undergoing Papanicolaou (Pap) testing at the intersection of self-reported sexual minority (SM) status and race/ethnicity.

Methods: Data from the National Health Interview Survey (2015 and 2018) were used to examine cervical cancer screening disparities.

Interactions between physical activity and type of cancer treatment received on associations with psychosocial outcomes among gynecologic cancer survivors.

Objective: Physical activity is associated with improved cancer outcomes; however, it is unclear which patients may benefit most from increased physical activity. We evaluated whether associations between meeting the American Cancer Society (ACS) physical activity recommendations and psychosocial outcomes in gynecologic cancer survivors varied by type of treatments received.

Methods: We recruited English-speaking adult gynecologic cancer patients from an academic gynecologic oncology practice to participate in a prospective cohort study.

Perception of Telehealth During the COVID-19 Pandemic Among Survivors of Gynecologic Cancer.

Our objective was to assess gynecologic cancer survivor preferences for telehealth cancer care. Gynecologic cancer survivors participating in a prospective cohort study were invited to complete a cross-sectional survey regarding their experience with and preferences for telehealth. Of 188 participants, 48.

Cross-sectional study of physical activity among long-term melanoma survivors and population controls.

Physical activity has been associated with improved outcomes among cancer survivors of various malignancies; however, this topic is understudied among melanoma survivors. Our objective was to determine whether long-term melanoma survivors are less likely to meet American Cancer Society physical activity guidelines than non-melanoma population controls. We conducted a cross-sectional survey in 2015 to follow up participants from a case-control study of melanoma and population controls in Minnesota.

Cross-sectional study of psychosocial well-being among lesbian, gay, bisexual, and heterosexual gynecologic cancer survivors.

Background: Delays in care and increased risk for mental health diagnoses put individuals identifying as a sexual minority with cancer at risk for decreased quality of life.

Aim: To assess psychosocial health among sexual minority gynecologic cancer survivors, we compared self-reported quality of life and psychosocial measures between individuals diagnosed with gynecologic cancers identifying as lesbian/gay/bisexual (LGB) and heterosexual.

Methods And Results: English-speaking adults with gynecologic cancers were invited to participate in an ongoing cohort survey study.

Cruciferous vegetable consumption and pancreatic cancer: A case-control study.

Background: Pancreatic cancer is a deadly malignancy with limited screening and few modifiable risk factors. The objective of this study was to investigate the association between a modifiable lifestyle behavior, cruciferous vegetable consumption, and pancreatic cancer, both overall and by subgroups based on non-modifiable, established risk factors.

Methods: We conducted a hospital-based, case-control study utilizing data from the Patient Epidemiology Data System (1982-1998) at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center (Buffalo, NY) which included 183 pancreatic cancer patients and 732 cancer-free controls.

Cross-sectional study of sex differences in psychosocial quality of life of long-term melanoma survivors.

Purpose: A cancer diagnosis and subsequent treatment can have a significant impact on an individual's quality of life. Differences in quality of life by sex among long-term melanoma survivors remain unclear. The objective of this study was to describe sex differences in cancer-specific psychosocial quality of life of long-term melanoma survivors.

Clinical needs for transgender men in the gynecologic oncology setting.

Transgender men remain at risk for gynecologic malignancies, but are an underserved population. Members of the transgender community experience discrimination and have experiences that contribute to health disparities, including in gynecology and oncology. While efforts have been made within the United States to reduce inequalities experienced by members of this community, many needs in the clinical setting remain.

Circulating CD14 HLA-DR monocytic cells as a biomarker for epithelial ovarian cancer progression.

Problem: Previous studies identified circulating CD14 HLA-DR monocytic cells as an immune suppressive subset in solid malignancies, such as prostate, renal cell carcinoma, and pancreatic cancer. Such monocytic cells have been implicated not only in tumour progression but also as a potential barrier for immunotherapy. This study examined the relationship between the frequency of circulating monocytic cells and epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) progression pre- and post-frontline chemotherapy, defined by disease stage, which is a leading prognostic factor for this malignancy.

Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Survival Among Women Diagnosed with Invasive Cancer of the Anal Canal: an Analysis of Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Data.

Objective: To identify differences in survival among women diagnosed with cancer of the anal canal from varying racial and ethnic backgrounds.

Methods: Data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) registry between the years of 1975 and 2016 were analyzed, which included 19,048 women with cancer of the anal canal. Multivariable Cox proportional hazard regression (HRs) was performed to examine the relative risk of dying among women with anal cancer.

Physical Inactivity and Pancreatic Cancer Mortality.

Objective: To determine the association between pre-diagnostic recreational physical inactivity (RPI) and pancreatic cancer (PC) mortality.

Methods: This analysis included 107 patients seen at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center diagnosed with PC between 1989 and 1998. Cox proportional hazards models were used to determine hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for PC mortality associated with self-reported pre-diagnostic RPI.

Physical inactivity and head and neck cancer mortality.

Background: This study was performed to examine the association between adulthood recreational physical inactivity (PIA) and mortality among patients with cancers of the head and neck.

Methods: Patients with head and neck cancer at Roswell Park between years 1990 to 1998 were included (N = 305). Multivariable Cox proportional hazard ratios (HR) with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI) were used to analyze the association between PIA and risk of dying.

Survival disparities among racial/ethnic groups of women with ovarian cancer: An update on data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) registry.

Objective: Update information on racial disparities in ovarian cancer survival from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program.

Methods: Data on women with epithelial ovarian cancer from the SEER Program between 1995-2015 were collected including; patient ID, age at diagnosis, year of diagnosis, surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, insurance status, region of registry, tumor grade, tumor histology, tumor summary stage, survival months, race/ethnicity, and vital status. Multivariable analyses were performed to examine overall survival, differences in survival by age at diagnosis, by year of diagnosis, risk of not receiving surgery, and risk of 12-month death across racial/ethnic groups.

A Call for Epidemiological Research on Myeloid-Derived Suppressor Cells in Ovarian Cancer: A Review of the Existing Immunological Evidence and Suggestions for Moving Forward.

Recently, there have been encouraging findings suggesting that myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) may be a good target for studying immune suppression in ovarian cancer. MDSCs are an abundance of immature myeloid cells that have demonstrated the ability to decrease tumor-infiltrating immune cells, increase the accrual of tumor-associated macrophages and regulatory T cells, as well as secrete various pro-inflammatory mediators and growth stimulating cytokines. Most studies on this topic utilized murine models, but there are limited reports in human subjects which have important limitations.

Disparities among racial/ethnic groups of patients diagnosed with ependymoma: analyses from the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) registry.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to identify racial/ethnic disparities with regard to survival among patients with ependymoma.

Methods: Data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) registry between the years of 1973-2015 which included 4821 patients diagnosed with ependymoma were analyzed. Multivariable cox proportional hazard ratios were performed to examine overall survival across racial/ethnic groups of patients with ependymoma, mortality risks across specified age groups, and mortality during specified time intervals, all with corresponding 95% confidence intervals.