Publications by authors named "Caitriona B O'Neill"
Purpose: Hospital readmissions are often cited as a marker of poor quality of care. Limited data suggest some readmissions may be preventable depending upon definitions and available outpatient support.
Methods: General criteria to define preventable and not preventable admissions were developed before data collection began.
Background: Despite advantages in terms of cancer control and organ preservation, the benefits of chemotherapy and radiation therapy (CTRT) may be offset by potentially severe treatment-related toxicities, particularly in older patients. The objectives of this study were to assess the types and frequencies of toxicities in older adults with locally or regionally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) who were receiving either primary CTRT or radiation therapy (RT) alone.
Methods: With Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results cancer registry data linked with Medicare claims, patients who were 66 years old or older with locally advanced HNSCC, were diagnosed from 2001 to 2009, and received CTRT or RT alone were identified.
Objectives/hypothesis: Primary curative treatment of advanced laryngeal cancer may include surgery or chemoradiation, although recommendations vary and both are associated with complications. We evaluated predictors and trends in the use of these modalities and compared rates of complications and overall survival in a population-based cohort of older adults.
Study Design: Retrospective population-based cohort study.
Background: Pancreatic cancer poses a substantial morbidity and mortality burden in the United States, and predominantly affects older adults. The objective of this study was to estimate the direct medical costs of pancreatic cancer treatment in a population-based cohort of Medicare beneficiaries, and the contribution of different treatment modalities and health care services to the total cost of care and trends in costs over time.
Methods: In the linked Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER)-Medicare database, pancreatic cancer patients were identified who were aged 66 years or older and who were diagnosed from 2000 to 2007.