Racial differences in outcomes for patients with metastatic breast cancer by disease subtype.

Treatment advances have differed by breast cancer subtype. We examined the impact of race on survival of women with metastatic breast cancer by disease subgroup. Using surveillance, epidemiology, and end results -Medicare data, we included white and black patients aged ≥66 with de novo metastatic breast cancer diagnosed between 1998 and 2009.

Human papillomavirus vaccine uptake among individuals with systemic inflammatory diseases.

Objectives: The human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine is safe and efficacious in patients with systemic inflammatory diseases (SID) who have higher rates of persistent HPV infection. We compared HPV vaccine uptake among SID and non-SID patients.

Methods: Using a U.

Patterns of chemotherapy, toxicity, and short-term outcomes for older women receiving adjuvant trastuzumab-based therapy.

Limited data are available regarding patterns of chemotherapy receipt and treatment-related toxicities for older women receiving adjuvant trastuzumab-based therapy. We used surveillance, epidemiology and end results (SEER)-Medicare data to identify patients ≥66 years with stage I-III breast cancer treated during 2005-2009, who received trastuzumab-based therapy. We examined patterns of chemotherapy receipt, and using multivariable logistic regression, we examined associations of age and comorbidity with non-standard chemotherapy.

Duration and toxicity of adjuvant trastuzumab in older patients with early-stage breast cancer: a population-based study.

Purpose: Few data are available regarding adjuvant trastuzumab use in older women with early-stage breast cancer. We examined rates and predictors of adjuvant trastuzumab completion and cardiac events in this population.

Patients And Methods: We used Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER)-Medicare data to identify patients age ≥ 66 years with stage I to III breast cancer diagnosed between 2005 and 2009 who received trastuzumab.

Validation of claims-based algorithms for identification of high-grade cervical dysplasia and cervical cancer.

Background: High-grade cervical dysplasia or cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 2 or worse has been widely used as a surrogate endpoint in cervical cancer screening or prevention trials.

Methods: To identify high-grade cervical dysplasia and cervical cancer, we developed claims-based algorithms that incorporated a combination of diagnosis and procedure codes using the billing data in an electronic medical records database and assessed the validity of the algorithms in an independent administrative claims database. We calculated the positive predictive value (PPV) with the 95% confidence interval (CI) of each algorithm, using new cytologic or pathologic diagnosis of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia 2 or 3, carcinoma in situ, or cervical cancer as the gold standard.