Cancer Treatment Disruption by Residence Region in the Aftermath of Hurricanes Irma and María in Puerto Rico.

Since 2017, Puerto Rico has faced environmental, economic, and political crises, leading to the emigration of healthcare workers and weakening the healthcare system. These challenges have affected cancer treatment continuity, exacerbating healthcare access challenges island-wide. In this study, we estimate the effect of the residence region on cancer treatment disruption following Hurricanes Irma and María (2017).

Treatment Patterns and Health Care Resource Utilization of Patients With Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer in Puerto Rico: The TREATLINES-ONCOLUNG Study.

Purpose: Lung cancer remains one of the leading causes of cancer-related mortality worldwide. It is the third cause of death among patients with cancer in Puerto Rico (PR) and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the most prevalent. This study aims to describe the first-line treatment (1LT) and health care resource utilization (HCRU) among patients with NSCLC in PR.

Examining concordance with the guidelines of the national comprehensive cancer network for the treatment of endometrial cancer in Puerto Rico.

Background: Endometrial cancer poses a significant health concern in Puerto Rico, where it ranks as the primary gynecological malignancy among women. This study evaluates concordance with the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guidelines for endometrial cancer first treatment in Puerto Rican women and its association with 5-year overall survival.

Methods: Data on patients with endometrial cancer diagnosed between 2009 and 2015 was obtained from the Puerto Rico Central Cancer Registry, which is linked to the Puerto Rico Health Insurance Linkage database (n = 2114).

Anal cancer risk and HPV infection knowledge and awareness among Hispanic persons living with HIV in Puerto Rico.

Background: Persons living with HIV (PLWH) have a higher risk of persistent infection with human papillomavirus (HPV) and anal cancer. We evaluated knowledge and awareness of HPV infection and risk factors for anal cancer among PLWH in Puerto Rico (PR).

Methods: Data from a cross-sectional study (2020-2021) were analyzed (n=212).

Treatment Interruptions and Mortality Among Puerto Rican Women With Gynecologic Cancers in Puerto Rico After Hurricanes Irma and María: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Objective: Cancer patients are among the most vulnerable populations during and after a disaster. We evaluated the impact of treatment interruption on the survival of women with gynecologic cancer in Puerto Rico following Hurricanes Irma and María.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study among a clinic-based sample of women with gynecological cancer diagnosed between January 2016 and September 2017 (n = 112) was done.

Sociodemographic, clinical characteristics, and treatment patterns of endometrial cancer cases in Puerto Rico during the period 2009 to 2015: A retrospective study.

Background: Over the past decades, the rising incidence rates of endometrial cancer have made it a significant public health concern for women worldwide. Treatment strategies for endometrial cancer vary based on several factors such as stage, histology, the patient's overall health, and preferences. However, limited amount of research on treatment patterns and potential correlations with sociodemographic characteristics among Hispanics is available.

Multiple myeloma incidence, mortality, and survival differences at the intersection of sex, age, and race/ethnicity: A comparison between Puerto Rico and the United States SEER population.

Background: Multiple myeloma (MM) survival has increased during the last decades due to the introduction of new therapies. We investigated the intersectionality among age, sex, and race/ethnicity to better understand the pattern of MM incidence, mortality, and survival.

Methods: Puerto Rico (PR) Central Cancer Registry and the United States of America (US) Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program databases were used.

Barriers and facilitators to anal cancer screening among people living with HIV in Puerto Rico.

Background: Anal cancer (AC) disproportionally affects people living with HIV (PLWH). Although there are no consensus-based AC screening guidelines, experts recommend anal pap as a primary screening tool in settings where high-resolution anoscopy (HRA) is available. We aimed to assess barriers and facilitators to anal cancer screening in a sample of Hispanic PLWH in Puerto Rico.

Association Between Concurrent Use of Benzodiazepines and Opioids and Health Care Utilization Among Patients With Cancer in Puerto Rico.

Purpose: To evaluate the association between concurrent use of opioids and benzodiazepines (BZDs) and emergency room (ER) visits and hospital admissions in patients with cancer.

Methods: Data were obtained from the Puerto Rico Central Cancer Registry-Health Insurance Linkage. Odds ratios (ORs) with 95% CIs and incidence rate ratio (IRR) were estimated using logistic and negative binomial regression analyses to assess the association between concurrent use of opioids and BZDs (overlap of at least 7 days) and ER visits and hospital admissions.

Racial/ethnic disparities for leukemias in Puerto Rico and the United States of America, 2015-2019.

Background: Leukemia is a cancer of the early-forming cells. Over the past decade, leukemia racial/ethnic disparities have been documented in the United States of America (USA). Although the Puerto Rican population in the USA represents the second-largest Hispanic population in the nation, most of the existing studies do not include Puerto Rico.

Breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer screening test use in the US territories of Guam, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands.

Background: The United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer screening among eligible adults, but information on screening use in the US territories is limited.

Methods: To estimate the proportion of adults up-to-date with breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer screening based on USPSTF recommendations, we analyzed Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System data from 2016, 2018, and 2020 for the 50 US states and DC (US) and US territories of Guam and Puerto Rico and from 2016 for the US Virgin Islands. Age-standardized weighted proportions for up-to-date cancer screening were examined overall and by select characteristics for each jurisdiction.

'More stressful than cancer': Treatment Experiences Lived During Hurricane Maria among Breast and Colorectal Cancer Patients in Puerto Rico.

Background: This study explored experiences in cancer care and disruption after Hurricanes Irma and Maria's aftermath in Puerto Rico (PR).

Methods: A total of three focus groups were conducted among breast and colorectal cancer patients diagnosed six months before the disaster.

Results: The most prevalent themes were (a) barriers related to their cancer treatment, (b) facilitators related to their cancer treatment, and (c) treatment experiences during the hurricane.

Trends and Factors Associated with Fecal Occult Blood Test Utilization among Hispanic Adults in Puerto Rico and the United States: BRFSS 2012-2020.

Unlabelled: Identifying factors associated with colorectal cancer screening utilization is important to guide colorectal cancer prevention and control programs. We evaluated trends and factors associated with previous-year fecal occult blood test (FOBT) use among Hispanic adults living in Puerto Rico and the U.S.

Characterization of Inflammatory Breast Cancer in Hispanic Women from Puerto Rico.

: Breast cancer (BC) is the most diagnosed cancer and the leading cause of cancer death among women in Puerto Rico (PR). Inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) is considered the most aggressive BC subtype. This study characterized the IBC population of Hispanic women living in Puerto Rico and aimed to estimate the IBC survival rate using data from the Puerto Rico Central Cancer Registry (PRCCR).

State Variation in Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Anus Incidence and Mortality, and Association With HIV/AIDS and Smoking in the United States.

Purpose: Squamous cell carcinoma of the anus (SCCA) incidence and mortality rates are rising in the United States. Understanding state-level incidence and mortality patterns and associations with smoking and AIDS prevalence (key risk factors) could help unravel disparities and provide etiologic clues.

Methods: Using the US Cancer Statistics and the National Center for Health Statistics data sets, we estimated state-level SCCA incidence and mortality rates.

Patterns of use of biological and genetic markers for chronic lymphocytic leukemia and acute myeloid leukemia in Puerto Rico.

Background: The use of markers has stimulated the development of more appropriate targeted therapies for chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML). We assessed the use and prevalence of biological and genetic markers of CLL and AML in the homogeneous Hispanic population of Puerto Rico.

Methods: We used the Puerto Rico CLL/AML Population-Based Registry, which combines information from linked databases.

Screening History and Survival Among Women With Cervical Cancer in Puerto Rico.

Objectives: Cervical cancer incidence is rising in Puerto Rico (PR). Screening for cervical cancer could prevent the occurrence of the disease or lead to its early detection, translating to survival benefits. In this study, we evaluated the association of cervical cancer screening status with tumor diagnosis and survival among Hispanic women living in PR.

Granulocyte colony stimulating factor use and adherence to clinical practice guidelines among women with breast cancer living in Puerto Rico: a population-based study.

Background: Febrile Neutropenia (FN) is a common and serious condition related to cancer chemotherapy. Human recombinant Granulocyte-Colony Stimulating Factor (G-CSF) prevents and attenuates the severity and duration of FN. We evaluated the use and predictors of G-CSF adherence among women with breast cancer with a high risk of FN in Puerto Rico.

Induction Therapy and Survival for Acute Myeloid Leukemia in Hispanic Adults from Puerto Rico.

Background: Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is the most common type of leukemia in adults. There are no previous studies evaluating AML treatment patterns in Puerto Rico. We describe the first-line therapy patterns and survival of patients diagnosed with AML in Puerto Rico using the Puerto Rico Central Cancer Registry Health Insurance Linkage Database (2011-2015).

Cervical Cancer Screening Among Medicaid Patients During Natural Disasters and the COVID-19 Pandemic in Puerto Rico, 2016 to 2020.

This cohort study examines rates of cervical cancer screening in Puerto Rico among women with Medicaid health coverage following the 2017 hurricanes, earthquakes in late 2019-2020, and the 2020 COVID-19 lockdown.

Use of palliative radiotherapy among patients with metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer in Puerto Rico.

Background: Palliative radiotherapy (RT) represents an important treatment opportunity for improving the quality of life in metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients through the management of symptoms within the course of the illness. The aim of the study is to determine the proportion of patients who had palliative RT within 12 months of diagnosis and evaluate the factors associated with it.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study was performed using secondary data analysis from 2009 to 2015 from the Puerto Rico Central Cancer Registry-Health Insurance Linkage Database (PRCCR-HILD).

High-Intensity End-of-Life Care Among Patients With GI Cancer in Puerto Rico: A Population-Based Study.

Purpose: High-intensity care with undue suffering among patients with cancer at the end of life (EoL) is associated with poor quality of life. We examined the pattern and predictors of high-intensity care among patients with GI cancer in Puerto Rico.

Methods: This population-based study of data from the Puerto Rico Central Cancer Registry-Health Insurance Linkage Database examined patients with GI cancer who died between 2009 and 2017.