Melanoma survival disadvantage in young, non-Hispanic white males compared with females.

Importance: Worse survival among patients with melanoma has been demonstrated in middle-aged and older men compared with women, but few studies have explored survival differences by sex in adolescents and young adults, in whom melanoma is the third most common cancer. Focusing on sex disparities in survival among younger individuals may provide further evidence of biological rather than behavioral factors that affect melanoma outcome.

Objective: To determine whether long-term survival varies between white male and female adolescents and young adults with melanoma (15 to 39 years of age at diagnosis) in the United States.

Talking About Cancer and Meeting Peer Survivors: Social Information Needs of Adolescents and Young Adults Diagnosed with Cancer.

Purpose: Limited research exists on the social information needs of adolescents and young adults (AYAs, aged 15-39 at diagnosis) with cancer.

Methods: The Adolescent and Young Adult Health Outcomes and Patient Experiences (AYA HOPE) Study recruited 523 patients to complete surveys 6-14 months after cancer diagnosis. Participants reported information needs for talking about their cancer experience with family and friends () and meeting peer survivors ().

Health-related quality of life of adolescent and young adult patients with cancer in the United States: the Adolescent and Young Adult Health Outcomes and Patient Experience study.

Purpose: Adolescents and young adults (AYAs) diagnosed with cancer face numerous physical, psychosocial, and practical challenges. This article describes the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and associated demographic and health-related characteristics of this developmentally diverse population.

Patients And Methods: Data are from the Adolescent and Young Adult Health Outcomes and Patient Experience (AYA HOPE) study, a population-based cohort of 523 AYA patients with cancer, ages 15 to 39 years at diagnosis from 2007 to 2009.

Case-control study of paternal occupation and social class with risk of childhood central nervous system tumours in Great Britain, 1962-2006.

Background: Paternal occupational exposures have been proposed as a risk factor for childhood central nervous system (CNS) tumours. This study investigates possible associations between paternal occupational exposure and childhood CNS tumours in Great Britain.

Methods: The National Registry of Childhood Tumours provided all cases of childhood CNS tumours born and diagnosed in Great Britain from 1962 to 2006.

Unmet Support Service Needs and Health-Related Quality of Life among Adolescents and Young Adults with Cancer: The AYA HOPE Study.

Introduction: Cancer for adolescents and young adults (AYA) differs from younger and older patients; AYA face medical challenges while navigating social and developmental transitions. Research suggests that these patients are under or inadequately served by current support services, which may affect health-related quality of life (HRQOL).

Methods: We examined unmet service needs and HRQOL in the National Cancer Institute's Adolescent and Young Adult Health Outcomes and Patient Experience (AYA HOPE) study, a population-based cohort (n = 484), age 15-39, diagnosed with cancer 6-14 months prior, in 2007-2009.

Spatial analysis of health effects of large industrial incinerators in England, 1998-2008: a study using matched case-control areas.

Objectives: To assess whether residential proximity to industrial incinerators in England is associated with increased risk of cancer incidence and mortality.

Design: Retrospective study using matched case-control areas.

Setting: Five circular regions of radius 10 km near industrial incinerators in England (case regions) and five matched control regions, 1998-2008.

Patterns and predictors of breast cancer chemotherapy use in Kaiser Permanente Northern California, 2004-2007.

Chemotherapy regimens for early stage breast cancer have been tested by randomized clinical trials, and specified by evidence-based practice guidelines. However, little is known about the translation of trial results and guidelines to clinical practice. We extracted individual-level data on chemotherapy administration from the electronic medical records of Kaiser Permanente Northern California (KPNC), a pre-paid integrated healthcare system serving 29 % of the local population.

Case-control study of paternal occupation and childhood leukaemia in Great Britain, 1962-2006.

Background: Paternal occupational exposures have been proposed as a risk factor for childhood leukaemia. This study investigates possible associations between paternal occupational exposure and childhood leukaemia in Great Britain.

Methods: The National Registry of Childhood Tumours provided all cases of childhood leukaemia born and diagnosed in Great Britain between 1962 and 2006.

Rituximab use and survival after diffuse large B-cell or follicular lymphoma: a population-based study.

To determine whether reported socioeconomic disparities in survival might be related to treatment, we examined patient and tumor characteristics associated with receipt of rituximab and survival in the National Cancer Institute's Patterns of Care Studies (2003 and 2008) for patients with diffuse large B-cell (DLBCL) and follicular (FL) lymphoma. Patients with DLBCL (n = 1192) were less likely to receive rituximab if they were older, black or Asian, lacked private medical insurance, had impaired performance status, had no lactate dehydrogenase measurements or were diagnosed with stage I disease. Patients with FL (n = 476) were less likely to receive rituximab if they were unmarried or non-Hispanic white.

Variation in patient-sharing networks of physicians across the United States.

Context: Physicians are embedded in informal networks that result from their sharing of patients, information, and behaviors.

Objectives: To identify professional networks among physicians, examine how such networks vary across geographic regions, and determine factors associated with physician connections.

Design, Setting, And Participants: Using methods adopted from social network analysis, Medicare administrative data from 2006 were used to study 4,586,044 Medicare beneficiaries seen by 68,288 physicians practicing in 51 hospital referral regions (HRRs).

Age-specific incidence of breast cancer subtypes: understanding the black-white crossover.

Background: Breast cancer incidence is higher among black women than white women before age 40 years, but higher among white women than black women after age 40 years (black-white crossover). We used newly available population-based data to examine whether the age-specific incidences of breast cancer subtypes vary by race and ethnicity.

Methods: We classified 91908 invasive breast cancers diagnosed in California between January 1, 2006, and December 31, 2009, by subtype based on tumor expression of estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR)-together referred to as hormone receptor (HR)-and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2).

Impact of cancer on work and education among adolescent and young adult cancer survivors.

Purpose: To examine the impact of cancer on work and education in a sample of adolescent and young adult (AYA) patients with cancer.

Patients And Methods: By using the Adolescent and Young Adult Health Outcomes and Patient Experience Study (AYA HOPE)-a cohort of 463 recently diagnosed patients age 15 to 39 years with germ cell cancer, Hodgkin's lymphoma, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, sarcoma, and acute lymphocytic leukemia from participating Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) cancer registries-we evaluated factors associated with return to work/school after cancer diagnosis, a belief that cancer had a negative impact on plans for work/school, and reported problems with work/school after diagnosis by using descriptive statistics, χ(2) tests, and multivariate logistic regression.

Results: More than 72% (282 of 388) of patients working or in school full-time before diagnosis had returned to full-time work or school 15 to 35 months postdiagnosis compared with 34% (14 of 41) of previously part-time workers/students, 7% (one of 14) of homemakers, and 25% (five of 20) of unemployed/disabled patients (P < .

Unmet adolescent and young adult cancer survivors information and service needs: a population-based cancer registry study.

Purpose: We described unmet information and service needs of adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer survivors (15-39 years of age) and identified sociodemographic and health-related factors associated with these unmet needs.

Methods: We studied 523 AYAs recruited from seven population-based cancer registries, diagnosed with acute lymphocytic leukemia, Hodgkin's lymphoma, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, germ cell cancer, or sarcoma in 2007-2008. Participants completed surveys a median of 11 months from diagnosis.

Occurrence of breast cancer subtypes in adolescent and young adult women.

Introduction: Breast cancers are increasingly recognized as heterogeneous based on expression of receptors for estrogen (ER), progesterone (PR), and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2). Triple-negative tumors (ER-/PR-/HER2-) have been reported to be more common among younger women, but occurrence of the spectrum of breast cancer subtypes in adolescent and young adult (AYA) women aged between 15 and 39 years is otherwise poorly understood.

Methods: Data regarding all 5,605 AYA breast cancers diagnosed in California during the period 2005 to 2009, including ER and PR status (referred to jointly as hormone receptor (HR) status) and HER2 status, was obtained from the population-based California Cancer Registry.

Positive and negative psychosocial impact of being diagnosed with cancer as an adolescent or young adult.

Background: The objective of this study was to explore the psychosocial impact of cancer on newly diagnosed adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer patients.

Methods: This was a population-based, multicenter study of 523 newly diagnosed AYA survivors (ages 15-39 years) of germ cell cancer (n = 204), non-Hodgkin lymphoma (n = 131), Hodgkin lymphoma (n = 142), acute lymphocytic leukemia (n = 21), or sarcoma (n = 25) from 7 National Cancer Institute Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) registries. Age at diagnosis was categorized into 3 groups (ages 15-20 years, 21-29 years, and 30-39 years).

Patient, hospital, and neighborhood factors associated with treatment of early-stage breast cancer among Asian American women in California.

Background: Clinical guidelines recommend breast-conserving surgery (BCS) with radiation as a viable alternative to mastectomy for treatment of early-stage breast cancer. Yet, Asian Americans are more likely than other groups to have mastectomy or omit radiation after BCS.

Methods: We applied polytomous logistic regression and recursive partitioning to analyze factors associated with mastectomy, or BCS without radiation, among 20,987 California Asian Americans diagnosed with stage 0 to II breast cancer from 1990 to 2007.

Gastric cancer incidence among Hispanics in California: patterns by time, nativity, and neighborhood characteristics.

Background: Better understanding about gastric cancer incidence patterns among Hispanics by birthplace, socioeconomic status (SES), and acculturation can improve preventive strategies and disease models.

Methods: Incidence rates, rate ratios, and estimated annual percent change (EAPC) in rates of anatomic and histologic subtype-specific gastric cancer were calculated by age, sex, and nativity among Hispanics using California Cancer Registry data from 1988 through 2004. Incidence rates in 1998 to 2002 were compared by neighborhood SES and Hispanic enclave status according to 2000 US Census data.

Racial patterns of extranodal natural killer/T-cell lymphoma, nasal type, in California: a population-based study.

In order to investigate whether the clinical behaviour of extranodal natural killer/T-cell lymphoma, nasal type (ENKTL) varies by race within a geographic region, we identified a total of 213 non-Hispanic whites, Hispanics and Asians/Pacific islanders (APIs) diagnosed with ENKTL in the California Cancer Registry between 2001 and 2008. The incidence and outcomes of the disease in these racial groups were analysed. The incidence rates in non-Hispanic whites, Hispanics and APIs were 0.

Clinical trial participation and time to treatment among adolescents and young adults with cancer: does age at diagnosis or insurance make a difference?

Purpose: Because adolescent and young adult (AYA) patients with cancer have experienced variable improvement in survival over the past two decades, enhancing the quality and timeliness of cancer care in this population has emerged as a priority area. To identify current trends in AYA care, we examined patterns of clinical trial participation, time to treatment, and provider characteristics in a population-based sample of AYA patients with cancer.

Methods: Using the National Cancer Institute Patterns of Care Study, we used multivariate logistic regression to evaluate demographic and provider characteristics associated with clinical trial enrollment and time to treatment among 1,358 AYA patients with cancer (age 15 to 39 years) identified through the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program.

The association between neighborhood characteristics and body size and physical activity in the California teachers study cohort.

Objectives: We considered interactions between physical activity and body mass index (BMI) and neighborhood factors.

Methods: We used recursive partitioning to identify predictors of low recreational physical activity (< 2.5 hours/week) and overweight and obesity (BMI ≥ 25.

Relative deprivation between neighbouring wards is predictive of coronary heart disease mortality after adjustment for absolute deprivation of wards.

Background: The aims of this study were to assess whether deprivation inequality at small area level in England is associated with coronary heart disease (CHD) mortality rates and to assess whether this provides evidence of an association between area-level and individual-level risk.

Methods: Mortality rates for all wards in England were calculated using all CHD deaths between 2001 and 2006. Ward-level deprivation was measured using the Carstairs Index.

Nativity and papillary thyroid cancer incidence rates among Hispanic women in California.

Background: Overall, the incidence of papillary thyroid cancer in Hispanic women residing in the United States (US) is similar to that of non-Hispanic white women. However, little is known as to whether rates in Hispanic women vary by nativity, which may influence exposure to important risk factors.

Methods: Nativity-specific incidence rates among Hispanic women were calculated for papillary thyroid cancer using data from the California Cancer Registry (CCR) for the period 1988-2004.

Recurrent intrahepatic pigmented stones after liver transplantation in a patient with hemoglobin SC disease: case report and review of the literature.

Patients with hemoglobinopathies may have hepatic involvement, which if severe, can lead to chronic liver disease and a need for liver transplant. Here, we present a case of a 16-yr-old female adolescent who presented to our center with hemoglobin SC disease, obstructive jaundice because of pigmented intrahepatic biliary stones, and progressive liver disease. She underwent a successful liver transplant but a few years later, she developed recurrent cholangitis and graft dysfunction because of recurrent intrahepatic biliary stones.

Lymphoid malignancies in U.S. Asians: incidence rate differences by birthplace and acculturation.

Background: Malignancies of the lymphoid cells, including non-Hodgkin lymphomas (NHL), HL, and multiple myeloma, occur at much lower rates in Asians than other racial/ethnic groups in the United States. It remains unclear whether these deficits are explained by genetic or environmental factors. To better understand environmental contributions, we examined incidence patterns of lymphoid malignancies among populations characterized by ethnicity, birthplace, and residential neighborhood socioeconomic status (SES) and ethnic enclave status.

The California Neighborhoods Data System: a new resource for examining the impact of neighborhood characteristics on cancer incidence and outcomes in populations.

Research on neighborhoods and health has been growing. However, studies have not investigated the association of specific neighborhood measures, including socioeconomic and built environments, with cancer incidence or outcomes. We developed the California Neighborhoods Data System (CNDS), an integrated system of small area-level measures of socioeconomic and built environments for California, which can be readily linked to individual-level geocoded records.