Health-care access dimensions and ovarian cancer survival: SEER-Medicare analysis of the ORCHiD study.

Background: Racial and ethnic disparities in ovarian cancer (OC) survival are well-documented. However, few studies have investigated how health-care access (HCA) contributes to these disparities.

Methods: To evaluate the influence of HCA on OC mortality, we analyzed 2008-2015 Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results-Medicare data.

"You start feeling comfortable, you just start sharing:" A qualitative study of patient distress screening in Black and White patients with endometrial cancer.

Objectives: Black patients with endometrial cancer are less likely to express distress and receive referrals for support services compared to White patients. We aim to characterize patient perceptions of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network Distress Thermometer and Problem List (NCCN DT & PL), a common distress screening tool, among Black and White patients with endometrial cancer and determine strategies to improve equity in referral to appropriate support services.

Methods: We conducted semi-structured interviews with 15 Black and 15 White patients with endometrial cancer who reported varying levels of distress on the NCCN DT & PL.

Healthcare Access Dimensions and Guideline-Concordant Ovarian Cancer Treatment: SEER-Medicare Analysis of the ORCHiD Study.

Background: Racial disparities exist in receipt of guideline-concordant treatment of ovarian cancer (OC). However, few studies have evaluated how various dimensions of healthcare access (HCA) contribute to these disparities.

Methods: We analyzed data from non-Hispanic (NH)-Black, Hispanic, and NH-White patients with OC diagnosed in 2008 to 2015 from the SEER-Medicare database and defined HCA dimensions as affordability, availability, and accessibility, measured as aggregate scores created with factor analysis.

Diversity and transparency in gynecologic oncology clinical trials.

Purpose: Clinical trials advance the standard of care for patients. Patients enrolled in trials should represent the population who would benefit from the intervention in clinical practice. The aim of this study was to assess whether clinical trials enrolling patients with gynecologic cancers report racial and ethnic participant composition and to examine the level of diversity in clinical trials.

Distress screening in endometrial cancer leads to disparity in referral to support services.

Objectives: Racial disparities in survival from endometrial cancer (EC) are well known. Cancer distress has also been associated with worse clinical outcomes. We characterized the association between race/ethnicity, patient distress reported on the National Comprehensive Cancer Network Distress Thermometer and Problem List (NCCN DT & PL), referral to support services, time to surgery, and acceptance of adjuvant therapy in patients with EC.

Adjuvant treatment and outcomes for patients with stage IIIA grade 1 endometrioid endometrial cancer.

Objective: The role and type of adjuvant therapy for patients with International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage IIIA grade 1 endometrioid endometrial adenocarcinoma are controversial. This retrospective cohort study aimed to determine associations between adjuvant therapy use and survival among patients with stage IIIA grade 1 endometrial cancer.

Methods: Patients who underwent primary surgery for stage IIIA (FIGO 2009 staging) grade 1 endometrial cancer between January 2004 and December 2016 were identified in the National Cancer Database.

Evaluation of the clinical Index of Stable febrile neutropenia risk stratification system for management of febrile neutropenia in gynecologic oncology patients.

Objective: Scoring systems have been developed to identify low risk patients with febrile neutropenia (FN) who may be candidates for outpatient management. We sought to validate the predictive accuracy of the Clinical Index of Stable Febrile Neutropenia (CISNE) score alone and in conjunction with alternative scoring systems for risk of complications among gynecologic oncology patients.

Methods: We conducted a single institution retrospective cohort study of patients admitted to an academic gynecologic oncology service for FN.

Adnexal Masses in Pregnancy.

Importance: Adnexal masses are identified in approximately 0.05% to 2.4% of pregnancies, and more recent data note a higher incidence due to widespread use of antenatal ultrasound.

Results and Clinical Utilization of Foundation Medicine Molecular Tumor Profiling in Uterine and Ovarian Cancers.

Background: Recent advances in next-generation sequencing have allowed for an increase in molecular tumor profiling.

Objective: We sought to assess the actionability and clinical utilization of molecular tumor profiling results obtained via Foundation Medicine tumor sequencing tests in uterine and ovarian cancers.

Patients And Methods: We performed a single-institution retrospective chart review to obtain demographic and clinical information in patients with uterine and ovarian cancer whose tumors were submitted to Foundation Medicine for molecular tumor profiling over a 7-year period.

Potential therapeutic targets of epithelial-mesenchymal transition in melanoma.

Melanoma is a cutaneous neoplastic growth of melanocytes with great potential to invade and metastasize, especially when not treated early and effectively. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is the process by which melanocytes lose their epithelial characteristics and acquire mesenchymal phenotypes. Mesenchymal protein expression increases the motility, invasiveness, and metastatic potential of melanoma.