Impact of patient, hospital, and operative characteristics relative to social determinants of health: Compliance with National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines for colon cancer.

Background: Despite an established association with improved patient outcomes, compliance with National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guidelines remains suboptimal. We sought to assess the effect of patient characteristics (PCs), operative characteristics (OCs), hospital characteristics (HCs), and social determinants of health (SDoH) on noncompliance with NCCN guidelines for colon cancer.

Methods: Patients treated for stage I to III colon cancer from 2004 to 2017 were identified from the National Cancer Database.

Postoperative Outcomes Among Patients Undergoing Cancer Surgery: United States versus International Medical Graduates.

Objective: We sought to characterize postoperative outcomes among patients who underwent an oncologic operation relative to whether the treating surgeon was an international medical graduate (IMG) versus a United States medical graduate (USMG).

Background: IMGs comprise approximately one quarter of the physician workforce in the United States.

Methods: The 100% Medicare Standard Analytic Files were utilized to extract data on patients with breast, lung, hepato-pancreato-biliary (HPB), and colorectal cancer who underwent surgical resection between 2014 and 2020.

Impact of an artificial intelligence based model to predict non-transplantable recurrence among patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.

Objective: We sought to develop Artificial Intelligence (AI) based models to predict non-transplantable recurrence (NTR) of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) following hepatic resection (HR).

Methods: HCC patients who underwent HR between 2000-2020 were identified from a multi-institutional database. NTR was defined as recurrence beyond Milan Criteria.

Minimally Invasive Techniques for Gastrectomy.

Gastric adenocarcinoma is an aggressive disease and a leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Surgery entails either a total or a subtotal gastrectomy. These complex operations carry elevated morbidity and mortality with an extended recovery time.

Long-term Health Outcomes of New Persistent Opioid Use After Gastrointestinal Cancer Surgery.

Background: New persistent opioid use (NPOU) after surgery has been identified as a common complication. This study sought to assess the long-term health outcomes among patients who experienced NPOU after gastrointestinal (GI) cancer surgery.

Methods: Patients who underwent surgery for hepato-pancreato-biliary and colorectal cancer between 2007 and 2019 were identified using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER)-Medicare-linked database.

Practice Patterns and Outcomes Among Surgical Oncology Fellowship Graduates Performing Complex Cancer Surgery in the United States Across Different Career Stages.

Background: Practice patterns and potential quality differences among surgical oncology fellowship graduates relative to years of independent practice have not been defined.

Methods: Medicare claims were used to identify patients who underwent esophagectomy, pancreatectomy, hepatectomy, or rectal resection for cancer between 2016 and 2021. Surgical oncology fellowship graduates were identified, and the association between years of independent practice, serious complications, and 90-day mortality was examined.

Association of preoperative cholangitis with outcomes and expenditures among patients undergoing pancreaticoduodenectomy.

Background: This study aimed to characterize the association of preoperative acute cholangitis (PAC) with surgical outcomes and healthcare costs.

Methods: Patients who underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) between 2013 and 2021 were identified using 100% Medicare Standard Analytic Files. PAC was defined as the occurrence of at least 1 episode of acute cholangitis within the year preceding surgery.

Healthcare utilization and expenditures among patients with venous thromboembolism following gastrointestinal cancer surgery.

Background: We sought to assess healthcare utilization and expenditures among patients who developed venous thromboembolism (VTE) after gastrointestinal cancer surgery.

Methods: Patients who underwent surgery for esophageal, gastric, hepatic, biliary duct, pancreatic, and colorectal cancer between 2013 and 2020 were identified using the MarketScan database. Entropy balancing was performed to obtain a cohort that was well balanced relative to different clinical covariates.

Textbook Neoadjuvant Outcome-Novel Composite Measure of Oncological Outcomes among Gastric Cancer Patients Undergoing Multimodal Treatment.

The incidence of gastric cancer (GC) is expected to increase to 1.77 million cases by 2040. To improve treatment outcomes, GC patients are increasingly treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) prior to curative-intent resection.

Association of county-level provider density and social vulnerability with colorectal cancer-related mortality.

Background: Health care providers play a crucial role in increasing overall awareness, screening, and treatment of cancer, leading to reduced cancer mortality. We sought to characterize the impact of provider density on colorectal cancer population-level mortality.

Methods: County-level provider data, obtained from the Area Health Resource File between 2016 and 2018, were used to calculate provider density per county.

The Role of Delirium on Short- and Long-Term Postoperative Outcomes Following Major Gastrointestinal Surgery for Cancer.

Introduction: The growing burden of an aging population has raised concerns about demands on healthcare systems and resources, particularly in the context of surgical and cancer care. Delirium can affect treatment outcomes and patient recovery. We sought to determine the prevalence of postoperative delirium among patients undergoing digestive tract surgery for malignant indications and to analyze the role of delirium on surgical outcomes.

Screening tools to address social determinants of health in the United States: A systematic review.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services have mandated that hospitals implement measures to screen social determinants of health (SDoH). We sought to report on available SDoH screening tools. PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, as well as the grey literature were searched (1980 to November 2023).

The associations of food environment with gastrointestinal cancer outcomes in the United States.

Background: Social conditions and dietary behaviors have been implicated in the rising burden of gastrointestinal cancers (GIC). The "food environment" reflects influences on a community level relative to food availability, nutritional assistance, and social determinants of health. Using the US Department of Agriculture-Food Environment Atlas (FEA), we sought to characterize the association of food environment on GIC presenting stage and long-term survival.

Association of Hospital Market Competition with Outcomes of Complex Cancer Surgery.

Background: The association of hospital market competition, financial costs, and quality of oncologic care has not been well-defined. This study sought to evaluate variations in patient outcomes and financial expenditures after complex cancer surgery across high- and low-competition markets.

Methods: Medicare 100% Standard Analytic Files were used to identify patients with lung, esophageal, gastric, hepatopancreaticobiliary, or colorectal cancer who underwent surgical resection between 2018 and 2021.

Sepsis and Septic Shock in Patients Undergoing Thyroidectomy: Incidence, Risk Factors, and Outcomes.

Introduction: Postoperative sepsis represents a rare complication following thyroidectomy. We aimed to explore the incidence, risk factors, sources, and outcomes of postoperative sepsis and septic shock among adult patients undergoing thyroidectomy.

Methods: Data from the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program were used in this retrospective cohort study.

The impact of county-level food access on the mortality and post-transplant survival among patients with steatotic liver disease.

Background: The impact of county-level food access on mortality associated with steatotic liver disease, as well as post-liver transplant outcomes among individuals with steatotic liver disease, have not been characterized.

Methods: Data on steatotic liver disease-related mortality and outcomes of liver transplant recipients with steatotic liver disease between 2010 and 2020 were obtained from the Centers for Disease Control Prevention mortality as well as the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients databases. These data were linked to the food desert score, defined as the proportion of the total population in each county characterized as having both low income and limited access to grocery stores.