Post-treatment Surveillance Strategies Research Articles

Treatment of Stages I-III Squamous Cell Anal Cancer: A Comparative Effectiveness Systematic Review.

To assess the effectiveness and harms of initial treatment strategies for stages I-III anal squamous cell cancer (SCC). We searched Medline®, Embase®, and CENTRAL®, between January 1, 2000- March 2024, for randomized controlled trials and nonrandomized studies of interventions comparing initial treatment strategies. Individual study risk of bias (RoB) and overall strength of evidence (SOE) were evaluated for a prespecified outcome list using standardized methods. We identified 33 eligible studies and extracted data. Six were deemed low/moderate RoB. Compared with radiotherapy (RT) alone, chemoradiotherapy (CRT) with 5-fluorouracil (FU) and mitomycin C (MMC) probably shows a benefit in locoregional failure (LRF), disease-specific (DSS), and colostomy-free survival (CFS) (moderate SOE) yet may result in greater overall and acute hematologic toxicity, with no difference in late harms (low SOE). CRT with 5FU+MMC may show a benefit in LRF, DSS, and CFS rates compared with 5FU alone (low SOE). CRT with 5FU+cisplatin vs 5FU+MMC probably results in no differences in several effectiveness outcomes or overall acute or late harms, and probably increases hematologic toxicity with MMC (moderate SOE). Compared with CRT using capecitabine+MMC, CRT with capecitabine+MMC+paclitaxel may improve OS, DSS, and CFS, yet cause more acute harms (low SOE). Evidence was insufficient for remaining comparisons. CRT with 5FU+MMC or 5FU+cisplatin is likely more effective yet incurs greater acute hematologic toxicity than RT alone or single-agent CRT. Adding paclitaxel to capecitabine+MMC may increase treatment efficacy and toxicity. Evidence is insufficient comparing post-treatment surveillance strategies and patient-reported outcomes, highlighting research opportunities.

Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of PET-CT Surveillance After Treatment of Human Papillomavirus-Positive Oropharyngeal Cancer.

To determine the cost-effectiveness of surveillance imaging with PET/CT scan among patients with human papillomavirus-positive oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma. Cost-effectiveness analysis. Oncologic care centers in the United States with head and neck oncologic surgeons and physicians. We compared the cost-effectiveness of 2 posttreatment surveillance strategies: clinical surveillance with the addition of PET/CT scan versus clinical surveillance alone in human papillomavirus-positive oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma patients. We constructed a Markov decision model which was analyzed from a third-party payer's perspective using 1-year Markov cycles and a 30-year time horizon. Values for transition probabilities, costs, health care utilities, and their studied ranges were derived from the literature. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio for PET/CT with clinical surveillance versus clinical surveillance alone was $89,850 per quality-adjusted life year gained. Flexible fiberoptic scope exams during clinical surveillance would have to be over 51% sensitive or PET/CT scan cost would have to exceed $1678 for clinical surveillance alone to be more cost-effective. The willingness-to-pay threshold at which imaging surveillance was equally cost-effective to clinical surveillance was approximately $80,000/QALY. Despite lower recurrence rates of human papillomavirus-positive oropharyngeal cancer, a single PET/CT scan within 6 months after primary treatment remains a cost-effective tool for routine surveillance when its cost does not exceed $1678. The cost-effectiveness of this strategy is also dependent on the clinical surveillance sensitivity (flexible fiberoptic pharyngoscopy), and willingness-to-pay thresholds which vary by country.

Metachronous colorectal cancer metastasis: Who, what, when and what to do about it.

Metachronous colorectal cancer (CRC) metastasis occurs due to micrometastatic disease, in up to 23% of patients who have undergone curative-intent treatment. Metachronous metastasis tends to occur within 2 years of initial treatment. Diagnosis relies on posttreatment surveillance strategies. Care for patients with metachronous CRC metastasis is complex and requires careful multidisciplinary consideration. Those with isolated and technically resectable diseases are recommended to undergo metastasectomy with adjunct chemotherapy, however, survival, even after curative-intent resection, is poor.

Predictive factors for recurrence and outcomes in T1a renal cell carcinoma: Analysis of the INMARC (International Marker Consortium for Renal Cancer) database.

728 Background: Stage migration in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) has led to an increasing proportion of diagnoses at earlier clinical tumor stage and has rendered the phenomenon of the ‘small renal mass’ as a dominant presenting clinical paradigm. While thought of as being low risk, emerging knowledge about heterogeneity of RCC histologies and consequent impact on prognosis, in addition to awareness of impact of functional decline and demographic drivers on outcomes led us to further explore outcomes and predictive factors in T1a RCC patients treated with surgical resection. Methods: The INMARC database was queried for patients with small renal masses (≤ 4 cm) who underwent surgery via partial or radical nephrectomy and who presented without nodal or distant metastases. Patients were stratified into two groups based on having recurrence (distant or loco-regional) or not. Primary outcome was overall survival (OS). Multivariable analyses (MVA) were performed to analyze clinicopathological variables associated with recurrence and identify predictors of recurrence, cancer-specific mortality (CSM), and all-cause mortality (ACM). Kaplan-Meier analyses (KMA) were performed to compare recurrence-free survival (RFS), cancer-specific survival (CSS), and overall survival (OS) between histology types clear cell, chromophobe, papillary, and “other.” Results: We analyzed 1,878 cT1aN0M0 RCC patients; 101 (5.4%) developed recurrence (median follow up 53.6 months; median time to recurrence 19.3 months); 51.1% developed distant recurrence, 35.6% had loco-regional recurrence, and 13.9% experienced distant and loco-regional recurrence. MVA demonstrated age (HR=1.02, p=0.02), sex (HR=1.71, p=0.045), diabetes (HR=1.94, p=0.006), high/unclassified grade (HR=2.82-4.40, p<0.001-0.007), papillary (HR=0.37, p=0.013) and other (HR=2.51, p=0.019) RCC as predictive factors for recurrence. MVA identified high/unclassified grade (HR=3.17-6.22, p=0.002-0.003) and papillary RCC (HR=0.12, p=0.036) as predictive factors for CSM. MVA for ACM demonstrated age (HR=1.03, p<0.001), non-Caucasian race (HR=0.85, p<0.001), high grade (HR=1.42, p=0.024), recurrence (HR=1.86, p=0.003), and GFR<45 (HR=2.89, p<0.001) to be independent risk factors. KMA comparing Clear Cell, Papillary, Chromophobe and Other RCC revealed significant differences for 5-year CSS (97.8% vs. 99.3% vs. 98.5% vs. 87.0%, p=0.018) and 5-year RFS (92.4% vs. 96.0% vs. 97.8% vs. 81.7%, p<0.001), but not 5-year OS (89.4% vs. 85.2% vs. 93.2% vs. 73.7%, p=0.34). Conclusions: We noted differential outcomes in T1a RCC based on histology and grade for recurrence and CSM, while renal functional decline in addition to pathological factors and recurrence were predictive for ACM. These findings suggest consideration to refine management and post treatment surveillance strategies in T1a RCC.

The economic impact of circulating tumor-tissue modified HPV DNA for the post-treatment surveillance of HPV-driven oropharyngeal cancer: A simulation

PurposeFollowing treatment of HPV-driven oropharynx cancer, surveillance nasopharyngoscopy and imaging are often performed but are expensive and frequently ineffective. A novel plasma circulating tumor-tissue modified viral HPV DNA (TTMV-HPV-DNA) assay accurately detects recurrences. We modeled the cost of the new assay. MethodsWe designed and validated a partitioned survival model which replicated the results of the RTOG 1016 study and calculated cumulative surveillance costs from the payer’s perspective. Two strategies were considered: a standard of routine endoscopy with imaging as needed and an alternative strategy which omitted scopes and imaging but obtained serial TTMV-HPV-DNA samples. No difference in effectiveness (QALY or LY) was assumed in the base case. A 5-year horizon was used, costs were reported in 2020 U.S. dollars discounted by 3%. Seven scenarios tested model assumptions and practice variation. Deterministic and probabilistic sensitivity analyses assessed parameter uncertainty. ResultsIn the base case, at the list TTMV-HPV-DNA price, the cumulative cost of surveillance was $11,674 for the standard strategy and $20,756 for the TTMV-HPV-DNA strategy (+$9082 over 5 years). Probabilistic sensitivity analysis demonstrated the cost difference ranged from $4917-$12,047. The TTMV-HPV-DNA strategy was most likely to be either cost saving or cost-effective if future data demonstrate small improvements in quality or quantity of life (approximately 33 quality-adjusted life-days), if the assay reduces utilization of imaging, and if the periodicity of TTMV-HPV-DNA draws could be reduced from that on clinical trials. ConclusionsThis data informs providers seeking to design more accurate, accessible, and economical post-treatment surveillance strategies.

Liquid biopsy posttreatment surveillance in endemic nasopharyngeal carcinoma: a cost-effective strategy to integrate circulating cell-free Epstein-Barr virus DNA

BackgroundThe optimal posttreatment surveillance strategy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) remains unclear. Circulating cell-free Epstein-Barr virus (cfEBV) DNA has been recognized as a promising biomarker to facilitate early detection of NPC recurrence. Therefore, we aim to determine whether integrating circulating cfEBV DNA into NPC follow-up is cost-effective.MethodsFor each stage of asymptomatic nonmetastatic NPC patients after complete remission to primary NPC treatment, we developed a Markov model to compare the cost-effectiveness of the following surveillance strategies: routine follow-up strategy, i.e., (1) routine clinical physical examination; routine imaging strategies, including (2) routine magnetic resonance imaging plus computed tomography plus bone scintigraphy (MRI + CT + BS); and (3) routine 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT); cfEBV DNA-guided imaging strategies, including (4) cfEBV DNA-guided MRI + CT + BS and (5) cfEBV DNA-guided PET/CT. Clinical probabilities, utilities, and costs were derived from published studies or databases. Sensitivity analyses were performed.ResultsFor all disease stages, cfEBV DNA-guided imaging strategies demonstrated similar survival benefits but were considerably more economical than routine imaging strategies. They only required approximately one quarter of the number of imaging studies compared with routine imaging strategies to detect one recurrence. Specifically, cfEBV DNA-guided MRI + CT + BS was most cost-effective for stage II (incremental cost-effectiveness ratio [ICER] $57,308/quality-adjusted life-year [QALY]) and stage III ($46,860/QALY) patients, while cfEBV DNA-guided PET/CT was most cost-effective for stage IV patients ($62,269/QALY). However, routine follow-up was adequate for stage I patients due to their low recurrence risk.ConclusionsThe cfEBV DNA-guided imaging strategies are effective and cost-effective follow-up methods in NPC. These liquid biopsy-based strategies offer evidence-based, stage-specific surveillance modalities for clinicians and reduce disease burden for patients.

PO-1296 Usage of PET/CT as a post-treatment surveillance strategy in locoregionally advanced cervical cancer

PO-1296 Usage of PET/CT as a post-treatment surveillance strategy in locoregionally advanced cervical cancer

Abstract PS7-37: Learning from breast cancer clinical trials how to capture recurrence estimates for North American cancer registries: A systematic review

Abstract Background: There are currently approximately 3.5 million breast cancer survivors in the U.S. This number will continue to rise due to the medical and scientific advances that have improved diagnostic tools and standards of care for women treated for breast cancer. The increasing number of breast cancer survivors also means that the population at risk for cancer recurrence will increase. Cancer recurrence is defined as a cancer that was treated, reduced to undetectable levels, and later returned either locally, regionally, or distantly. After a recurrence diagnosis, patients’ experience reduced health outcomes and quality of life as well as the financial burden of additional treatments. Post-treatment surveillance strategies are critical for the early detection of recurrences so that interventions can be more effective at ensuring long term survival and quality of life. Currently, risk factors for breast cancer recurrence are not well understood in part due to limited population level data in cancer registries world-wide. The clinical endpoints that provide recurrence estimates are disease free survival (DFS), relapse free survival (RFS), and time to recurrence (TTR). Studies that provide recurrence estimates are limited to clinical trials (which lack diversity and represent less than 5% of cancer patients) and prospective cohorts that follow patients for a defined number of years. Currently, population-based cancer registries in North America do not collect recurrence data from patients that would allow the calculation of DFS, RFS, and TTR. The absence of population level data has limited the understanding of cancer patients’ individual risks and evidence-based recommendations for recurrence prevention strategies. Moreover, recurrence data on cancers with long term latency (greater than 5-10 years) such as estrogen receptor positive breast cancer are limited.Purpose: We seek to identify which data elements and surveillance strategies are collected for recurrence data in breast cancer clinical trials. Our long-term goal is to implement these data elements into the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) program to facilitate the calculation of breast cancer recurrence estimates at the U.S. population level.Methods: We performed a systematic literature review evaluating phase II-IV clinical trials, their reported clinical outcomes, surveillance strategies, and their diagnostic tests that confirm recurrence. We used PubMed, clinicaltrials.gov, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library for search terms “recurrence”, “relapse”, “recurrence free survival”, “surgery”, “adjuvant therapy” in breast cancer for our literature search. Inclusion criteria included clinical trials with published results, trials that compared outcomes of surgical resections, surgery with adjuvant treatments, or multiple adjuvant treatments. We included trials that provided DFS, RFS, TTR, recurrence rate, recurrence free interval, progression free survival, and time to progression. We excluded trials that did not provide recurrence estimates and those that performed recurrence modeling.Conclusion: From our review, we identified data elements and recurrence estimates for breast cancer that are collected in clinical trials but are not included in North American registries. New data elements need to be included in North American cancer registries to calculate population-based estimates for recurrence. Citation Format: Esmeralda Ramirez-Pena, Sarah Hussey, Serban Negoita, Brandy Heckman-Stoddard. Learning from breast cancer clinical trials how to capture recurrence estimates for North American cancer registries: A systematic review [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2020 San Antonio Breast Cancer Virtual Symposium; 2020 Dec 8-11; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2021;81(4 Suppl):Abstract nr PS7-37.

An optimal posttreatment surveillance strategy for cancer survivors based on an individualized risk-based approach

The optimal post-treatment surveillance strategy that can detect early recurrence of a cancer within limited visits remains unexplored. Here we adopt nasopharyngeal carcinoma as the study model to establish an approach to surveillance that balances the effectiveness of disease detection versus costs. A total of 7,043 newly-diagnosed patients are grouped according to a clinic-molecular risk grouping system. We use a random survival forest model to simulate the monthly probability of disease recurrence, and thereby establish risk-based surveillance arrangements that can maximize the efficacy of recurrence detection per visit. Markov decision-analytic models further validate that the risk-based surveillance outperforms the control strategies and is the most cost-effective. These results are confirmed in an external validation cohort. Finally, we recommend the risk-based surveillance arrangement which requires 10, 11, 13 and 14 visits for group I to IV. Our surveillance strategies might pave the way for individualized and economic surveillance for cancer survivors.

Does Routine Posttreatment PET/CT Add Value to the Care of Women With Locally Advanced Cervical Cancer?

The aim of this study was to determine the necessary reduction in recurrence rate that would make postchemoradiation positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) to direct completion hysterectomy for locally advanced cervical cancer (LACC) cost-effective. A decision model evaluated costs and recurrence rates of 2 posttreatment surveillance strategies in LACC: (1) routine surveillance without PET/CT and (2) PET/CT after 3 months to triage to completion hysterectomy. Incremental cost-effectiveness ratios were expressed in dollars per additional cancer recurrence avoided. Model parameters included expected rates of recurrence using each strategy, true- and false-positive rates of posttreatment PET/CT, and major complications of completion hysterectomy. From published data, we modeled an LACC baseline recurrence rate of 32%, PET/CT false-positive rate of 33%, and false-negative rate of 19%. We assumed that PET/CT revealed persistent local cervical cancer in 16% and progressive or distant disease in 6%. Costs of PET/CT, hysterectomy, and treatment for recurrence were based on Medicare reimbursements. A 50% salvage rate with hysterectomy was assumed and varied in sensitivity analysis. Routine use of PET/CT to direct completion hysterectomy was associated with a higher average cost ($16,579 vs $15,450) and a lower recurrence rate (26% vs 32%). The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of PET was $20,761 per recurrence prevented. When the probability of recurrence after hysterectomy dropped to 25% or less, PET/CT was a dominant strategy. Routine use of PET/CT to determine which patients may benefit from a completion hysterectomy after chemoradiation for LACC has the potential to be highly cost-effective.

Predicted benefit of alternative post-treatment surveillance strategies in stage II and III colon cancer survivors.

3623Background: Early diagnosis of recurrence may provide the opportunity for cure among colon cancer survivors. Randomized studies comparing post-treatment surveillance strategies suggest that pat...

How clinicians make decisions regarding surveillance and treatment of colorectal cancer (CRC) patients.

263 Background: The goal of post-treatment surveillance of CRC patients is to identify recurrences among patients eligible for salvage surgery or palliative chemotherapy. However, patient ineligibility for treatment of recurrence may contribute to variation in surveillance practices. The aim of this study was to evaluate patient factors that affect clinician decisions regarding surveillance and salvage treatment eligibility among CRC patients. Methods: A custom 41-item survey was developed, incorporating modified criteria for adult comorbidity evaluation. A convenience sample of physicians who treat CRC was recruited from the ALLIANCE GI Cancer Committee. All participants completed an anonymous written survey of objective and subjective information about salvage treatment eligibility and the impact on surveillance in these patients. Results: Respondents were medical oncologists (n = 16; n = 11 with > 10 yrs experience) and surgical oncologists (n = 4). Patients with average comorbidity were considered ineligible for curative salvage surgery at median age 85 yrs (IQR: 80, 90), life expectancy 3 yrs (IQR: 2, 4.8) or ECOG ≥ 2 (IQR: 2,3). Patients were considered ineligible for palliative chemotherapy at median age 90 (IQR: 80, 92.5), life expectancy ≤ 2 years (IQR: 1.5, 3) or ECOG status ≤ 3 (IQR: 3, 3). Patients with above average comorbidity were considered ineligible for salvage surgery at median age 80 yrs (IQR: 75, 80) and palliative chemotherapy at median age 80 yrs (IQR: 75, 85). 8 comorbidities were identified by > 75% of the respondents as determinants of treatment ineligibility. 12 respondents (60%) indicated follow-up of patients ineligible for treatment should be continued based on patient desire, ongoing management of late effects, and continuity of care. However, a majority (n = 15) responded that clinic visits only should be continued without further testing. Conclusions: Considerable agreement was observed regarding patient characteristics that lead to ineligibility for treatment of recurrent disease. This information can aid shared clinical decision-making for post-treatment surveillance strategies and may potentially reduce variation in surveillance practice.

Posttreatment human papillomavirus testing for residual or recurrent high-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia: a pooled analysis.

ObjectiveWe conducted a pooled analysis of published studies to compare the performance of human papillomavirus (HPV) testing and cytology in detecting residual or recurrent diseases after treatment for cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 2 or 3 (CIN 2/3).MethodsSource articles presenting data on posttreatment HPV testing were identified from the National Library of Medicine (PubMed) database. We included 5,319 cases from 33 articles published between 1996 and 2013.ResultsThe pooled sensitivity of high-risk HPV testing (0.92; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.90 to 0.94) for detecting posttreatment CIN 2 or worse (CIN 2+) was much higher than that of cytology (0.76; 95% CI, 0.71 to 0.80). Co-testing of HPV testing and cytology maximized the sensitivity (0.93; 95% CI, 0.87 to 0.96), while HPV genotyping (detection of the same genotype between pre- and posttreatments) did not improve the sensitivity (0.89; 95% CI, 0.82 to 0.94) compared with high-risk HPV testing alone. The specificity of high-risk HPV testing (0.83; 95% CI, 0.82 to 0.84) was similar to that of cytology (0.85; 95% CI, 0.84 to 0.87) and HPV genotyping (0.83; 95% CI, 0.81 to 0.85), while co-testing had reduced specificity (0.76; 95% CI, 0.75 to 0.78). For women with positive surgical margins, high-risk HPV testing provided remarkable risk discrimination between test-positives and test-negatives (absolute risk of residual CIN 2+ 74.4% [95% CI, 64.0 to 82.6] vs. 0.8% [95% CI, 0.15 to 4.6]; p<0.001).ConclusionOur findings recommend the addition of high-risk HPV testing, either alone or in conjunction with cytology, to posttreatment surveillance strategies. HPV testing can identify populations at greatest risk of posttreatment CIN 2+ lesions, especially among women with positive section margins.

Does post-treatment surveillance imaging improve outcomes in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer?

548 Background: The optimal post-treatment surveillance strategy for pts with rectal cancer is undefined. Trials examining surveillance with serial CEA measurements and/or imaging for colorectal cancer have yielded conflicting results, and no prospective trials have been done specific to rectal cancer pts. In the absence of data, reputable guidelines advocate serial chest, abdomen and pelvic imaging, CEA and colonoscopy after definitive treatment of rectal cancer. The rationale is to identify recurrence before it is symptomatic: if local, to avoid morbidity and if distant, because of the possibility of curative therapy. However, frequent imaging raises concerns regarding radiation exposure, consequences from false-positive findings, and cost. Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort study of patients with stage II/III rectal cancer treated definitively with neoadjuvant chemoradiation followed by surgical resection over the past 10 years. CEA, imaging studies and colonoscopies were recorded for all pts with follow-up of at least 6 months, along with clinical endpoints of locoregional recurrence, development of distant metastases, nature of subsequent therapies, and survival. Results: 55 pts with complete follow-up data were identified (median follow-up, 3.2 years). Surveillance was performed with imaging, CEA and colonoscopy in 89%, 72% and 49% of pts, respectively. 6 local recurrences were identified (11%): two were diagnosed via surveillance imaging, 3 underwent surgery with curative intent, with one patient with no evidence of disease at last follow-up. In contrast, 13 pts (24%) developed distant metastases (6 liver, 5 lung, 2 diffuse metastases), of which 9 were detected on surveillance imaging, 7 underwent therapy with curative intent, and 6 had no evidence of disease at last follow-up. There were 8 false-positive imaging results, 2 of which resulted in unnecessary surgery. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that post-treatment surveillance imaging is useful for detecting oligometastatic disease amenable to curative therapy, but may be less so for locoregional recurrences. Prospective data is needed to further assess the utility of post-treatment imaging in this population.

Differences in Patterns of Recurrence in Early-Stage Versus Locally Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

The benefits of screening for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) have been established for high-risk individuals, and recent guidelines advocate continued surveillance after curative therapy. Yet the optimal posttreatment surveillance strategy remains to be determined. We compared patterns of recurrence and modes of detection in surgically treated patients with pathologic early-stage and locally advanced NSCLC. Consecutive patients who had undergone resection for stage I-IIIA NSCLC from 2004 to 2009 were identified from a prospectively maintained institutional database. All patients received interval chest computed tomography (CT) scans every 6 to 12 months after treatment. In total, 1,640 patients were identified: 181 of 346 patients with stage IIIA NSCLC (52%) and 257 of 1,294 patients with stage I-II NSCLC (20%) experienced recurrences. Surveillance CT detected asymptomatic recurrences in 157 stage I-II patients (61%) and 89 stage IIIA patients (49%) (p=0.045). Symptoms led to detection of recurrences more often in stage IIIA patients (73, 40%) than in stage I-II patients (81, 32%). Distant recurrences were more common in stage IIIA patients than in stage I-II patients (153, 85%, vs 190, 74%; p=0.01). In stage IIIA patients, the risk of recurrence was highest during the first 2 years after operation, but it remained substantial into year 4. Stage IIIA patients had fewer recurrences detected by surveillance CT, a higher rate of symptomatic presentation, a markedly higher risk of recurrence, and a higher propensity for distant recurrence. Surveillance strategies may need to account for stage-specific differences.

Physician age and surveillance intensity following curative-intent treatment for breast cancer patients.

6081 Background: Breast carcinoma is a large health care concern for patients, physicians, and society. 2.5 million women have been treated for breast cancer and are candidates for surveillance in the US. We have documented dramatic variation in post-treatment surveillance strategies utilized by ASCO experts caring for such patients. Since it is often asserted that younger physicians order more tests than older physicians, we sought to measure the effect of clinician age on post-treatment surveillance intensity for breast cancer patients by analyzing a recent survey of ASCO members. Methods: We surveyed the 3245 ASCO members who indicated that breast cancer treatment was a major focus of their practice. 4 succinct clinical vignettes describing generally healthy women with breast cancer of varying prognoses and a menu of 12 surveillance modalities were offered. The menu was chosen after a literature search indicated that no other surveillance tests were commonly used. We analyzed data from one of the 4 idealized vignettes only (the patient with TNM IIA carcinoma) and stratified responses by clinician age. Practice patterns were compared by years after completion of training (0-10, 11-20, 21-30, 30-40, &gt;40 years), a surrogate measure of physician age. Statistical analysis employed ANOVA. Results: There were 1012 responses; 915 were evaluable. Statistically significant differences were observed across age strata for CBC, liver function tests (LFTs), and serum CEA level only. For example, ASCO clinicians in practice for 0-10 years after completion of training recommended CBCs 1.3 + 1.4 (mean + SD) times in year 1. Those &gt; 40 years after completion of training recommended CBCs 2.4 + 1.3 times in year 1 (p&lt;0.001). Conclusions: Younger physicians recommend statistically significantly fewer CBCs, LFTs, and serum CEA levels during post-treatment surveillance than older physicians. However, the magnitude of the difference is clinically small for all 3 modalities and does not explain the known overall variation in surveillance practice among clinically active experts.

Evaluation of a post-treatment surveillance strategy after primary chemoradiation for cervical cancer

Objective: The 2011 NCCN Guidelines for post-treatment surveillance for cervical cancer call for frequent evaluation for symptoms, physical examination and cytology, as well as an annual chest radiographs (CXR). The aim of this study was to evaluate the utility of an intensive surveillance strategy as such in patients treated with primary chemoradiation (chemo-XRT) for cervical cancer at a single institution.

Late Relapse of Type 1 Autoimmune Hepatitis After Corticosteroid Withdrawal

Relapse of autoimmune hepatitis after corticosteroid withdrawal is common, but the outer limit for this occurrence and the appropriate post-treatment surveillance strategy are uncertain. The purpose of this study was to determine the frequency and nature of relapses that occur long after drug withdrawal and to propose a long-term surveillance strategy. The intervals between drug withdrawal and relapse were determined retrospectively in 84 patients with autoimmune hepatitis. Relapses occurred in 8 patients (10%) after 49-265 months of observation (mean, 110 +/- 27 months; median, 76 months), and these occurrences were separated from earlier exacerbations by at least 21 months. Treatment continued until normal liver tests and tissue had been accomplished in 14 of the 84 patients (17%), and 13 relapsed within 2-12 months. Only one of the 8 patients with late exacerbations had achieved normal liver tests and tissue immediately prior to drug withdrawal. The patients with late relapses were indistinguishable from patients with early exacerbations, and they all responded to corticosteroid-based therapy during 30 +/- 10 months of observation. Autoimmune hepatitis can relapse as long as 22 years after drug withdrawal, and all late relapses responded to the resumption of corticosteroid therapy. These patients may be outliers of a typical relapse pattern or constitute a bimodal distribution of relapse that reflects different pathogenic mechanisms. The risk of relapse cannot be discounted by treatment to normal liver tests and tissue prior to drug withdrawal or protracted quiescence of the disease after termination of treatment. The unpredictable propensity for relapse warrants regular life-long surveillance.

Update on testicular germ cell tumors

This overview discusses several important developments in testicular germ cell tumors in the past year. Genomic studies are examining gene expression as possible markers for disease relapse and chemotherapy resistance. Optimal posttreatment surveillance strategies continue to evolve. Retroperitoneal lymph node dissection remains a prominent treatment modality, although the sequencing and extent of surgical intervention is controversial. Platinum-based chemotherapy remains the gold standard for treatment of systemic disease. Poor risk, platinum-refractory and late relapse disease states continue to be challenging entities in terms of optimizing therapy and outcome. Significant challenges remain for treatment of certain categories of testicular germ cell tumors. Treatment and surveillance paradigms continue to be defined and refined as research in these areas continues.

Costs of follow-up after potentially curative treatment for extremity soft-tissue sarcoma

Soft-tissue sarcoma is an uncommon cancer with the potential for high rates of recurrence after initial therapy. Multiple surveillance strategies have been developed to follow patients after primary treatment. The purpose of this study was to quantify the costs associated with various published post-treatment surveillance strategies. A literature review covering the years 1982-2003 was performed to find all modern published surveillance methods for extremity soft-tissue sarcoma. Only articles describing an explicit 5-year follow-up strategy were included. Total costs of 5-year follow-up were calculated for each strategy using Medicare-allowed charges as a proxy. Thirty-four articles depicting 54 strategies were identified. Total Medicare-allowed charges in year 2003 dollars ranged from 485 dollars for follow-up of low-grade sarcoma to 21,235 dollars for follow-up of high-grade sarcoma, a 42.8-fold cost differential. The average charge for these 54 strategies was 6,401 dollars. Physical examination and chest x-ray were the most commonly used screening modalities. Several guidelines have been proposed for extremity soft-tissue sarcoma patient follow-up, most prominently those of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network. The literature has yet to reflect the consensus these guidelines suggest. This study shows wide disparity in the costs of 54 specific methods of following soft-tissue sarcoma patients. Clinical trials are needed to identify an optimal surveillance strategy, one balancing gains in survival, quality of life, costs, and societal willingness to expend resources. Such trials have not been conducted due to the rarity of extremity soft-tissue sarcomas and the costs associated with conducting long-term trials. Alternatively, prospective evaluation of imaging modalities used in follow-up should be assessed as part of other trials. Computer simulation analysis also holds great promise as an assessment tool for surveillance strategies because patient participation is not required.