New Colon Cancer Data Have Been Reported by Researchers at Tufts Medical Center (Treatment and Survival of Medicare Beneficiaries with Colorectal…

Insurance Weekly News

New Colon Cancer Data Have Been Reported by Researchers at Tufts Medical Center (Treatment and Survival of Medicare Beneficiaries with Colorectal Cancer: A Comparative Analysis Between a Rural State Cancer Registry and National Data)

By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Insurance Weekly News -- Fresh data on Oncology - Colon Cancer are presented in a new report. According to news originating from Boston, Massachusetts, by VerticalNews correspondents, research stated, "The aim was to examine and compare with 'national'' estimates, receipt of colorectal cancer (CRC) treatment in the initial phase of care and survival following a CRC diagnosis in rural Medicare beneficiaries. A retrospective study was conducted on fee-for-service Medicare beneficiaries diagnosed with CRC in 2003-2006, identified from West Virginia Cancer Registry (WVCR)-Medicare linked database (N = 2119)."

Our news journalists obtained a quote from the research from Tufts Medical Center, "A comparative cohort was identified from Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER)-Medicare (N = 38,168). CRC treatment received was ascertained from beneficiaries' Medicare claims in the 12 months post CRC diagnosis or until death, whichever happened first. Receipt of minimally appropriate CRC treatment (MACT) was defined using recommended CRC treatment guidelines. All-cause and CRC-specific mortality in the 36-month period post CRC diagnosis were examined. Differences in usage of CRC surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation were observed between the 2 populations, with those from WVCR-Medicare being less likely to receive any type of CRC surgery (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 0.82; 95% confidence interval [CI] = [0.73-0.93]). Overall, those from WVCR Medicare had a lower likelihood of receiving MACT, (AOR = 0.85; 95% CI = [0.76-0.96]) compared to their national counterparts. Higher hazard of CRC mortality was observed in the WVCR-Medicare cohort (adjusted hazard ratio = 1.26; 95% CI = [1.20-1.32]) compared to the SEER-Medicare cohort. Although more beneficiaries from WVCR-Medicare were diagnosed in early-stage CRC compared to their SEER-Medicare counterparts, they had a lower likelihood of receiving MACT and a higher hazard of CRC mortality."

According to the news editors, the research concluded: "This study highlights the need for an increased focus on improving access to care at every phase of the CRC care continuum, especially for those from rural settings."

For more information on this research see: Treatment and Survival of Medicare Beneficiaries with Colorectal Cancer: A Comparative Analysis Between a Rural State Cancer Registry and National Data. Population Health Management, 2017;20(1):55-65. Population Health Management can be contacted at: Mary Ann Liebert, Inc, 140 Huguenot Street, 3RD Fl, New Rochelle, NY 10801, USA. (Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. - www.liebertpub.com; Population Health Management - www.liebertpub.com/overview/population-health-management-formerly-disease-management/301/)

The news correspondents report that additional information may be obtained from P.B. Rane, Tufts Med Center, Inst Clin Res & Hlth Policy Studies, Center Evaluat Value & Risk Hlth, Boston, MA, United States. Additional authors for this research include S.S. Madhavan, U. Sambamoorthi, K. Sita, S. Kurian and X.Y. Pan.

Keywords for this news article include: Boston, Massachusetts, United States, North and Central America, Surgery, Diagnostics and Screening, Epidemiology, Colorectal Research, Gastroenterology, Health Policy, Colon Cancer, Medicare, Oncology, Tufts Medical Center.