Chemotherapy and Radiation for Older Women with Cervical Cancer
Author Information
Author(s): Charles Kunos, Heidi Gibbons, Fiona Simpkins, Steven Waggoner
Primary Institution: Case Comprehensive Cancer Center and University Hospitals of Cleveland
Hypothesis
Did the 1999 NCI chemoradiation guidelines improve treatment rates for women aged 55 and older with cervical cancer?
Conclusion
The study found that while chemoradiation use increased after the 1999 NCI clinical alert, many older women still did not receive this treatment.
Supporting Evidence
- 43% of women aged ≥55 years received chemoradiation as primary treatment.
- Chemoradiation use increased from 12% in 1998 to over 50% by 2002.
- Women aged 71 years or older had significantly lower odds of receiving chemoradiation.
Takeaway
The study looked at older women with cervical cancer and found that more of them started getting chemotherapy along with radiation after new guidelines were issued, but many still didn't get the treatment they needed.
Methodology
The study analyzed data from the SEER-Medicare database to assess chemoradiation administration in women aged 55 and older diagnosed with cervical cancer from 1998 to 2002.
Potential Biases
Potential biases include underreporting of comorbidities and differences in access to care based on residency.
Limitations
The study is limited to women aged ≥55 years enrolled in Medicare, which may not represent younger women or those with private insurance.
Participant Demographics
Median age was 72 years, with a majority being Caucasian and diagnosed with stage II squamous cell cancers.
Statistical Information
P-Value
P < .01
Confidence Interval
0.42–0.94
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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