Impact of age and comorbidity on thyroid cancer decision making

Impact of age and comorbidity on thyroid cancer decision making

Academic Year:
2014 - 2015 (June 1, 2014 through May 31, 2015)
Funding Requested:
$2,000.00
Project Dates:
-
Applicant(s):
Overview of the Project:
The incidence of thyroid cancer is rising and its aggressiveness increases with age. There is a recognized association between older age and worse outcomes. Surgical intervention remains the standard of care, in accordance with recent management guidelines. However, although age is not a contraindication to thyroid surgery, recent studies found that older patients with thyroid cancer are less likely to receive guideline concordant care, despite proven benefits. In addition, post-operative thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) suppressive therapy is now considered standard of care for high-risk patients with differentiated thyroid cancer and results in improved clinical outcomes. Nevertheless, due to its adverse effects especially in older adults, the degree of TSH suppressive therapy may need to be adjusted accordingly in this population. In summary, although surgery and post-operative TSH suppressive therapy are considered standard of care for patients with differentiated thyroid cancer, the factors involved in thyroid cancer management decision-making in older adults remain unclear. Our project aims to determine whether patients with thyroid cancer aged ≥65 years receive optimal surgical treatment, including referral to experienced high volume surgeons, through the use of provider surveys. We expect to find unique barriers in the referral of patients ≥65 years versus younger adults. We will also determine the providers' role in post-operative thyroid hormone replacement in older adults with thyroid cancer. We expect to find that providers will not factor age, comorbidities, functional status, and risks for complications in their treatment algorithm regarding post-operative TSH suppressive therapy in older thyroid cancer patients.
Final Report Fields
Project Objectives:

The main objective was to attend the annual National Endocrine Society Meeting in San Diego, California, in March 2015 and present findings from my health services research on thyroid cancer and benign thyroid disease.

Project Achievements:

Participation in the annual national Endocrine Society meeting helped further my professional development in several ways. First, attendance of the several educational sessions enriched my endocrinology clinical knowledge and improved delivery of my patient care, through continuing education. Updates on clinical practice guidelines and the master clinician sessions were invaluable tools in healthcare delivery of day-to-day endocrinology practice. Second, the several career development workshops offered an interactive environment where I could learn from experts in the field, interact with peers and improve my writing skills. Participation in these workshops definitely improved my skills to develop and implement successful hypothesis-driven research and it will definitely aid in my career path as a budding investigator in the field of thyroidology. Third, I was able to present my research findings in this meeting, which gave me a great opportunity to showcase my research in front of well-renowned endocrinologists and receive valuable feedback for future research studies and endeavors. Finally, had the opportunity to establish and strengthen ties with many leaders in the field of endocrinology, and seek future collaborations.

Continuation:
Results from this work have set the foundation for subsequent grants and preparation of several manuscripts. Additionally, this was important in preparing me for putting together a highly scored career development award application.
Dissemination:
Through presentations and manuscripts.