SEER-MHOS: Overview of a Cancer Health Outcomes Data Resource and Areas for Future Research

Authors: Taffe BD, Jensen RE, Kim BB, Smith AW

Category: Survivorship & Health Outcomes/Comparative Effectiveness Research
Conference Year: 2020

Abstract Body:
Purpose: The National Cancer Institute supports a unique data resource linking the population-based Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) Program cancer patient registry with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Medicare Health Outcomes Survey (MHOS). Over the last decade, researchers have used this data resource to investigate the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of cancer patients and survivors. This review characterizes the published literature using the SEER-MHOS data resource and highlights future research questions still to be explored. Methods: SEER-MHOS contains survey responses from 18 cohorts of older adults enrolled in Medicare Advantage Organizations since 1998. It includes >180,000 cancer patients and survivors and >2.5 million survey respondents with no history of cancer. We conducted a literature review of peer- reviewed publications using the SEER-MHOS data resource. The data presented in these publications represent 15 MHOS survey cohorts (1998-2014). We included publications if they contained an abstract and full article identified in PubMed. Results: We identified 45 SEER-MHOS papers published between June 2008-April 2019. HRQOL outcomes of interest included physical health (73%), mental health (67%), activities of daily living (37%), and fall risk in older adults (13%). The most common cancers studied were breast (58%), prostate (49%), colorectal (47%), and lung (44%). Few studies have examined the role of health behaviors or health disparities. Most studies examined treatment outcomes by cancer type. The most common non-HRQOL health outcomes included overall survival and fall risk. Conclusions: While a variety of investigators have used these data to research HRQOL, research opportunities are still available. With new data linkages, such as Medicare Part D, and new survey cohorts being added every two years, many questions have yet to be explored. Example areas of interest may include factors such as health behaviors, rural and ethnic disparities, pharmacoepidemiology, and health outcomes research.

Keywords: SEER-MHOS, cancer registry, health-related quality of life