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Whitehead RA, Patel EA, Liu JC, Bhayani MK. Racial Disparities in Head and Neck Cancer: It's Not Just About Access. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2024; 170:1032-1044. [PMID: 38258967 DOI: 10.1002/ohn.653] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2023] [Revised: 12/07/2023] [Accepted: 12/30/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Medical literature identifies stark racial disparities in head and neck cancer (HNC) in the United States, primarily between non-Hispanic white (NHW) and non-Hispanic black (NHB) populations. The etiology of this disparity is often attributed to inequitable access to health care and socioeconomic status (SES). However, other contributors have been reported. We performed a systematic review to better understand the multifactorial landscape driving racial disparities in HNC. DATA SOURCES A systematic review was conducted in Covidence following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses Guidelines. A search of PubMed, SCOPUS, and CINAHL for literature published through November 2022 evaluating racial disparities in HNC identified 2309 publications. REVIEW METHODS Full texts were screened by 2 authors independently, and inconsistencies were resolved by consensus. Three hundred forty publications were ultimately selected and categorized into themes including disparities in access/SES, treatment, lifestyle, and biology. Racial groups examined included NHB and NHW patients but also included Hispanic, Native American, and Asian/Pacific Islander patients to a lesser extent. RESULTS Of the 340 articles, 192 focused on themes of access/SES, including access to high-quality hospitals, insurance coverage, and transportation contributing to disparate HNC outcomes. Additional themes discussed in 148 articles included incongruities in surgical recommendations, tobacco/alcohol use, human papillomavirus-associated malignancies, and race-informed silencing of tumor suppressor genes. CONCLUSION Differential access to care plays a significant role in racial disparities in HNC, disproportionately affecting NHB populations. However, there are other significant themes driving racial disparities. Future studies should focus on providing equitable access to care while also addressing these additional sources of disparities in HNC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Russell A Whitehead
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Evan A Patel
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Jeffrey C Liu
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- Department of Surgical Oncology, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Mihir K Bhayani
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois, USA
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Islami F, Baeker Bispo J, Lee H, Wiese D, Yabroff KR, Bandi P, Sloan K, Patel AV, Daniels EC, Kamal AH, Guerra CE, Dahut WL, Jemal A. American Cancer Society's report on the status of cancer disparities in the United States, 2023. CA Cancer J Clin 2024; 74:136-166. [PMID: 37962495 DOI: 10.3322/caac.21812] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2023] [Accepted: 09/07/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023] Open
Abstract
In 2021, the American Cancer Society published its first biennial report on the status of cancer disparities in the United States. In this second report, the authors provide updated data on racial, ethnic, socioeconomic (educational attainment as a marker), and geographic (metropolitan status) disparities in cancer occurrence and outcomes and contributing factors to these disparities in the country. The authors also review programs that have reduced cancer disparities and provide policy recommendations to further mitigate these inequalities. There are substantial variations in risk factors, stage at diagnosis, receipt of care, survival, and mortality for many cancers by race/ethnicity, educational attainment, and metropolitan status. During 2016 through 2020, Black and American Indian/Alaska Native people continued to bear a disproportionately higher burden of cancer deaths, both overall and from major cancers. By educational attainment, overall cancer mortality rates were about 1.6-2.8 times higher in individuals with ≤12 years of education than in those with ≥16 years of education among Black and White men and women. These disparities by educational attainment within each race were considerably larger than the Black-White disparities in overall cancer mortality within each educational attainment, ranging from 1.03 to 1.5 times higher among Black people, suggesting a major role for socioeconomic status disparities in racial disparities in cancer mortality given the disproportionally larger representation of Black people in lower socioeconomic status groups. Of note, the largest Black-White disparities in overall cancer mortality were among those who had ≥16 years of education. By area of residence, mortality from all cancer and from leading causes of cancer death were substantially higher in nonmetropolitan areas than in large metropolitan areas. For colorectal cancer, for example, mortality rates in nonmetropolitan areas versus large metropolitan areas were 23% higher among males and 21% higher among females. By age group, the racial and geographic disparities in cancer mortality were greater among individuals younger than 65 years than among those aged 65 years and older. Many of the observed racial, socioeconomic, and geographic disparities in cancer mortality align with disparities in exposure to risk factors and access to cancer prevention, early detection, and treatment, which are largely rooted in fundamental inequities in social determinants of health. Equitable policies at all levels of government, broad interdisciplinary engagement to address these inequities, and equitable implementation of evidence-based interventions, such as increasing health insurance coverage, are needed to reduce cancer disparities.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Priti Bandi
- American Cancer Society, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | | | | | | | | | - Carmen E Guerra
- Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
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Fei-Zhang DJ, Verma R, Arimoto R, Lawrence AS, Chelius DC, Patel UA, Smith SS, Sheyn AM, Rastatter JC. Social Vulnerability Association with Thyroid Cancer Disparities in the United States. Thyroid 2024; 34:225-233. [PMID: 38069566 DOI: 10.1089/thy.2023.0370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2024]
Abstract
Background: As thyroid cancer incidence rises, it is increasingly valuable to recognize disparities in treatment and diagnosis. Prior investigations into social determinants of health (SDoH) are limited to pediatric populations or studies looking at single factors such as race or environmental influences. Utilizing the CDC-social vulnerability index and SEER-patient database to assess the amalgamated, real-world influence of varied SDoH and their quantifiable impact on thyroid cancer disparities across the United States. Methods: In a retrospective cohort study, 199,340 adult thyroid cancer patients from 1975 to 2017 were assessed for significant regression trends in months of follow-up/surveillance, survival, late staging, and treatment receipt across thyroid cancer-subtypes with increasing overall social vulnerability, as well as in 15 SDoH variables regarding socioeconomic status, minority-language status, household composition, and housing-transportation across all the U.S. counties while accounting for sociodemographic regional differences. Results: With increasing overall social vulnerability, decreases in months of follow-up were observed with patients with papillary, follicular, medullary, oncocytic, and anaplastic thyroid cancer (p = 0.001). Comparing lowest with highest vulnerability cohorts, relative decreases in months of surveillance ranged from 55.6% (14.5-6.5 months) with anaplastic to 17% (108.6-90.2) with oncocytic. Socioeconomic status vulnerabilities, followed by vulnerabilities in household composition and housing-transportation type, contributed to these overall trends. Similar survival decreases occurred across all thyroid cancer patients, ranging from 55.9% (9.6-4.2) with anaplastic to 28.3% (97-69.5) with oncocytic. Minority-language status vulnerabilities and housing-transportation types largely contributed to these trends. Increasing overall vulnerability was associated with increased odds of advanced staging for papillary (odds ratio [OR] = 1.07 [confidence interval, CI 1.03-1.12]) and decreased odds of indicated treatment via surgery (lowest, medullary: 0.91 [CI 0.84-0.99]), radiation therapy (lowest, anaplastic: 0.88 [CI 0.82-0.93]), and chemotherapy (lowest, oncocytic: 0.81 [CI 0.67-0.98]) were observed. Vulnerabilities in minority-language status and housing-transportation, followed by socioeconomic status vulnerabilities, were differential contributors to these overall vulnerability trends. Conclusions: Our results show significant detriments in thyroid cancer care and prognosis in the United States with increasing overall social vulnerability while identifying which SDoH quantifiably contribute more to disparities in inter-relational, real-world-like contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Rhea Verma
- Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Ryuji Arimoto
- The University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Amelia S Lawrence
- Washington State University Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine, Spokane, Washington, USA
| | - Daniel C Chelius
- Pediatric Thyroid Tumor Program; Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas, USA
- Pediatric Head and Neck Tumor Program; Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Urjeet A Patel
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Stephanie S Smith
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Anthony M Sheyn
- Department of Pediatric Otolaryngology, Le Bonheur Children's Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
- Department of Pediatric Otolaryngology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | - Jeff C Rastatter
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
- Division of Pediatric Otolaryngology, Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
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Liu JC, Egleston BL, Blackman E, Ragin C. Racial survival disparities in head and neck cancer clinical trials. J Natl Cancer Inst 2023; 115:288-294. [PMID: 36477855 PMCID: PMC9996207 DOI: 10.1093/jnci/djac219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2022] [Revised: 10/13/2022] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Survival disparities between Black and White head and neck cancer patients are well documented, with access to care and socioeconomic status as major contributors. We set out to assess the role of self-reported race in head and neck cancer by evaluating treatment outcomes of patients enrolled in clinical trials, where access to care and socioeconomic status confounders are minimized. METHODS Clinical trial data from the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group studies were obtained. Studies were included if they were therapeutic trials that employed survival as an endpoint. Studies that did not report survival as an endpoint were excluded; 7 Radiation Therapy Oncology Group Studies were included for study. For each Black patient enrolled in a clinical trial, a study arm-matched White patient was used as a control. RESULTS A total of 468 Black participants were identified and matched with 468 White study arm-specific controls. White participants had better outcomes than Black participants in 60% of matched pairs (P < .001). Black participants were consistently more likely to have worse outcomes. When outcomes were measured by progression-free survival or disease-free survival, the failure rate was statistically significantly higher in Black participants (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.50, P < .001). Failure was largely due to locoregional failure, and Black participants were at higher risk (subdistribution HR =1.51, P = .002). The development of distant metastasis within the paired cohorts was not statistically significantly different. CONCLUSION In this study of clinical trial participants using self-reported race, Black participants consistently had worse outcomes in comparison to study arm-specific White controls. Further study is needed to confirm these findings and to explore causes underlying this disparity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey C Liu
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Lewis Katz School of Medicine of Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA.,Division of Head and Neck Surgery, Department of Surgical Oncology, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Brian L Egleston
- Department of Biostatistics, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Elizabeth Blackman
- Cancer Prevention and Control Program, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Camille Ragin
- Cancer Prevention and Control Program, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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Nogueira LM, Sineshaw HM, Jemal A, Pollack CE, Efstathiou JA, Yabroff KR. Association of Race With Receipt of Proton Beam Therapy for Patients With Newly Diagnosed Cancer in the US, 2004-2018. JAMA Netw Open 2022; 5:e228970. [PMID: 35471569 PMCID: PMC9044116 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.8970] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Black patients are less likely than White patients to receive guideline-concordant cancer care in the US. Proton beam therapy (PBT) is a potentially superior technology to photon radiotherapy for tumors with complex anatomy, tumors surrounded by sensitive tissues, and childhood cancers. OBJECTIVE To evaluate whether there are racial disparities in the receipt of PBT among Black and White individuals diagnosed with all PBT-eligible cancers in the US. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS This cross-sectional study evaluated Black and White individuals diagnosed with PBT-eligible cancers between January 1, 2004, and December 31, 2018, in the National Cancer Database, a nationwide hospital-based cancer registry that collects data on radiation treatment, even when it is received outside the reporting facility. American Society of Radiation Oncology model policies were used to classify patients into those for whom PBT is the recommended radiation therapy modality (group 1) and those for whom evidence of PBT efficacy is still under investigation (group 2). Propensity score matching was used to ensure comparability of Black and White patients' clinical characteristics and regional availability of PBT according to the National Academy of Medicine's definition of disparities. Data analysis was performed from October 4, 2021, to February 22, 2022. EXPOSURE Patients' self-identified race was ascertained from medical records. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES The main outcome was receipt of PBT, with disparities in this therapy's use evaluated with logistic regression analysis. RESULTS Of the 5 225 929 patients who were eligible to receive PBT and included in the study, 13.6% were Black, 86.4% were White, and 54.3% were female. The mean (SD) age at diagnosis was 63.2 (12.4) years. Black patients were less likely to be treated with PBT than their White counterparts (0.3% vs 0.5%; odds ratio [OR], 0.67; 95% CI, 0.64-0.71). Racial disparities were greater for group 1 cancers (0.4% vs 0.8%; OR, 0.49; 95% CI, 0.44-0.55) than group 2 cancers (0.3% vs 0.4%; OR, 0.75; 95% CI, 0.70-0.80). Racial disparities in PBT receipt among group 1 cancers increased over time (annual percent change = 0.09, P < .001) and were greatest in 2018, the most recent year of available data. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE In this cross-sectional study, Black patients were less likely to receive PBT than their White counterparts, and disparities were greatest for cancers for which PBT was the recommended radiation therapy modality. These findings suggest that efforts other than increasing the number of facilities that provide PBT will be needed to eliminate disparities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leticia M. Nogueira
- Department of Surveillance and Health Equity Science, American Cancer Society, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Helmneh M. Sineshaw
- Department of Surveillance and Health Equity Science, American Cancer Society, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Ahmedin Jemal
- Department of Surveillance and Health Equity Science, American Cancer Society, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Craig E. Pollack
- Department of Health Policy and Management, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Johns Hopkins School of Nursing, Baltimore, Maryland
| | | | - K. Robin Yabroff
- Department of Surveillance and Health Equity Science, American Cancer Society, Atlanta, Georgia
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Amr S, Ioffe D, Suzuki I, Mehra R, Cullen K, Goloubeva O. Treatment modalities, adverse events, and survival outcomes in older patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Head Neck 2021; 43:3935-3945. [PMID: 34632677 DOI: 10.1002/hed.26893] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2021] [Revised: 07/12/2021] [Accepted: 09/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Chemoradiation with curative intent in older adults with locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) has been a challenge, because of its potential toxicities. METHODS We selected primary HNSCC cases from the SEER-Medicare linked database, assessed overall survival (OS) and adverse events and their associations with different treatments, across four age groups including the youngest (66-69 years) and the oldest (≥80 years). RESULTS Better OS was associated with chemoradiation compared to radiation alone, not only in all patients (N = 5879) (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.82, p < 0.001), but also in the oldest group (N = 1380) (HR = 0.77, p = 0.006) in whom the adverse events rates were not higher than those in the youngest (N = 1562); more of the latter (26%-30%) than the former (14%-19%) received chemoradiation, regardless of their comorbidity indices. CONCLUSIONS Our findings provide evidence that patients' characteristics, other than chronological age, should be equally considered in selecting the best therapy for older patients with HNSCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sania Amr
- Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.,Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Dina Ioffe
- Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Ikumi Suzuki
- Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Ranee Mehra
- Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Kevin Cullen
- Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Olga Goloubeva
- Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.,Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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Bunch PM, Loevner LA, Bhala R, Hepp MB, Hirsch JA, Johnson MH, Lyp KL, Quigley EP, Salamon N, Jordan JE, Schwartz ES. The American Society of Neuroradiology: Cultivating a Diverse and Inclusive Culture to Build a Stronger Organization. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol 2021; 42:2127-2129. [PMID: 34593384 DOI: 10.3174/ajnr.a7310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
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