Outcome disparities in colorectal cancer: a SEER-based comparative analysis of racial subgroups

Colorectal cancer care continuum: Navigating screening, treatment, and outcomes disparities

This review investigates the disparities in colorectal cancer screening, treatment, and outcomes among different racial, ethnic, socioeconomic, and geographic groups. Although there has been progress, notable disparities continue to exist as a result of socioeconomic status, access to healthcare, and systemic prejudices. Approaches to tackle these challenges involve expanding screening access, enhancing healthcare utilization, addressing socioeconomic obstacles, ensuring fair treatment, and boosting representation in research.

Disparities among Black and Hispanic colorectal cancer patients: Findings from the California Cancer Registry

BACKGROUND

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer in California and second among Hispanic/Latinx (H/L) males. Data from the California Cancer Registry were utilized to investigate the differential impact on CRC outcomes from demographic and clinical characteristics among non-Hispanic white (NHW), non-Hispanic Black (NHB), U.S. born (USB), and non-U.S. born (NUSB) H/L patients diagnosed during 1995-2020.

METHODS

We identified 248,238 NHW, 28,433 NHB, and 62,747 H/L cases (32,402 NUSB and 30,345 USB). Disparities across groups were evaluated through case frequencies, odds ratios (OR) from logistic regression, and hazard ratios (HR) from Cox regression models. All statistical tests were two-sided.

RESULTS

NHB patients showed a higher proportion of colon tumors (75.8%) than NHW (71.5%), whereas both NUSB (65.9%) and USB (66.9%) H/L cases had less (p < 0.001). In multivariate models, NUSB H/L cases were 15% more likely than NHW to have rectal cancer. Compared to NHW, NHB cases had the greatest proportion of Stage IV diagnoses (26.0%) and were more likely to die of CRC (multivariate HR = 1.12; 95% CI = 1.10-1.15). Instead, NUSB H/L patients were less likely to die of CRC (multivariate HR = 0.87; 95% CI = 0.85-0.89) whereas USB H/L did not differ from NHW.

CONCLUSIONS

NHB and H/L cases have more adverse characteristics at diagnosis compared to NHW cases, with NHB cases being more likely to die from CRC. However, NUSB H/Ls cases showed better survival than NHW and US born H/L patients. These findings highlight the importance of considering nativity among H/L populations to understand cancer disparities.

Racial Disparities in Surgical Outcomes of Acute Diverticulitis: Have We Moved the Needle?

INTRODUCTION

There has been increasing national attention on reducing healthcare disparities. Prior studies cite worse surgical outcomes and less use of laparoscopy for Black patients with diverticulitis. Re-evaluation of these disparities is lacking despite national initiatives to improve health equity. This study aimed to evaluate the association of race with short-term outcomes and surgical approaches in patients with acute diverticulitis.

METHODS

The National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database was queried for patients who underwent nonelective surgery for acute diverticulitis from 2015 to 2019. Severity of presentation, morbidity, mortality, surgical approach, and ostomy creation were compared by race.

RESULTS

Of the 13,996 patients included in the study, 82.4% were White, 7.6% were Black, 1.1% Asian, 0.61% American Indian/Alaska Native, and 0.20% Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander (NH/PI). Overall 30-day morbidity was 44.3% and 30-day mortality was 3.9%. In a multivariate logistic regression analysis, compared to Whites, Black race was independently associated with higher 30-day morbidity (Odds Ratio: 1.24, 95% confidence interval: 1.07-1.43, P = 0.003) and NH/PI race was independently associated with higher mortality (Odds Ratio: 5.35, 95% confidence interval: 1.32-21.6, P = 0.019). There was no difference in complicated disease (abscess or perforation), use of laparoscopy, or ostomy creation among races.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite national efforts to achieve equity in healthcare, disparities persist in surgical outcomes for those with diverticulitis. Black and NH/PI race are independently associated with increased morbidity and mortality, respectively. Use of laparoscopy, however, is no longer different by race suggesting some gaps may be closing.

Racial Disparities in Colorectal Cancer Care for Black Patients: Barriers and Solutions

Racial disparities in colorectal cancer for Black patients have led to a significant mortality difference when compared to White patients, a gap which has remained to this day. These differences have been linked to poorer quality insurance and socioeconomic status in addition to lower access to high-quality health care resources, which are emblematic of systemic racial inequities. Disparities impact nearly every point along the colorectal cancer care continuum and include barriers to screening, surgical care, oncologic care, and surveillance. These critical faults are the driving forces behind the mortality difference Black patients face. Health care systems should strive to correct these disparities through both cultural competency at the provider level and public policy change at the national level.

Racial Disparities in 30-Day Outcomes After Colorectal Surgery in an Integrated Healthcare System

BACKGROUND

Racial disparities in colorectal surgery outcomes have been studied extensively in the USA, and access to healthcare resources may contribute to these differences. The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is the largest integrated healthcare network in the USA with the potential for equal access care to veterans. The objective of this study is to evaluate the VHA for the presence of racial disparities in 30-day outcomes of patients that underwent colorectal resection.

METHODS

Colon and rectal resections from 2008 to 2019 were reviewed retrospectively using the Veterans Affairs Surgical Quality Improvement Program database. Patients were categorized by race and ethnicity. Multivariable analysis was used to compare 30-day outcomes. Cases with "unknown/other/declined to answer" race/ethnicity were excluded.

RESULTS

Thirty-six-thousand-nine-hundred-sixty-nine cases met inclusion criteria: 27,907 (75.5%) Caucasian, 6718 (18.2%) African American, 2047 (5.5%) Hispanic, and 290 (0.8%) Native American patients. There were no statistically significant differences in overall complication incidence or mortality between all cohorts. Compared to Caucasian race, African American patients had longer mean length of stay (10.7 days vs. 9.7 days; p < 0.001). Compared to Caucasian race, Hispanic patients had higher odds of pulmonary-specific complications (adjusted odds ratio with 95% confidence interval = 1.39 [1.17-1.64]; p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

The VHA provides the benefits of integrated healthcare and access, which may explain the improvements in racial disparities compared to existing literature. However, some racial disparities in clinical outcomes still persisted in this analysis. Further efforts beyond healthcare access are needed to mitigate disparities in colorectal surgery. CLASSIFICATIONS: [Outcomes]; [Database]; [Veterans]; [Colorectal Surgery]; [Morbidity]; [Mortality].

Racial disparities in colon cancer survival: A propensity score matched analysis in the United States

BACKGROUND

Black patients are disproportionally impacted by colorectal cancer, both with respect to incidence and mortality. Studies accounting for patient- and community-level factors that contribute to such disparities are lacking. Our objective is to determine if Black compared to White race is associated with worse survival in colon cancer, while accounting for socioeconomic and clinical factors.

METHODS

A retrospective analysis was performed of Black or White patients with nonmetastatic colon cancer in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results cancer registry between 2008 and 2016. Multivariable Cox regression analysis and propensity-score matching was performed.

RESULTS

A total of 100,083 patients were identified, 15,155 Black patients and 84,928 White patients. Median follow-up was 38 months (interquartile range: 15-67). Black patients were more likely to lack health insurance and reside in counties with low household income, high unemployment, and lower high school completion rates. Black race was associated with poorer unadjusted 5-year cancer-specific survival (79.4% vs 82.4%, P < .001). After multivariable adjustment, Black race was associated with greater 5-year cancer-specific mortality (hazard ratio: 1.19, 95% confidence interval: 1.13-1.25, P < .001) and overall mortality (hazard ratio: 1.12, 95% confidence interval: 1.08-1.16, P < .001). Mortality was higher for Black patients across stages: stage I (hazard ratio: 1.08, 95% confidence interval: 1.08-1.09), stage II (hazard ratio: 1.06, 95% confidence interval: 1.06-1.07), stage III (1.03, 95% confidence interval: 1.03-1.04). Propensity-score matching identified 27,640 patients; Black race was associated with worse 5-year overall survival (67.5% vs 70.2%, P = .003) and cancer-specific survival (79.4% vs 82.3%, P < .001).

CONCLUSIONS

This US population-based analysis confirms poorer overall survival and cancer-specific survival in Black patients undergoing surgery for nonmetastatic colon cancer despite accounting for trans-sectoral factors that have been implicated in structural racism.

The interplay of pineal hormones and socioeconomic status leading to colorectal cancer disparity

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States. Despite increased screening options and state-of-art treatments offered in clinics, racial differences remain in CRC. African Americans (AAs) are disproportionately affected by the disease; the incidence and mortality are higher in AAs than Caucasian Americans (CAs). At the time of diagnosis, AAs more often present with advanced stages and aggressive CRCs, primarily accounting for the racial differences in therapeutic outcomes and mortality. The early incidence of CRC in AAs could be attributed to race-specific gene polymorphisms and lifestyle choices associated with socioeconomic status (SES). Altered melatonin-serotonin signaling, besides the established CRC risk factors (age, diet, obesity, alcoholism, and tobacco use), steered by SES, glucocorticoid, and Vitamin D status in AAs could also account for the early incidence in this racial group. This review focuses on how the lifestyle factors, diet, allelic variants, and altered expression of specific genes could lead to atypical serotonin and melatonin signaling by modulating the synthesis, secretion, and signaling of these pineal hormones in AAs and predisposing them to develop more aggressive CRC earlier than CAs. Crosstalk between gut microbiota and pineal hormones and its impact on CRC pathobiology is addressed from a race-specific perspective. Lastly, the status of melatonin-focused CRC treatments, the need to better understand the perturbed melatonin signaling, and the potential of pineal hormone-directed therapeutic interventions to reduce CRC-associated disparity are discussed.

Genome-wide association study identifies tumor anatomical site-specific risk variants for colorectal cancer survival

Identification of new genetic markers may improve the prediction of colorectal cancer prognosis. Our objective was to examine genome-wide associations of germline genetic variants with disease-specific survival in an analysis of 16,964 cases of colorectal cancer. We analyzed genotype and colorectal cancer-specific survival data from a consortium of 15 studies. Approximately 7.5 million SNPs were examined under the log-additive model using Cox proportional hazards models, adjusting for clinical factors and principal components. Additionally, we ran secondary analyses stratifying by tumor site and disease stage. We used a genome-wide p-value threshold of 5 × 10-8 to assess statistical significance. No variants were statistically significantly associated with disease-specific survival in the full case analysis or in the stage-stratified analyses. Three SNPs were statistically significantly associated with disease-specific survival for cases with tumors located in the distal colon (rs698022, HR = 1.48, CI 1.30-1.69, p = 8.47 × 10-9) and the proximal colon (rs189655236, HR = 2.14, 95% CI 1.65-2.77, p = 9.19 × 10-9 and rs144717887, HR = 2.01, 95% CI 1.57-2.58, p = 3.14 × 10-8), whereas no associations were detected for rectal tumors. Findings from this large genome-wide association study highlight the potential for anatomical-site-stratified genome-wide studies to identify germline genetic risk variants associated with colorectal cancer-specific survival. Larger sample sizes and further replication efforts are needed to more fully interpret these findings.

Racial Disparities in the Management of Locoregional Colorectal Cancer

Racial disparities pervade nearly all aspects of management of locoregional colorectal cancer, including time to treatment, receipt of resection, adequacy of resection, postoperative complications, and receipt of neoadjuvant and adjuvant multimodality therapies. Disparate gaps in treatment translate into enduring effects on survivorship, recurrence, and mortality. Efforts to reduce these gaps in care must be undertaken on a multilevel basis and focus on modifiable factors that underlie racial disparity.

Colorectal Cancer Epidemiology: Recent Trends and Impact on Outcomes

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer and the second leading cause of cancer related deaths in the world with an estimated number of 1.8 million new cases and about 881,000 deaths worldwide in 2018. The epidemiology of CRC varies significantly between different regions in the world as well as between different age, gender and racial groups. Multiple factors are involved in this variation, including risk factor exposure, demographic variations in addition to genetic susceptibility and genetic mutations and their effect on the prognosis and treatment response. In this mini-review, we discuss the recent epidemiological trend including the incidence and mortality of colorectal cancer worldwide and the factors affecting these trends.

Patterns of cancer family history and genetic counseling eligibility among African Americans with breast, prostate, lung, and colorectal cancers: A Detroit Research on Cancer Survivors cohort study

BACKGROUND

Family history (FH) remains one of the strongest risk factors for many common cancers and is used to determine cancer genetic counseling (CGC) eligibility, but the understanding of familial cancer patterns in African Americans is limited.

METHODS

This study evaluated cancer FH among African Americans with invasive breast cancer, prostate cancer, lung cancer, or colorectal cancer (CRC) in the Detroit Research on Cancer Survivors (ROCS) cohort. Associations between participant cancer type, site-specific FH, and meeting national guidelines for CGC were evaluated via logistic regression. Cancer FH patterns were evaluating via hierarchical clustering.

RESULTS

Among 1500 ROCS participants, 71% reported at least 1 first-degree relative or grandparent with cancer. FHs of breast cancer, CRC, lung cancer, and prostate cancer were most common among participants with the same diagnosis (odds ratio [OR] for breast cancer, 1.14; P < .001; OR for CRC, 1.08; P = .003; OR for lung cancer, 1.09; P = .008; OR for prostate cancer, 1.14; P < .001). Nearly half of the participants (47%) met national CGC guidelines, and 24.4% of these participants met CGC criteria on the basis of their cancer FH alone. FH was particularly important in determining CGC eligibility for participants with prostate cancer versus breast cancer (OR for FH vs personal history alone, 2.91; 95% confidence interval, 1.94-4.35; P < .001). In clustering analyses, breast and prostate cancer FH-defined clusters were common across all participants. Clustering of CRC and breast cancer FHs was also observed.

CONCLUSIONS

ROCS participants reported high rates of cancer FH. The high rate of eligibility for CGC among ROCS participants supports the need for interventions to increase referrals and uptake of CGC among African Americans.

Temporal trends of incidence and mortality in Asian-Americans with pancreatic adenocarcinoma: an epidemiological study

Background

Pancreatic cancer is the fourth most common cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States, with an estimated 45,750 deaths in 2019. Mortality outcomes seem to differ based on the ethnicity of the patients, with most studies focusing on the mortality and survival of Caucasians and African Americans. Little attention has been given, however, to Asian-American patients diagnosed with pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PAC). In this study, we aimed to investigate mortality rates in Asian-American patients with PAC.

Methods

The SEER 13 registries (Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End-Results) of the National Cancer Institute were used to study PAC cases during 1992-2015. The incidence and incidence-based mortality rates per 100,000 person-years, and the annual percentage changes were calculated using SEER*stat software and Joinpoint regression software.

Results

A total of 5814 PAC cases in Asian-American patients were identified. Most patients were older than 60 years (77.6%) and had metastatic disease (55.8%). The overall incidence of PAC among Asian-Americans was 5.740 per 100,000 person-years (95% confidence interval [CI] 5.592-5.891]. Incidence rates were highest among males and patients older than 60 years. PAC incidence rates among Asian-Americans increased by 1.503% (95%CI 1.051-1.956; P<0.001) per year over the study period. PAC incidence rates increased over the study period for all sex, age, and stage subgroups. PAC incidence-based mortality among Asian-Americans increased by 4.535% (95%CI 3.538-5.541; P<0.001) per year over the study period.

Conclusion

The incidence of PAC in Asian-Americans, as well as incidence-based mortality rates, are on the rise, irrespective of age, sex or stage subgroup.

Failure to administer recommended chemotherapy: acceptable variation or cancer care quality blind spot?

BACKGROUND

Chemotherapy quality measures consider hospitals compliant when chemotherapy is recommended, even if it is not received. This may mask shortcomings in cancer care delivery. Objectives of this study were to (1) identify patient factors associated with failure to receive recommended chemotherapy without a documented contraindication and (2) assess hospital variation in failure to administer recommended chemotherapy.

METHODS

Patients from 2005 to 2015 with breast, colon and lung cancers who failed to receive recommended chemotherapy were identified using the National Cancer Database. Hospital-level rates of failure to administer recommended chemotherapy were calculated, and patient and hospital factors associated with failure to receive recommended chemotherapy were identified by multivariable logistic regression.

RESULTS

A total of 183 148 patients at 1281 hospitals were analysed. Overall, 3.5% of patients with breast, 6.6% with colon and 10.7% with lung cancers failed to receive recommended chemotherapy. Patients were less likely to receive recommended chemotherapy in all cancers if uninsured or on Medicaid (p<0.05), as were non-Hispanic black patients with both breast and colon cancer (p<0.001). Significant hospital variation was observed, with hospital-level rates of failure to administer recommended chemotherapy as high as 21.8% in breast, 40.2% in colon and 40.0% in lung cancers.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

Though overall rates are low, failure to receive recommended chemotherapy is associated with sociodemographic factors. Hospital variation in failure to administer recommended chemotherapy is masked by current quality measure definitions and may define a significant and unmeasured difference in hospital quality.

Temporal trends, ethnic determinants, and short-term and long-term risk of cardiac death in cancer patients: a cohort study

BACKGROUND

We evaluated the risk of cardiac death in patients with prior cancer diagnoses and compared risk by cancer type and ethnicity in a large US population.

METHOD

Utilizing the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database, data on patients with a cancer diagnosis between 2000 and 2014 were obtained. We calculated the standardized mortality ratio (SMR) of cardiac death after a cancer diagnosis and the excess risk per 10,000 person-years. We stratified the analysis according to the time interval between cancer and cardiac events, cancer site, cancer stage, and race.

RESULTS

A total of 4,671,989 patients with a cancer diagnosis were included, of which 163,255 died due to cardiac causes within 10 years of diagnosis. We found a significantly higher rate of cardiac death for cancer patients [SMR=1.16, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.15-1.16] compared to the general population. When observed for each cancer site, the highest SMR was after a diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (SMR=2.58, 95% CI 2.45-2.72), pancreatic cancer (SMR=2.36, 95% CI 2.25-2.47), and lung cancer (SMR=2.30, 95% CI 2.27-2.34). Patients with metastatic disease had a higher rate of cardiac death (SMR=2.16, 95% CI 2.13-2.19). When stratified by ethnicity, SMR for cardiac death was 1.76, 2.28, 3.68, 2.65, and 1.84 for whites, blacks, American Indians/Alaska Natives, Asians/Pacific Islanders, and Hispanics, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Cancer patients are more vulnerable to cardiac death than the general population, especially those with nonwhite ethnicity; liver, lung, and pancreatic cancers; and history of metastasis. Healthcare providers should be aware of this risk and pay particular attention to the highest-risk groups.

Initial systemic chemotherapeutic and targeted therapy strategies for the treatment of colorectal cancer patients with liver metastases

Introduction: The liver is the most common metastatic site in colorectal cancer with more than half the patients developing a liver metastasis either at the time of their diagnosis (synchronous) or later (metachronous). Surgical resection remains the principal curative approach that offers significant survival improvements. However, upfront surgery is only possible in about 10-20% of patients at the time of diagnosis, making the consideration of other treatment modalities essential. Areas covered: In this review, the authors provide an overview of the standard approaches for the initial management of patients with colorectal cancer with liver metastases. They then provide an up-to-date discussion of first-line systemic chemotherapy/targeted therapy options in the contexts of initially resectable and unresectable disease and review toxicities and complications following these options. Expert opinion: Advances in chemotherapeutic agents and biological targeted therapies have improved the prognosis of colorectal cancer with liver metastases. However, there is still no 'single best approach', making further trials necessary to provide more evidence.