Socioeconomic status and epithelial ovarian cancer survival in Sweden

Global, Regional, and National Incidence and Disability-Adjusted Life-Years for Urolithiasis in 195 Countries and Territories, 1990-2019: Results from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019

Purpose: Urolithiasis is highly prevalent worldwide. The aim of this study was to report the results of the Global Burden of Disease 2019 study on urolithiasis burden estimates grouped by gender, regions, countries or territories, and sociodemographic index (SDI) from 1990 to 2019 globally. Methods: We reported detailed estimates and temporal trends of the burden estimates of urolithiasis from 1990 to 2019 in 195 countries and territories and further evaluated the relationship between these estimates and SDI, a composite indicator of income per person, years of education, and fertility as a measurement of country/region socio-economic level. Urolithiasis incidence and disability-adjusted life years by gender, regions, countries or territories, and SDI were reported. The percentage change and estimated annual percentage change of these burden estimates were calculated to quantify temporal trends. Results: From 1990 to 2019, the age-standardized incidence rate (ASIR) and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) of urolithiasis decreased globally by 0.459% and 1.898% per year, respectively. Such a trend of ASIR was prominently due to the decline in the middle, high-middle, and high SDI countries, including Eastern Asia, high-income Eastern Europe, and high-income North America. During this period, these estimates increased in low and low-middle SDI countries, particularly in South Asia, Andean Latin America, and Western Europe. A decline in DALYs was observed in all SDI countries. An approximate positive linear association existed between the burden estimate's decreased APC and SDI level, except at the high SDI level. Both males and females showed the same trend. Conclusions: This study provides comprehensive knowledge of the burden estimate of urolithiasis. Although the burden estimates of urolithiasis showed a global decrease during the past 29 years, this progress has yet to be universal; the increasing trends were observed in countries with low and low-middle SDI countries. Research in these countries is needed and helps with the appropriate allocation of health resources for prevention, screening, and treatment strategies.

Trends in survival of epithelial ovarian/tubal cancer by histology and socioeconomic status in Denmark 1996-2017

OBJECTIVES

To examine time trends in ovarian/tubal cancer relative survival, excess mortality, and all-cause mortality for different histological types and levels of socioeconomic position.

METHODS

Women with ovarian/tubal cancer diagnosed 1996-2017 were identified in the Danish Cancer Registry (n = 11,755). Age-standardized 5-year relative survival over time was estimated by histology, socioeconomic status, and stage. Furthermore, 5-year excess mortality rate ratios (EMRR) according to calendar time for all categories of histology and socioeconomic status were calculated using a Poisson regression model. Finally, all-cause mortality by histology and socioeconomic status was estimated in multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression models.

RESULTS

Statistically significant improvements in 5-year relative survival occurred for all histological types over time except mucinous tumors (5-year EMRR, localized: 0.92 (95% CI: 0.71-1.16); advanced: 0.96 (95% CI: 0.85-1.08). Increase in relative survival over time and corresponding decrease in excess mortality was observed for all categories of socioeconomic status except for women with localized disease in the lowest income group (5-year EMRR = 0.91 (95% CI:0.76-1.10)). The impact of histology and socioeconomic status on all-cause mortality depended on time since diagnosis. Among the socioeconomic factors, especially low educational level and living alone were associated with increased all-cause mortality, particularly in the first year after diagnosis.

CONCLUSIONS

Ovarian/tubal cancer survival generally increased over time across histological types and socioeconomic factors. However, the lack of improvement for mucinous tumors needs further research. Additionally, the results for women with low income and education shows that continued focus on social equality in survival is necessary.

How do age and social environment affect the dynamics of death hazard and survival in patients with breast or gynecological cancer in France?

Several studies have investigated the association between net survival (NS) and social inequalities in people with cancer, highlighting a varying influence of deprivation depending on the type of cancer studied. However, few of these studies have accounted for the effect of social inequalities over the follow-up period, and/or according to the age of the patients. Thus, using recent and more relevant statistical models, we investigated the effect of social environment on NS in women with breast or gynecological cancer in France. The data were derived from population-based cancer registries, and women diagnosed with breast or gynecological cancer between 2006 and 2009 were included. We used the European deprivation index (EDI), an aggregated index, to define the social environment of the women included. Multidimensional penalized splines were used to model excess mortality hazard. We observed a significant effect of the EDI on NS in women with breast cancer throughout the follow-up period, and especially at 1.5 years of follow-up in women with cervical cancer. Regarding corpus uteri and ovarian cancer patients, the effect of deprivation on NS was less pronounced. These results highlight the impact of social environment on NS in women with breast or gynecological cancer in France thanks to a relevant statistical approach, and identify the follow-up periods during which the social environment may have a particular influence. These findings could help investigate targeted actions for each cancer type, particularly in the most deprived areas, at the time of diagnosis and during follow-up.

Prognostic impact of socioeconomic status on long-term survival of non-localized epithelial ovarian cancer ꟷ The Extreme study

OBJECTIVE

To examine the influence of socioeconomic status (SES) on long-term survival of non-localized ovarian cancer.

METHODS

All women in Denmark with a first diagnosis of non-localized epithelial ovarian cancer 1982-2007 were identified in the Cancer Registry and/or the Pathology Registry and followed up until December 2017. The survival probability was estimated after respectively 5 and 10 years, using so-called pseudo observations, and analyzed according to education, income, and marital status defined from nationwide registries.

RESULTS

The study cohort included 6486 women, and the estimated 5- and 10-year survival probabilities were 21.4% and 12.7%, respectively. Compared to women with short education, the 5-year survival probability was 7% higher for women with medium (relative survival probability = 1.07, 95% CI: 0.97, 1.19) and long education (relative survival probability = 1.07, 95% CI: 0.93, 1.24). Compared with married women, the 5-year survival probability for divorced women/widower was slightly lower (0.85, 95% CI: 0.69, 1.04) and for unmarried women slightly higher (1.08, 95% CI: 0.94, 1.23). Finally, the probability of being alive 5 years after diagnosis was 1.09 times higher (95% CI: 0.95, 1.24) for medium-income women and 1.23 times higher (95% CI: 1.08, 1.41) for high-income women compared with low-income women. Similar patterns were observed for 10-year survival.

CONCLUSIONS

Non-localized ovarian cancer patients have a poor prognosis. Our data suggest that among Danish women with advanced ovarian cancer, higher personal income is associated with slightly higher probability of long-term survival, whereas education and marital status did not affect the probability of long-term survival.

Impact of socioeconomic status on survival in patients with ovarian cancer

OBJECTIVE

Socioeconomic status may impact survival in cancer patients. This study assessed whether low socioeconomic status has an impact on survival in patients with ovarian cancer and investigated whether differences in survival may be explained by type of therapy received.

METHODS

The study population comprised 318 patients with ovarian cancer diagnosed between 2011 and 2015 in the François Baclesse regional cancer care center in Caen, North-West France. Socioeconomic status was assessed by using the European deprivation index and overall survival was calculated at 3 years.

RESULTS

The unadjusted 3-year overall survival rate was 52% (95% CI 47 to 58). In a multivariable logistic regression model, a low socioeconomic status was associated with a lower probability of surgical resection (OR 0.34, 95% CI 0.16 to 0.74). A high socioeconomic status was associated with improved survival, adjusted for age, performance status, grade, and International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage (adjusted HR 1.53, 95% CI 1.04 to 2.26). When adjusting for treatment variables, there was no longer any significant difference in survival according to socioeconomic status (adjusted HR 1.24, 95% CI 0.83 to 1.84).

CONCLUSIONS

Higher socioeconomic status is associated with a greater probability of undergoing surgical resection and with improved survival in patients with ovarian cancer.

Epidemiology and treatment patterns of epithelial ovarian cancer

INTRODUCTION

While ovarian cancer (OC) is relatively rare, it remains one of the most fatal cancers. Lack of robust screening methods for eOC lead to detection of most cases at advanced stages, and most patients relapse following initial treatment. Areas covered: This review summarizes epidemiology and treatment patterns of epithelial ovarian cancer (eOC). MEDLINE, EMBASE, conference proceedings, and the Cochrane Library were searched using key terms and Medical Subject Headings for ovarian cancer, treatment patterns, and epidemiology to identify articles published from 2005-2015. Expert commentary: To improve early detection, future studies should focus on the identification of biomarkers that can detect asymptomatic disease. Following diagnosis and eventual relapse, response to first-line platinum appears to guide physicians' choice of subsequent therapies, but we do not understand what patients ultimately receive or its relationship to categories of response to first-line platinum. Improved understanding of later-line treatment patterns, by initial response to platinum, could correlate with overall outcomes among relapsed patients and promote development of more effective treatment guidelines. Novel treatment approaches, such as immunotherapies, would fulfill a need for an effective strategy against advanced stages of OC that results in fewer toxic side effects.

The association between socioeconomic status and tumour stage at diagnosis of ovarian cancer: A pooled analysis of 18 case-control studies

PURPOSE

Socioeconomic status (SES) is a known predictor of survival for several cancers and it has been suggested that SES differences affecting tumour stage at diagnosis may be the most important explanatory factor for this. However, only a limited number of studies have investigated SES differences in tumour stage at diagnosis of ovarian cancer. In a pooled analysis, we investigated whether SES as represented by level of education is predictive for advanced tumour stage at diagnosis of ovarian cancer, overall and by histotype. The effect of cigarette smoking and body mass index (BMI) on the association was also evaluated.

METHODS

From 18 case-control studies, we obtained information on 10,601 women diagnosed with epithelial ovarian cancer. Study specific odds ratios (ORs) with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI) were obtained from logistic regression models and combined into a pooled odds ratio (pOR) using a random effects model.

RESULTS

Overall, women who completed ≤high school had an increased risk of advanced tumour stage at diagnosis compared with women who completed >high school (pOR 1.15; 95% CI 1.03-1.28). The risk estimates for the different histotypes of ovarian cancer resembled that observed for ovarian cancers combined but did not reach statistical significance. Our results were unchanged when we included BMI and cigarette smoking.

CONCLUSION

Lower level of education was associated with an increased risk of advanced tumour stage at diagnosis of ovarian cancer. The observed socioeconomic difference in stage at diagnosis of ovarian cancer calls for further studies on how to reduce this diagnostic delay.