Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Lung Adenocarcinoma Survival: A Competing-Risk Model

Lung cancer screening provider recommendation and completion in black and White patients with a smoking history in two healthcare systems: a survey study

BACKGROUND

Annual lung cancer screening (LCS) with low dose CT reduces lung cancer mortality. LCS is underutilized. Black people who smoke tobacco have high risk of lung cancer but are less likely to be screened than are White people. This study reports provider recommendation and patient completion of LCS and colorectal cancer screening (CRCS) among patients by race to assess for utilization of LCS.

METHODS

3000 patients (oversampled for Black patients) across two healthcare systems (in Rhode Island and Minnesota) who had a chart documented age of 55 to 80 and a smoking history were invited to participate in a survey about cancer screening. Logistic regression analysis compared the rates of recommended and received cancer screenings.

RESULTS

1177 participants responded (42% response rate; 45% White, 39% Black). 24% of respondents were eligible for LCS based on USPSTF2013 criteria. One-third of patients eligible for LCS reported that a doctor had recommended screening, compared to 90% of patients reporting a doctor recommended CRCS. Of those recommended screening, 88% reported completing LCS vs. 83% who reported completion of a sigmoidoscopy/colonoscopy. Black patients were equally likely to receive LCS recommendations but less likely to complete LCS when referred compared to White patients. There was no difference in completion of CRCS between Black and White patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Primary care providers rarely recommend lung cancer screening to patients with a smoking history. Systemic changes are needed to improve provider referral for LCS and to facilitate eligible Black people to complete LCS.

Predictors of cancer-specific survival and overall survival among patients aged ≥60 years with lung adenocarcinoma using the SEER database

OBJECTIVE

We developed a simple, rapid predictive model to evaluate the prognosis of older patients with lung adenocarcinoma.

METHODS

Demographic characteristics and clinical information of patients with lung adenocarcinoma aged ≥60 years were retrospectively analyzed using Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) data. We built nomograms of overall survival and cancer-specific survival using Cox single-factor and multi-factor regression. We used the C-index, calibration curve, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, and decision curve analysis (DCA) to evaluate performance of the nomograms.

RESULTS

We included 14,117 patients, divided into a training set and validation set. We used the chi-square test to compare baseline data between groups and found no significant differences. We used Cox regression analysis to screen out independent prognostic factors affecting survival time and used these factors to construct the nomogram. The ROC curve, calibration curve, C-index, and DCA curve were used to verify the model. The final results showed that our predictive model had good predictive ability, and showed better predictive ability compared with tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) staging. We also achieved good results using data of our center for external verification.

CONCLUSION

The present nomogram could accurately predict prognosis in older patients with lung adenocarcinoma.

Racial disparities in follow-up care of early-stage lung cancer survivors

PURPOSE

To investigate if race impacts receipt of follow-up care in lung cancer survivors, we conducted a cross-sectional study in lung cancer survivors recruited through the New Jersey State Cancer Registry (NJSCR).

METHODS

Between May 2019 and December 2019, survivors of early-stage NSCLC were identified and recruited from the NJSCR. Eligible participants were asked to complete a paper survey questionnaire and medical record release form sent to them by mail.

RESULTS

Of the 112 survivors included in the analysis, 78 (70%) were non-Hispanic (NH) Whites and 34 (30%) were NH Blacks. Mean age was 67 years, 61% were female, and 92% had cancer in remission. A total of 82% of participants reported receiving a surveillance scan (CT or PET) within 1 year of completing the study survey. More NH White survivors received a scan within a year compared to NH Black survivors (89% vs 70%; p = 0.02). More NH White survivors (94%) reported that they were informed of the need for follow-up care by their provider compared to NH Blacks (71%; p = 0.002). Only 57% survivors reported receiving a treatment summary. Significant barriers to care were out-of-pocket costs (24%), non-coverage of test (12.5%), and lack of insurance (10%).

CONCLUSIONS

Significant disparity was identified between NH Blacks and NH Whites in receipt of surveillance scans, as well as in receiving information about need for follow-up care. Low income, lack of insurance, and other financial concerns were identified as significant barriers to follow-up care.

IMPLICATIONS FOR CANCER SURVIVORS

Future interventions to increase survivorship care should target specific unmet needs identified in each survivor population.

The Hispanic paradox in non-small cell lung cancer

OBJECTIVE/BACKGROUND

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 18% of the total population in the United States identified themselves as Hispanic in 2016 making it the largest minority group. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of Hispanic ethnicity on the overall survival of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) using a large national cancer database.

METHODS

We used the National Cancer Database to identify patients diagnosed with NSCLC between 2010 and 2015. The two comparative groups for this study were non-Hispanic Whites (NHWs) and Hispanics. The primary outcome was overall survival.

RESULTS

Of the 555,475 patients included in the study, 96.9% and 3.1% were NHWs and Hispanics with a median follow up of 12.6 months (interquartile range 4.1-30.6) and 12.1 months (interquartile range 3.8-29.5), respectively. Hispanics were more likely to be uninsured, and live in areas with lower median household income or education level. In the age-, sex-, and comorbidities-adjusted Cox model, the overall survival was significantly better in Hispanics compared with NHWs (hazard ratio [HR] 0.92, 95% confidence interval 0.90-0.93, p < .001). In a demographic, socioeconomic, clinical, and facility characteristics adjusted Cox model, Hispanics had further improvement in survival (HR 0.79, 95% confidence interval 0.78-0.81, p < .001). The survival advantage was seen in all cancer stages: Stage I-HR 0.76 (0.71-0.80), Stage II-HR 0.85 (0.79-0.92), Stage III-HR 0.81 (0.77-0.85), and Stage IV-HR 0.79 (0.77-0.81).

CONCLUSION

Hispanic ethnicity was associated with better survival in NSCLC. This survival advantage is likely the result of complex interactions amongst several physical, social, cultural, genomic, and environmental factors.