Six recent studies highlight continued disparities in cancer care

Despite significant advances in cancer prevention, screening and treatment, considerable disparities remain.

These disparities can be based on several factors, including age, race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, geographic region or treatment setting.

HemOnc Today presents six recent studies that offer insights into continuing disparities in cancer treatment.

Approximately half of women aged 65 years or older with early-stage, HER-2–positive breast cancer did not receive targeted therapy with trastuzumab (Herceptin, Genentech/Roche). Older back women appeared especially unlikely to receive this treatment. Read more
Women with gynecologic cancer treated at public hospitals experienced longer time to surgery and required a greater number of preoperative visits than those treated at private centers. Read more
Black women appeared less likely than those from other racial backgrounds to benefit from neoadjuvant chemotherapy and to achieve pathologic complete response for triple-negative or HER-2–positive breast cancer. Read more
ASCO’s “State of Cancer Care in America: 2016” report suggested demographic disparities and economic barriers are among many factors that are contributing to the “increasing complexity” of cancer care. Read more
Nonadherence to chemotherapy appeared higher among black women with breast cancer than historically observed in community data with predominantly white cohorts. Read more
Factors such as lower socioeconomic status, black race and rural residence appeared associated with an increased risk for a pediatric diagnosis of nasopharyngeal cancer, according to the results of a retrospective cohort study. Read more