Hispanics, blacks more likely to die of certain cancers vs. whites

CHICAGO — Hispanic and black adolescents and young adults have an increased risk for mortality from several cancers — including hepatocellular carcinoma — compared with whites, according to results from a population-based study presented at the ASCO Annual Meeting.

“As with many disparities, you have to identify the problem before you can fix it,” Meryl Colton, MS, medical student at University of Colorado School of Medicine, said in a press release. “Knowing that a disparity exists allows us to ask questions that can help ensure everyone receives the best possible care.”

Colton and colleagues, including Adam L. Green, MD, pediatric oncologist at Children’s Hospital Colorado, evaluated data obtained from the National Cancer Institute Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results database and calculated hazard ratios of death due to cancer of young adult and adolescent Hispanics, blacks and whites. The goal was to determine the overall rate of mortality within 2 years following cancer diagnosis. In addition, researchers compared insurance types and their impact on cancer mortality.

Analysis revealed that black and Hispanic patients and patients without private health insurance had an increased risk for mortality from cancer. Researchers observed the greatest risk among patients with HCC.

According to the release, researchers established a baseline of 1 for the chance of a young adult white patient dying of liver cancer within two years of diagnosis. They then found that the chance of a Hispanic white patient dying was 1.77 and 1.76 for a non-Hispanic black patient.

“What this means is that black and Hispanic young adult patients are almost 75% more likely to die after being diagnosed with liver cancer than are white young adult patients,” Colton said.

The risk for mortality among these ethnic groups vs. whites remained increased for other cancers. Hazard ratios of death were 1.15 for Hispanic whites and 1.05 for non-Hispanic blacks with leukemia; 1.28 for Hispanic whites and 1.07 for non-Hispanic blacks with lymphoma; 1.26 for Hispanic whites and 0.91 for non-Hispanic blacks with brain tumors; 0.92 for Hispanic whites and 1.43 for non-Hispanic blacks with renal tumors; 0.92 for Hispanic whites and 0.61 for non-Hispanic blacks with bone tumors; 1.19 for Hispanic whites and 1.23 for non-Hispanic blacks with soft tissue sarcomas; 1.27 for Hispanic whites and 1.16 for non-Hispanic blacks with germ cell tumors; and 1.15 for patients with other malignant epithelial neoplasms.

“These associations were only partially attenuated after controlling for insurance status and stage at diagnosis,” the researchers wrote.

Colton said in the release this analysis is a “starting point”.

“Part of an analysis like this is saying, ‘hey, this exists!’ and now the second part is trying to figure out why this is happening,” she said in the release.

The researchers concluded: “Racial and ethnic disparities in survival exist among [adolescents and young adults] in many cancer types. These differences are partially, but not fully, explained by insurance status and stage at presentation, suggesting influences of both biology and [socioeconomic status] on the diagnosis and treatment processes.” – by Melinda Stevens

Reference:

Colton M, et al. Abstract #6557. Presented at: ASCO Annual Meeting; June 3-7, 2016; Chicago.

Disclosure: Healio.com/Hepatology was unable to confirm relevant financial disclosures at the time of publication.