Socioeconomic status (SES) and survival outcomes in patients with gastrointestinal (GI) cancers: An analysis of 1.4 million patients in the National Cancer Database (NCDB).

Authors

Mohamed Salem

Mohamed E. Salem

Levine Cancer Institute, Atrium Health, Charlotte, NC

Mohamed E. Salem , Sally Jeanne Trufan , James Thomas Symanowski , Kunal C. Kadakia , Marion L. Hartley , Kristi D Graves , Laura W. Musselwhite , Edward S. Kim , Derek Raghavan , Jimmy J. Hwang

Organizations

Levine Cancer Institute, Atrium Health, Charlotte, NC, Levine Cancer Institute/Atrium Health, Charlotte, NC, The Ruesch Center for the Cure of Gastrointestinal Cancers, Washington, DC, Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center and Fisher Center for Hereditary Cancer and Clinical Genomics Research, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC, Levine Cancer Institute, Charlotte, NC

Research Funding

No funding received
None.

Background: SES and access to care are factors that may impact patient outcomes. We examined the impact of SES on survival in patients (pts) with GI cancers. Methods: Data obtained from the NCDB were used to examine the association between SES and outcomes of GI cancer pts. Pts were categorized by income and education levels. Logistic regression, Cox proportional hazards models, and chi-square tests were used to examine the differences between the groups. Results: A total of 1,409,177 pts diagnosed with GI cancers between 2004 and 2016 were retrospectively studied (table). The majority of pts were male (54.3%), and 83.7% were white, 11.5% black, and 4.7% of other races. Of the entire cohort, 31% of pts lived in the highest income areas, whereas 18.3% were in the lowest and 50.6% in middle-income areas; 23% lived in the highest high school graduation rate (>93%) areas, whereas 17.4% lived in the lowest graduation rate (< 79%) areas; and 82.4% resided in metropolitan areas. Pts in the lowest compared to highest income areas were more likely to be black (OR: 6.5, 6.4-6.6), uninsured (2.9, 2.8-3.0), or have Medicaid (4.13, 4.04-4.22), and have a Charlson-Deyo score ≥ 1 (1.35, 1.33-1.36). In the multivariate analysis, cancer type, stage, tumor differentiation, income, education, insurance status, gender, race, Charlson-Deyo score, and type of treatment center were independent predictors for survival. After controlling for other factors, black pts had a 3% increased risk of death (HRadj = 1.03; 1.02-1.03; p < 0.001). Pts from lowest vs highest education areas had a 2% increased risk of death (HRadj = 1.02; 1.01-1.03; p < 0.001). Pts from the lowest income vs highest income areas had a 13% increased risk of death (HRadj = 1.13; 1.12-1.14; p < 0.001). Pts with Medicaid insurance had a 33% (HRadj: 1.33, CI 1.32-1.34, p < 0.001) and uninsured pts had 22% (HRadj: 1.22 (1.20-1.23, p < 0.001) increased risk of death compared to pts with private insurance. Pts from urban or rural areas vs metropolitan areas had a 1% increased risk of death (HRadj = 1.01; 1.00-1.02; p < 0.001). Conclusions: Low SES is associated with worse survival in pts with any GI cancer. Pts with low-income status and Medicaid or no health insurance had the highest risk of mortality. These stark inequities must be addressed with renewed efforts to identify, treat, and better support pts at highest risk for poor outcomes.

Pts with GI cancers in low and high income areas.

Cancer site (number)
Income area
Adjusted Hazard Ratio (95% CI)
P-value
Lowest (ref) Median income
<$38,000
(n)
Highest
Median income
≥ $68,000
(n)
Colorectal
890,867
161,667266,4911.12 (1.11-1.14)< 0.001
Pancreatic
241,397
41,70975,1571.14 (1.12-1.16)
Esophageal
103,634
18,63730,9011.10 (1.08-1.14)
Gastric
120,586
22,05935,3061.13 (1.10-1.16)
Anal
36,202
6,71510,4271.23 (1.15-1.31)
Small bowel
16,491
2,9445,1381.17(1.11-1.24)

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Abstract Details

Meeting

2021 Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium

Session Type

Poster Session

Session Title

Poster Session: Other GI Cancer

Track

Other GI Cancer

Sub Track

Cancer Disparities

Citation

J Clin Oncol 39, 2021 (suppl 3; abstr 458)

DOI

10.1200/JCO.2021.39.3_suppl.458

Abstract #

458

Poster Bd #

Online Only

Abstract Disclosures

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