Disparities in time to initiation of treatment among patients with metastatic solid tumors in Washington state.

Authors

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Catherine R. Fedorenko

Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA

Catherine R. Fedorenko, Qin Sun, Karma L. Kreizenbeck, Veena Shankaran, Scott David Ramsey

Organizations

Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, University of Washington, Seattle, WA

Research Funding

Institutional Funding
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center

Background: Timely initiation of cancer treatment can improve quality of life and survival. As part of a large, statewide effort aimed at improving cancer care quality, we estimated time from diagnosis to initial treatment among patients with newly diagnosed metastatic cancers. Methods: Using an established linkage of Washington state cancer registry records with claims data from commercial insurers, Medicare, and Medicaid, we identified patients diagnosed with metastatic solid tumors diagnosed between 2017 and 2019. Time to first treatment with chemotherapy (CT), radiation therapy (RT) or hormone therapy (HT) was measured as the number of days from first visit at an oncology clinic to the date of first treatment. Patients seen at multiple oncology clinics were assigned to the clinic with the greatest number of physician visits. We used linear regression to evaluate factors associated with timeliness of care (tumor type, age, sex, race/ethnicity, insurance type, resident neighborhood deprivation, comorbidity). Results: 3,237 patients met inclusion criteria with median time to initial treatment of 34 days (CT 35 days; RT 28 days; HT 37 days). Mean time to treatment was 45.2 days (CT 47.6 days; RT 39.4 days; HT 49.0 days). Factors that were significantly associated with time to initiation of treatment are shown in the Table. Conclusions: Black and Medicaid-enrolled patients with metastatic cancers experience significantly longer times to first treatment. Future research will focus on identifying factors underlying the observed differences so that interventions can be designed to reduce these disparities.

Median Days to Initial TreatmentMean (SD) Days to Initial TreatmentLinear Regression Estimate (95% CI)
Black race4966.1 (59.8)+15.8 days (6.0, 25.6) vs White race
Medicaid5262.4 (52.5)+22.1 days (15.7, 28.5) vs Commercial
Medicare3345.0 (48.5)+ 4.8 days (0.1, 9.4) vs Commercial
Bladder cancer4971.0 (72.1)+38.3 days (21.5, 55.0) vs Breast
Colorectal cancer3343.2 (49.1)+10.3 days (0.3, 20.4) vs Breast
Kidney cancer4565.5 (71.9)+35.0 days (21.5, 48.5) vs Breast
Liver cancer5673.8 (69.0)+37.0 days (16.6, 57.4) vs Breast
Prostate cancer4155.2 (53.4)+24.3 days (14.6, 34.0) vs Breast
Thyroid cancer4282.8 (121.4)+49.4 days (22.8, 76.0) vs Breast

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Abstract Details

Meeting

2023 ASCO Quality Care Symposium

Session Type

Poster Session

Session Title

Poster Session B

Track

Health Care Access, Equity, and Disparities,Technology and Innovation in Quality of Care,Palliative and Supportive Care

Sub Track

Access to Treatment

Citation

JCO Oncol Pract 19, 2023 (suppl 11; abstr 153)

DOI

10.1200/OP.2023.19.11_suppl.153

Abstract #

153

Poster Bd #

C30

Abstract Disclosures