Abstract C020: Racial differences in distress levels among Black and White hormone receptor–positive breast cancer survivors over a 3-year period

Abstract

Abstract Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine longitudinal racial variations in distress levels among Black and White women with hormone receptor-positive (HR+) breast cancer. Methods: This is a secondary data analysis from the Women’s Hormonal Initiation and Persistence (WHIP) Study, an observational study of HR+ breast cancer survivors. Data regarding patient demographics (e.g., race, age, education, income) were collected via surveys. Clinicopathologic factors (e.g., stage, type of surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation) and medication type (tamoxifen vs. aromatase inhibitors) were extracted from medical records. The National Comprehensive Cancer Network’s Distress Thermometer was used to capture distress following AET initiation at 4 timepoints (baseline, year 1, year 2 and year 3). Mixed linear effects models were used to identify differences in distress by race over the 3-year period. An unadjusted model included race and time as covariates, whereas the adjusted model controlled for demographics, clinicopathologic factors and medication type. Results: The total sample was comprised of 572 women (410 White and 162 Black). For the unadjusted model, the race by time interaction was not statistically significant (F3, 1002.53= 2.2895, p = 0.077). However, the race by time interaction was statistically significant in the adjusted model (F3, 670.99 = 2.68, p = 0.04576), such that Black survivors experienced increased distress over time compared to White survivors. Age was the only statistically significant covariate as older women had lower distress compared to their younger counterparts (p= 0.01) Conclusion. Black and White HR+ breast cancer survivors had different distress levels over a 3-year period. Over time Black survivors’ distress remained high compared to their White counterparts. It is important to consider these differences, given that Black women have higher breast cancer related morbidity and mortality. Future work should focus on the development of culturally appropriate interventions for distress management in HR+ Black breast cancer survivors. Citation Format: Fariha Tariq, Teletia Taylor, Robert A. Perera, Vanessa B. Sheppard. Racial differences in distress levels among Black and White hormone receptor–positive breast cancer survivors over a 3-year period [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 16th AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2023 Sep 29-Oct 2;Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2023;32(12 Suppl):Abstract nr C020.