Equitable application of pancreatic cancer treatment guidelines to mitigate racial and insurance disparities at a comprehensive cancer center.

Abstract

119 Background: Race and ethnicity-based treatment and survival disparities are documented for pancreatic cancer. Studies cite patient genetic, biological, and social factors and differences across treatment centers and geographical areas that may contribute to disparities. We investigated treatment and survival disparities for a cohort of 1,569 pancreatic cancer (PC) patients at the local level within a National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center. Methods: Data from 1,569 PC patients aged over 18 diagnosed with adenocarcinoma, NOS or infiltrating duct carcinoma, NOS from 2004 to 2016 who received some or all of their care at the University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center were included in the study. Sequential models of adjusted Cox proportional hazard regression were performed to describe the association between race/ethnicity and overall survival. Model I included age, sex and race/ethnicity; model II added BMI, Charlson Comorbidity Index and stage; model III added rurality, treatment course and payer. Treatment course, defined as the receipt of chemoradiation, surgery with/without chemoradiation, or no treatment, rurality, and insurance status were factors of interest. Results: 38.6% of patients were diagnosed with metastatic disease. Overall survival was 11.6 months. Non-Hispanic black (NHB) patients experienced an 88% increased risk of death (95% CI: 23%-188%) and patients categorized as other race/ethnicity experienced a 32% (10%-60%) increased risk of death compared to NH white (NHW) patients in model II. After adding treatment course and insurance status, the hazard ratio for NHB patients decreased to 1.41 (0.92-2.17) and other race/ethnicity patients decreased to 1.27 (1.05-1.53) compared to NHW Patients. Medicaid patients had an adjusted hazard ratio of 1.41 (1.01-1.95) and unknown/uninsured patients had an adjusted hazard ratio of 1.62 (1.71-4.02) compared to managed care patients. Incarcerated patients had an adjusted hazard ratio of 1.28 (0.98-1.67) compared to managed care patients. Conclusions: To reduce disparities across race/ethnicity and insurance status, organizations should invest in financial support programs for patients in need and monitor treatment courses for people of color, underinsured or uninsured patients to verify access to treatment, equitable treatment, and adherence to treatment guidelines. Future studies should investigate the contribution of clinician and healthcare system bias to race and ethnicity-based cancer disparities.