Racial and ethnic differences in the receipt of metabolic syndrome risk factor screening and treatment among individuals with prostate cancer treated with androgen deprivation therapy.

Abstract

29 Background: Racial and ethnic health disparities in prostate cancer screening, and treatment constitute the largest of all cancer disparities. Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) is widely used in the treatment of localized or metastatic prostate cancer. However, ADT is associated with toxic cardiovascular and metabolic adverse events that may occur as early as 6 months of therapy initiation. This study aimed to assess racial/ethnic differences and longitudinal changes in metabolic syndrome risk factor (MSRF) screening/treatment among patients with prostate cancer treated with ADT at a university-affiliated comprehensive cancer center in the southwestern U.S. between 2010-2021. We also aimed to identify patient and healthcare provider factors that influence MSRF screening among study sample. Methods: A retrospective observational cohort study of 803 patients treated with ADT for at least six months at the cancer center was conducted. Patients were followed three months pre- to 12 months post-ADT initiation to evaluate MSRF screening/treatment. Determination of MSRF screening was based on primary care provider referral for MSRF screening/treatment or receipt of blood glucose, lipid profile, and blood pressure screening within six months post-treatment with ADT. Patients were considered treated for MSRF if they were started or continued therapy (within six months of ADT initiation) with science advisory guideline recommended treatments. Results: Guideline-concordant MSRF screening rate approached 23.5%; MSRF treatment rate was 76.9%. A higher treatment rate in MSRF treatment was found for NHW compared to Hispanic men ( p=0.02). We found a significant difference in the proportion of patients receiving MSRF screening across all racial/ethnic groups ( p=0.03). MSRF screening rates from 13.9% to 35.6% were observed over the 10-year data collection period. Patients with dyslipidemia at baseline had higher odds of having MSRF screening than patients without dyslipidemia ( p<0.0001). Oncologists with >20 years of experience had higher odds of providing MSRF screening compared with <10 years of experience ( p=0.006). Conclusions: Minority populations had significantly lower odds of having MSRF screening than NHW patients after adjusting for clinical and socio-economic variables. Closer clinical attention and education, as well as the development and implementation of innovative practice tools and interventions to optimize MSRF screening and treatment are warranted to mitigate the harmful adverse effects of ADT in patients with prostate cancer.