Racial disparities in pediatric patients with acute myeloid leukemia.

Abstract

10031 Background: Leukemia is a cancer of the blood and bone marrow characterized by the rapid and uncontrolled production of abnormal white blood cells. Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) makes up 15–20% of all childhood acute leukemias (1). The purpose of this study is to use the National Cancer Database (NCDB) to provide an updated investigation of racial disparities in survival in pediatric patients with AML. Investigating the different factors associated with poor outcomes provides valuable information when allocating resources and understanding where policies will be useful to improve patient outcomes. Methods: Pediatric (0-19 years old) AML patients were identified in this retrospective cohort study via the 2004-2020 NCDB. Chi square analysis, Fischer's exact test, and t-tests were used to analyze demographic variables. Kaplan Meier survival analysis was used to compare mean survival across race categories which was repeated with demographic variables of interest using a multivariate Cox regression. Results: A total of 4765 patients were identified in this study. Most patients were male (53.5%), White (73.0%), held private insurance (52.3%), and resided in metropolitan areas (82.0%). The mean age at diagnosis was 8.1 years old. There was no significant difference in age at diagnosis and time to treatment start across racial categories. Black patients had lower mean survival compared to White patients (131 vs 148 months, p<0.001). When controlling for age, sex, metropolitan status, comorbidity status, income, education, and insurance status as covariates, Black race independently portended a poorer prognosis compared to White race (hazard ratio: 1.174, 95% confidence interval: 1.003-1.376, p=0.046). Black patients were more likely to be uninsured (4.1%) compared to White patients (2.8%) (p<0.001). Black patients were more likely to reside in zip codes with lower incomes (36.0% vs 17.6%, p<0.001) and lower education attainment (38.7% vs 27.8%, p<0.001) compared to White patients. Black patients were more likely to have comorbidities with a Charlson-Deyo score of >1 than White patients (11.2% vs 6.2%, p<0.001). Black patients were also more likely to be from metropolitan areas than White patients (90.5% compared to 83.9%, p<0.001). Conclusions: This study indicates that Black AML patients experience lower survival rates and are subject to more predictors of poor outcomes. Black patients were more likely to be uninsured, have comorbidities, live in zip codes with lower incomes and lower education attainment. 1. Morais, R. V. de et al (2021). J De Pediatria, 97(2), 204–210. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jped.2020.02.003.