Disparities in the early adoption of chemo-immunotherapy for diffuse large B-cell lymphoma in the United States
Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, 07/11/2012
Flowers CR et al. – Black DLBCL patients were less likely to receive chemotherapy or chemo-immunotherapy during this period. Impact:This large national cohort study demonstrates disparities in the diffusion of chemo-immunotherapy for DLBCL. Improving DLBCL outcomes will require efforts to extend access to proven advances in therapy to all segments of the population.
Methods- Using the National Cancer Database to compare chemo-immunotherapy use with chemotherapy alone, we collected data on demographics, stage, health insurance, area-level socio-economic status (SES), facility characteristics, and type of treatment for DLBCL patients diagnosed in the United States 2001-2004.
- Multivariable log binomial models examined associations between race, insurance, and treatment allocation, adjusting for covariates.
- Among 38,002 patients with DLBCL, 27% received chemo-immunotherapy and 50% chemotherapy alone. Patients who had localized disease, were diagnosed in 2001, black, uninsured/Medicaid insured, or lower SES were less likely to receive any form of chemotherapy (all p<0.0001).
- Patients who were diagnosed 2001, black [relative risk (RR) 0.83, 95% Confidence Interval (CI) 0.78-0.89], >60 years (RR 0.94, 95% CI 0.90-0.98), or had localized disease (RR 0.89, 95% CI 0.86-0.92) were less likely to receive chemo-immunotherapy.
- Receiving treatment at high DLBCL volume teaching/research facilities was associated with the greatest likelihood of chemo-immunotherapy (RR 1.69, 95% CI 1.52-1.89).
