The effect of median household income on the prognosis of lung adenocarcinoma: A SEER analysis

Lung cancer is the main cause of death related to malignant tumors. Since cause-specific mortality can guide clinical decision-making, this study employed the Fine-Gray model based on the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database to identify significantly how socio-economic status influences initial treatment decisions and survival outcomes in patients with lung adenocarcinoma. The aim of this study was to identify the predictors of lung adenocarcinoma. The U.S. Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database was used to identify patients diagnosed with lung adenocarcinoma between 2000 and 2018. Seventeen thousand four hundred forty-one patients with lung adenocarcinoma were subdivided in four socio-economic tertiles, based on median household income. Cox regression modeling explored the relationship between race, surgery, grading, and median household income on survival outcomes. The study also assessed patient demographic characteristics, age at diagnosis, and surgical interventions. Among 17 441 patients with primary lung adenocarcinoma, the age distribution was as follows: less than 45 years (n=202, 1.16%), between 45 and 54 years (n=1121, 6.43%), 55 and 64 years (n=4252, 24.38%), 65 and 74 years (n=6357, 36.45%), 75 and 84 years (n=4426, 25.38%), and more than 84 years (n=1083, 6.2%). The adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) with 95% CI for ages 65-74 years, 75-84 years, and older than or equal to 85 years were 0.25 (0.11,1.29), 0.40 (0.11,1.50), and 0.72 (0.11,2.05), respectively. Multifactorial Cox regression indicated that the aHR for tumor metastasis was 0.93 (0.03, 2.54), and for patients who did not undergo surgery, it was 1.46 (0.03, 4.31). Grade IV patients exhibited the lowest survival rate 0.66(0.11, 1.93). A notable correlation existed between median household income and survival, with distinctly lower survival rates observed in low-income groups. Older patients, especially those who did not undergo surgery and had a higher tumor grade, had significantly reduced survival. Moreover, survival rates for black patients in lower-income brackets were worse than those for white patients in the same financial category. The quality of life of lung cancer patients is affected by low-income family.