Key result
Low income linked to ~19% lower odds of robotic or video-assisted versus open lobectomy for NSCLC.
Why the study?
Economically disadvantaged patients experience substantial lung cancer treatment disparities that may be exacerbated by limited access to newer surgical technologies.
Does area-level socioeconomic status influence the type of surgery received in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer?
Does area-level socioeconomic status influence the type of surgery received in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer?
Patients with NSCLC from low socioeconomic status areas have significantly reduced access to advanced, minimally invasive surgical techniques like RATS and VATS compared to those from high-income areas.
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May warrant targeted programs to improve minimally invasive surgery access for low-income patients; extends observational data on socioeconomic disparities in lung cancer care.
Valvi et al. (2026) studied this question. Low-income NSCLC patients were less likely to undergo robotic-assisted (aOR 0.81) or video-assisted (aOR 0.82) thoracic surgery versus open lobectomy compared to high-income patients.
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