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BACKGROUND: In this study, the authors sought to understand the effects of patient race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status (SES) on outcomes for cervical cancer. METHOD: The Florida Cancer Data System and the Agency for Health Care Administration data sets (1998-2003) were merged and queried. Survival outcomes for patients with invasive cervical cancer were compared between different races, ethnicities, and community poverty levels. RESULTS: In total, 5367 patients with cervical cancers were identified. The overall median survival was 43 months. Significantly longer survival was observed for Caucasians (47.1 months vs 28.8 months for African Americans AA; P15% lived in poverty; P<.001). Surgery was associated with dramatically improved survival. AA women who were diagnosed with cervical cancer were significantly less likely to undergo surgical treatment with curative intent compared with Caucasian women (P<.001). However, on multivariate analysis, independent predictors of poorer outcomes were insurance status, tumor stage, tumor grade, and treatment. Neither race, nor ethnicity, nor SES was an independent predictor of poorer outcome. CONCLUSIONS: Race, ethnic, and SES disparities in cervical cancer survival were explained by late-stage presentation and under-treatment. Earlier diagnosis and greater access to surgery and other treatments would significantly improve the survival of women with cervical cancer.
Brookfield et al. (Wed,) studied this question.
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