Is poverty a factor that influences survival in cancer? If you ask physicians they will tell you that it probably does, though there was not much of good evidence to support this general feeling.
Now a 'National Program of Cancer Registries Patterns of Care Study' that analyzed health records of cancer patients in 7 american states have found that there is indeed a strong association. Poor 'socioeconomic status' was associated with worse survival outcomes in both breast and prostate cancer, the commonest cancers in men and women. Survival was worsened by nearly 60% in breast cancer and 33% in prostate cancer. It can be expected that other cancers, including lymphoma, will have similar paterns.
What is causing the difference? When the researchers looked deeper, they found that that when these results were corrected for race/ethnicity, cancer stage at diagnosis, other existing illnesses and the treatment received, the associations with poor results was weakened. That means that it is likely that poorer individuals are getting diagnosed in a more advanced stage and probably receiving less treatment.
This study has enormous implications and may help in developing strategies for reducing economic and ethnic disparities in cancer diagnosis and treatment.
