A new study reveals that socioeconomic factors play a major role in racial disparities in colorectal cancer survival. Researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center found that neighborhood socioeconomic status accounts for 29% of the survival gap between Black and White patients.
The study, which analyzed data from over 47,000 colorectal cancer patients, showed that Black patients had worse overall survival compared to White patients. In contrast, Asian and Hispanic patients had better survival outcomes than White patients.
Molecular characteristics, including genetic mutations, contributed 10% to the survival disparity. However, approximately 60% of the disparity remained unexplained even after accounting for all available factors.
“The fact that socioeconomic factors remain the largest contributor to racial and ethnic disparity suggests that low status affects health outcomes beyond simple access to quality healthcare,” the study authors noted.
Dr. John Paul Shen, who led the research, emphasized that their single-institution study complements larger registry studies by investigating factors driving disparity beyond screening access and healthcare limitations.
While the findings shed light on contributors to racial disparities in colorectal cancer outcomes, the single-center design may limit broader applicability. The study also did not include certain racial groups due to small sample sizes.
These results underscore the complex interplay between socioeconomic, molecular, and other factors in driving cancer survival disparities among racial and ethnic groups in the United States.
See “Socioeconomic and Molecular Factors Contribute to Racial Disparities in Colorectal Cancer Survival” (September 16, 2024)
