Abstract
Despite the increasing adoption of stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) as a recommended alternative for early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), population-based research on racial/ethnic disparities in curative-intent treatment accounting for SBRT remains limited. This study investigated trends and disparities in receiving curative-intent surgery and/or SBRT in a diverse, retrospective cohort.
Early-stage NSCLC cases (2005-2017) from the Florida cancer registry were linked to individual-level statewide discharge data containing comorbidities and specific treatment information. Joinpoint regression assessed trends in treatment receipt. Multivariable logistic regression examined associations between race/ethnicity and treatment type.
Among 64,999 early-stage NSCLC patients, 71.6% received curative-intent treatment (surgery and/or SBRT): 73.1%, 72.4%, and 60.3% among Hispanic, White, and Black patients, respectively (P<0.01). SBRT use increased steeply from 2005-2007 and then by 7.9% annually from 2007-2017 (P<0.01); curative-intent surgery remained stable from 2005-2014 before declining by 6.2% annually during 2014-2017 (P=0.04). The Black-White disparity in receipt of curative-intent treatment was significant (ORadj, 0.65; 95% CI, 0.60-0.71). Patients with Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI)≥3 had 36% (ORadj, 0.64; 95% CI, 0.60-0.69) lower odds of receiving curative-intent surgery and no significant difference for SBRT (ORadj, 1.06; 95% CI, 0.93-1.20) compared to CCI=0.
Racial disparities in receiving curative-intent treatment for early-stage NSCLC persist despite the availability of SBRT, suggesting the full potential of curative-intent treatment for early-stage NSCLC remains unachieved.
Addressing disparities in early-stage NSCLC requires addressing differential treatment patterns and enhancing accessibility to treatments like underutilized SBRT, particularly for high-comorbidity populations such as Black patients.
