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Colorectal cancer in blacks is affected by healthcare utilization
in Conditions
by Todd Neale
The larger burden of colorectal cancer inside the black local community appears to become linked to healthcare utilization, and not biology, researchers located.
Similar proportions of black and white sufferers had polyps or masses detected by flexible sigmoidoscopy, but black sufferers had been less likely than whites to possess the suggested follow-up colonoscopy (62.6% vs . 72.4%), according to Adeyinka Laiyemo, MD, MPH, of Howard University in Washington,
Office Professional 2010, and colleagues.
After adjustment for age, education, intercourse, physique mass index, using tobacco, family members historical past of colorectal cancer, colon examination in the preceding three a long time, private heritage of polyps, and screening center, blacks were 12% less likely to get a colonoscopy (RR 0.88, 95% CI 0.83 to 0.93), the scientists reported inside the Journal with the National Cancer Institute.
There have been no significant variations determined by race in the attributes of the lesions discovered during colonoscopy.
“This suggests that the biology of colorectal cancer may not be materially different by race, at least inside the early stages of carcinogenesis,
Office 2007 Pro Key, but instead that healthcare utilization variations among the races may play a more important role within the observed disparities in colorectal cancer,” they wrote.
They said screening programs must have an adequate diagnostic component to eliminate racial disparities.
In an accompanying editorial, John Ayanian, MD, MPP, of Harvard, highlighted an effort in New York City to promote colonoscopy through public training,
Windows 7 Starter Key, improved tracking systems, and broad use of patient navigators. The program resulted in increased screening rates, and racial disparities disappeared.
“Such local success in promoting colorectal cancer screening and eliminating racial disparities must now be extended to other communities and states in which screening rates continue to lag and disparities persist,” he wrote.
To explore the origins of racial disparities in colorectal cancer, Laiyemo and colleagues turned to the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian Cancer (PLCO) Screening Trial, an ongoing multicenter, randomized controlled trial evaluating the effect of screening on cancer mortality.
They looked at data from 57,561 white sufferers and 3,011 black patients ages 55 to 74 who underwent versatile sigmoidoscopy without biopsy at 10 U.S. centers.
Polyps or mass lesions have been located in 25.5% of blacks and 23.9% of whites (P=0.257). All ended up advised to get a follow-up colonoscopy, which was not paid for by the trial.
Of those, 72.4% of whites and 62.6% of blacks had a colonoscopy within one year.
The study investigators reviewed the results and found no important difference between the races from the prevalence of polyps, advanced adenomas, advanced pathology in small adenomas (high-grade dysplasia or villous histology in adenomas <10 mm),
Genuine Office 2010, or colorectal cancer.
Black patients, however, had been more prone to have advanced adenoma within the proximal colon (RR 1.56, 95% CI 1.13 to 2.14). Although that suggests a biological difference between whites and blacks, the scientists said, the finding could be the result of small sample sizes or residual confounding.
The reasons for lower follow-up rates among blacks are unknown, they said, but several factors could be contributing.
Blacks may have lower socioeconomic status, they said. Although that was not measured in this study, educational level — sometimes used as a marker of socioeconomic status — was lower among black sufferers.
Also, the need for multiple tests could discourage follow-up testing.
Finally, a “lack of knowledge of cancer prevention may contribute to low uptake of diagnostic testing, and lack of cultural competence on the part of care providers may also constitute a barrier to healthcare utilization,” they wrote.
When the clients were stratified by education, the difference in use of colonoscopy was considerable only among those with a high school schooling or significantly less.
Because the black clients in the study ended up more educated and health conscious than their general population counterparts,
Office Pro 2007, the results could be an underestimation, the scientists said.
Laiyemo’s group listed some limitations from the study, including the fact that versatile sigmoidoscopy only detects lesions from the distal colon. In addition, blacks had been underrepresented inside the study.
Todd Neale MedPage Today staff writer.
Originally published in MedPage Today. Visit MedPageToday.com for more oncology news.
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