Influence of Race/Ethnicity and Socioeconomic Status on Timeliness of First-Line Treatment in Acute Myeloid Leukemia

Introduction

Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) is a blood cancer that is highly aggressive and requires timely treatment initiation. The effectiveness of treatment depends on how quickly patients receive medical attention after diagnosis.

The Study

Andrew Hantel, MD, a physician at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and his team conducted a retrospective study on the influence of race/ethnicity and socioeconomic status on the timeliness of first-line treatment initiation among patients with newly diagnosed AML. The study utilized data from the Flatiron Health electronic database, which identified patients at least 18 years of age diagnosed with AML between January 2014 to December 2022 who had 2 visits recorded within 3 months of diagnosis and underwent first-line treatment.

Key Findings

The key findings of the study were:

In the intensive chemotherapy (IC) cohort, the proportion of delayed treatment initiation was comparably low and not significantly different between the people of color (POC) and White patient populations.
There was a disparity in patients who underwent stem cell transplantation (SCT) after remission in the POC population compared with the White population.
In the non-IC cohort, there was a statistically significant difference in patients who experienced delayed treatment initiation among the POC population vs the White population.
Excluding Asian patients, the POC population in the non-IC cohort also experienced higher rates of delayed treatment vs the White population.
Black patients had a statistically significant higher rate of delayed treatment vs the White population.
The difference was numerically greater in the Latinx vs White populations.

Impact of Race/Ethnicity and Socioeconomic Status on Treatment

The study revealed that patients who belong to minority groups, particularly the POC population, are more likely to experience delayed treatment initiation for AML. The findings indicate that the disparity in healthcare is evident in the form of socioeconomic and racial disparities.

Socioeconomic Disparities

The socioeconomic status of the patients also plays a vital role in the timely initiation of first-line treatment. Patients who have a lower socioeconomic status may have limited access to healthcare and may have difficulty seeking medical attention due to financial constraints. They are also more likely to present with comorbidities that may require management before starting AML treatment. This can lead to delays in treatment initiation, which can have a negative impact on treatment outcomes.

Racial Disparities

Racial disparities also play a significant role in the timely initiation of first-line treatment for AML. The study found that Black and Latinx patients experienced more delayed treatment initiation compared to the White population. A possible explanation for this is racial bias in the medical community, where physicians may not provide equal care to all patients, leading to disparities in the quality of care.

Conclusion

The study highlights the influence of race/ethnicity and socioeconomic status on the timeliness of first-line treatment in AML. Patients who belong to minority groups and have lower socioeconomic status are more likely to experience delayed treatment initiation, which can negatively impact the treatment outcomes. Therefore, efforts should be made to reduce these disparities and ensure that all patients, regardless of their race or socioeconomic status, receive timely and quality medical care.

Long-tail Keywords

Affordable healthcare
Racial discrimination
Cancer treatment disparities
Minority healthcare
Reducing healthcare disparities
Economic diversity in healthcare

Originally Post From https://www.onclive.com/view/dr-hantel-on-socioeconomic-influences-on-first-line-treatment-in-aml

Dr Hantel Discusses Socioeconomic Factors Affecting AML Treatment on OncLive