Socioeconomic position and survival after lung cancer: Influence of stage, treatment and comorbidity among Danish patients with lung cancer diagnosed in 2004-2010

TY - JOUR

T1 - Socioeconomic position and survival after lung cancer

T2 - Influence of stage, treatment and comorbidity among Danish patients with lung cancer diagnosed in 2004-2010

AU - Dalton, Susanne O.

AU - Steding-Jessen, Marianne

AU - Jakobsen, Erik

AU - Mellemgaard, Anders

AU - Østerlind, Kell

AU - Schüz, Joachim

AU - Johansen, Christoffer

PY - 2015/5/1

Y1 - 2015/5/1

N2 - BACKGROUND: To address social inequality in survival after lung cancer, it is important to consider how socioeconomic position (SEP) influences prognosis. We investigated whether SEP influenced receipt of first-line treatment and whether socioeconomic differences in survival could be explained by differences in stage, treatment and comorbidity.MATERIAL AND METHODS: In the Danish Lung Cancer Register, we identified 13 045 patients with lung cancer diagnosed in 2004-2010, with information on stage, histology, performance status and first-line treatment. We obtained age, gender, vital status, comorbid conditions and socioeconomic information (education, income and cohabitation status) from nationwide population-based registers. Associations between SEP and receipt of first-line treatment were analysed in multivariate logistic regression models and those with overall mortality in Cox regression models with stepwise inclusion of possible mediators.RESULTS: For both low- and high-stage lung cancer, adjusted ORs for first-line treatment were reduced in patients with short education and low income, although the OR for education did not reach statistical significance in men with high-stage disease. Patients with high-stage disease who lived alone were less likely to receive first-line treatment. The socioeconomic difference in overall survival was partly explained by differences in stage, treatment and comorbidity, although some differences remained after adjustment. Among patients with high-stage disease, the hazard ratio (HR) for death of those with low income was 1.12 (95% CI 1.05-1.19) in comparison with those with high income. Among patients with low-stage disease, those who lived alone had a 14% higher risk for dying (95% CI 1.05-1.25) than those who lived with a partner. The differences in risk for death by SEP were greatest in the first six months after diagnosis.CONCLUSION: Socioeconomic differences in survival after lung cancer are partly explained by social inequality in stage, first-line treatment and comorbidity. Efforts should be made to improve early diagnosis and adherence to first-line treatment recommendations among disadvantaged lung cancer patients.

AB - BACKGROUND: To address social inequality in survival after lung cancer, it is important to consider how socioeconomic position (SEP) influences prognosis. We investigated whether SEP influenced receipt of first-line treatment and whether socioeconomic differences in survival could be explained by differences in stage, treatment and comorbidity.MATERIAL AND METHODS: In the Danish Lung Cancer Register, we identified 13 045 patients with lung cancer diagnosed in 2004-2010, with information on stage, histology, performance status and first-line treatment. We obtained age, gender, vital status, comorbid conditions and socioeconomic information (education, income and cohabitation status) from nationwide population-based registers. Associations between SEP and receipt of first-line treatment were analysed in multivariate logistic regression models and those with overall mortality in Cox regression models with stepwise inclusion of possible mediators.RESULTS: For both low- and high-stage lung cancer, adjusted ORs for first-line treatment were reduced in patients with short education and low income, although the OR for education did not reach statistical significance in men with high-stage disease. Patients with high-stage disease who lived alone were less likely to receive first-line treatment. The socioeconomic difference in overall survival was partly explained by differences in stage, treatment and comorbidity, although some differences remained after adjustment. Among patients with high-stage disease, the hazard ratio (HR) for death of those with low income was 1.12 (95% CI 1.05-1.19) in comparison with those with high income. Among patients with low-stage disease, those who lived alone had a 14% higher risk for dying (95% CI 1.05-1.25) than those who lived with a partner. The differences in risk for death by SEP were greatest in the first six months after diagnosis.CONCLUSION: Socioeconomic differences in survival after lung cancer are partly explained by social inequality in stage, first-line treatment and comorbidity. Efforts should be made to improve early diagnosis and adherence to first-line treatment recommendations among disadvantaged lung cancer patients.

KW - Adult

KW - Aged

KW - Aged, 80 and over

KW - Comorbidity

KW - Denmark

KW - Educational Status

KW - Female

KW - Humans

KW - Income

KW - Logistic Models

KW - Lung Neoplasms

KW - Male

KW - Marital Status

KW - Middle Aged

KW - Neoplasm Staging

KW - Odds Ratio

KW - Prognosis

KW - Registries

KW - Severity of Illness Index

KW - Socioeconomic Factors

KW - Time Factors

U2 - 10.3109/0284186x.2014.1001037

DO - 10.3109/0284186x.2014.1001037

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 25761702

SN - 1100-1704

VL - 54

SP - 797

EP - 804

JO - Acta Oncologica, Supplement

JF - Acta Oncologica, Supplement

IS - 5

ER -