Unmarried status is a barrier for access to treatment in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma

We tested the effect of marital status on cytoreductive nephrectomy, metastasectomy, and systemic therapy rates, as well as on cancer-specific mortality (CSM) in patients with metastatic clear cell renal carcinoma (mccRCC).

Within the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results database (2004-2015), we identified 6975 patients (4806 men and 2169 women) with metastatic clear cell renal carcinoma. Temporal trend analyses, logistic regression models, cumulative incidence plots, and competing-risk regression models were used.

Overall, 1450 men and 1018 women were unmarried (30.2% and 47.0%, respectively). In men, unmarried status was an independent predictor of lower cytoreductive nephrectomy rate (OR: 0.54), lower metastasectomy rate (OR: 0.70), and lower systemic therapy rate (OR: 0.70). Conversely, in women, unmarried status was an independent predictor of lower cytoreductive nephrectomy rate (OR: 0.63) and of lower systemic therapy rate (OR: 0.80), but not of lower metastasectomy rate (OR: 0.83; p = 0.12). In multivariable competing-risk regression analyses, unmarried status was an independent predictor of higher CSM in men (HR: 1.15), but not in women (HR 0.97, p = 0.6).

Unmarried men are at higher risk of not benefiting of cytoreductive nephrectomy, metastasectomy, or systemic therapy than their married counterparts. Unmarried women are at higher risk of not benefiting of cytoreductive nephrectomy or systemic therapy. These gender-related differences cumulate in higher CSM in unmarried men, but not in unmarried women.