Disparities in Time-to-treatment for Patients With Melanoma

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Health Services Research
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Melanoma treatment timelines are crucial for patient outcomes.
• Disparities in healthcare access and timeliness persist across various demographic groups.
• Understanding factors influencing treatment delays is essential for equitable cancer care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate demographic and socioeconomic factors contributing to disparities in melanoma time-to-treatment.
• To analyze differences in time from diagnosis to surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy based on patient characteristics.
• To identify specific patient groups experiencing prolonged treatment intervals.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of a large cohort of melanoma patients (n=647,273) from the National Cancer Database (2004-2019).
• Comparison of time intervals to definitive treatment (surgery, radiation, chemotherapy) across age, sex, race, and socioeconomic status.
• Statistical analysis to determine the significance of disparities in treatment timelines.

Main Results:

• Hispanic patients exhibited significantly longer times to surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy compared to non-Hispanic patients.
• Black patients and uninsured patients also experienced the longest delays in receiving treatment.
• Significant disparities in time-to-treatment were identified, linked to both race and socioeconomic factors.

Conclusions:

• Racial and socioeconomic factors significantly impact melanoma treatment timeliness.
• Addressing these disparities is critical for improving equitable cancer care.
• Further research into the root causes of these inequities is imperative.