Esophageal cancer in Hispanics: a demographic analysis of the National Cancer Database

Hispanics are the fastest-growing minority and the second largest ethnic group in the United States, accounting for 18% of the national population. The American Cancer Society estimated 18,440 new cases of esophageal cancer (EC) in the United States in 2020. Hispanics are reported to be at high risk of EC. We sought to interrogate the demographic patterns of EC in Hispanics. Secondary objective was to examine evidence of socioeconomic disparities and differential therapy.

We identified Hispanic vs non-Hispanic patients with EC in the National Cancer Database between 2005 and 2015. Groups were statistically equated through propensity score-matched analysis.

A total of 3205 Hispanics (3.8%) were identified among 85,004 patients with EC. We identified significant disparities between Hispanic and non-Hispanic groups. Disparities among Hispanics included higher prevalence of squamous EC, higher likelihood of stage IV cancer diagnosis, younger age, uninsured status, and income< $38,000. Hispanics were less likely to have surgical intervention or any type of treatment when compared to non-Hispanics. Multivariate analysis showed that age, ethnicity, treatment, histology, grade, stage, and Charlson-Deyo scores were independent predictors of survival. Treated Hispanics survived longer than non-Hispanics.

Despite the lower prevalence of EC, there is a disproportionately higher prevalence of metastatic and untreated cases among Hispanics. This disparity may be explained by Hispanics' limited access to medical care, exacerbated by their socioeconomic and insurance status. Further study is warranted to examine these health disparities among Hispanics.