2024 World Conference on Lung Cancer (WCLC) - Posters-P1.06B.12 Racial and Socioeconomic Disparities in Molecular Diagnostics for NSCLC Patients

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Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treatment outcomes have been significantly improved by immunotherapy and targeted therapies, which work by inhibiting specific molecular pathways. However, access to these life-saving treatments requires molecular diagnostics to assess patient eligibility. This study, conducted by researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, aimed to explore whether differences in molecular testing rates contribute to disparities in the utilization of these therapies across different races and socioeconomic statuses and to examine the impact of molecular diagnostic testing on survival outcomes.<br /><br />Data was sourced from the SEER-Medicare database, focusing on NSCLC patients diagnosed from 2013 to 2015, aged 66 or older. Statistical analyses, including χ2 tests, t-tests, and multivariable logistic regression, were employed to assess the receipt of oncogenic panel testing within three months of diagnosis—a prerequisite for targeted and immunotherapy treatments.<br /><br />Out of 28,511 NSCLC patients, only 39.3% received molecular diagnostic testing. The study found that Black patients and those residing in areas with higher poverty levels were less likely to receive molecular diagnostic testing, even after adjusting for other factors. Variables significantly associated with receiving testing included race, sex, marital status, comorbidity, histology, tumor site, stage, socioeconomic status, and year of diagnosis, while residence and age were not statistically significant.<br /><br />The analysis revealed that patients who underwent molecular diagnostic testing had a markedly reduced risk of death, with an adjusted hazards ratio of 0.74, underscoring the importance of testing in improving survival outcomes. These findings highlight the need to address racial and socioeconomic barriers in molecular diagnostics to ensure equitable cancer care and enhance patient survival rates.

Asset Subtitle

Stephanie Tuminello

Meta Tag

Speaker Stephanie Tuminello

Topic Pathology & Biomarkers

Keywords

NSCLC

immunotherapy

targeted therapies

molecular diagnostics

racial disparities

socioeconomic status

SEER-Medicare

survival outcomes

oncogenic panel testing

cancer care equity