WCLC 2025 - Posters & ePosters-EP.17.05 Association of Social Vulnerability With Prognosis of Lung Cancer in Japan

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This retrospective cohort study from Japan investigated how social vulnerability affects the prognosis of lung cancer patients, focusing on two groups: welfare recipients (n=60) and the extremely elderly aged 85 and above (n=63). Social vulnerability encompasses factors such as low socioeconomic status, limited healthcare access, social isolation, and advanced age, which may hinder treatment uptake and impact survival.<br /><br />Key findings showed that welfare recipients had a median overall survival (mOS) of 23.7 months, while the extremely elderly had a poorer prognosis with an mOS of 9.5 months. However, patients in both groups who received active treatments—including surgery, chemotherapy, or radiotherapy—had significantly improved survival: welfare recipients reached an mOS of 32.5 months and extremely elderly patients 24.1 months. Despite this, 62% of the very elderly were ineligible for curative or systemic therapies, mainly due to poor general condition (29%) and patients’ own treatment preferences (33%).<br /><br />The study highlights that socially vulnerable lung cancer patients are less likely to receive their desired treatments, possibly because of delayed diagnosis and reduced eligibility. This underscores the need for systems enabling early cancer detection and facilitating treatment choices aligned with patient preferences. Given Japan's rapidly aging population and the increasing proportion of elderly households receiving welfare, addressing social frailty—which includes reduced social resources and engagement—is critical to improving outcomes.<br /><br />In conclusion, improving screening rates and early intervention can potentially help socially vulnerable lung cancer patients receive preferred treatments and improve survival. The study advocates for healthcare approaches integrating medical care with patient education and support tailored to vulnerable populations’ needs.

Asset Subtitle

Yoshitaka Seki

Meta Tag

Speaker Yoshitaka Seki

Topic Global Health, Health Services, and Health Economics

Keywords

social vulnerability

lung cancer prognosis

welfare recipients

extremely elderly patients

overall survival

active cancer treatments

treatment eligibility

early cancer detection

social frailty

patient-centered care