The Impact of Health Inequities on Population-Based Breast Cancer Survival in a Colombian Population, 2008-2015.

OBJECTIVE: To obtain breast cancer survival estimates in Manizales, Colombia, considering socioeconomic level, health insurance regime and residential area, while adjusting for age, histology and stage at diagnosis. METHODS: Analytical cohort study based on breast cancer incident cases recorded by the Population-based Manizales Cancer Registry between 2008-2015. Patients were followed-up for 60 months. Cause-specific survival was calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method for variables of interest, with the Wilcoxon-Breslow-Gehan test for differences. Cox multivariate regression models were fitted. RESULTS: 856 breast cancer cases were included. The 5-year cause-specific survival for the entire cohort was 78.2%. It was higher in women with special/exception health insurance, high socioeconomic level, <50 years old, ductal carcinoma, and stages I and II. Residential area did not impact survival. In Cox models, the subsidized health insurance regime (HR: 4.87 vs contributory) and low socioeconomic level (HR: 2.45 vs high) were predictors of the hazard of death in women with breast cancer, adjusted for age, histology, stage and interactions age-stage and insurance-stage. A positive interaction (synergistic effect modification) between health insurance regime and stage regarding to survival was observed. CONCLUSION: Socioeconomic factors significantly contribute to the inequities in breast cancer survival, independent of the stage at diagnosis. This suggests the need for comprehensive interventions to remove barriers to accessing the health system. This research provides evidence of survival gaps mediated by certain social determinants of health and generates data on the overall performance of the Colombian health system.

Gaps in Knowledge and Understanding of Patients With Metastatic Breast Cancer in Mexico.

There is paucity of data regarding the knowledge and understanding of patients with metastatic breast cancer (MBC) about their disease stage and treatment goals. This study assessed these patients' awareness of MBC incurability, topics reviewed with their oncologist, perceptions of having enough knowledge to participate in treatment decision-making, most helpful information source, and satisfaction with the information they received. For this purpose, 185 patients with MBC who attended follow-up medical appointments at a Mexican referral cancer center completed a survey designed by the Metastatic Breast Cancer Alliance. Clinical data were obtained from medical records. Descriptive statistics were applied, and associations between qualitative and quantitative variables were assessed with χ2 and Mann-Whitney U tests, respectively. Half (52%) of the patients were aware that their disease was incurable, while 31% were not sure, and 17% thought it was curable. Forty percent found it difficult to talk about treatments because they did not understand the options that were available to them. The medical staff was the most helpful information source for 74% of participants, and 64% scored their satisfaction with information ≥9 of 10. A significant association was found between higher satisfaction and knowing that MBC is incurable, as well as being older than 40 years. These results illustrate the significant lack of understanding patients with MBC have regarding their cancer, even when reporting high satisfaction with the provided information, and identify a critical need for improved patient education to enhance their comprehension and promote their participation in decision-making processes, treatment adherence, and, ultimately, outcomes.

Level of human development is associated with cervical cancer stage at diagnosis.

The objective was to describe the cervical cancer cases in Brazil by the age-group and stage at diagnosis, and to associate them with the human development index (HDI), where the women live. This was a retrospective study that used data from the Brazilian hospital-based cancer registry from 2005 to 2014. The data were accessed by 5-year age/groups and the federal units. The association between the proportion of cases at Stage I and HDI was estimated in an adjusted linear regression analysis. Among the staged cases, the proportions of cases diagnosed at FIGO Stage I, II, III and IV were 21.2%, 30.7%, 39.9% and 8.2%, respectively. The cases were diagnosed mostly in women aged 45-49 years. There was a significant increase in the proportion of Stage I cases with an increasing HDI (coefficient, 0.46; 95% confidence interval, 0.17-0.76). In conclusion, most of the cases were diagnosed at late stages. The stage at the diagnosis was associated with the human development level. Impact Statement What is already known on this subject? The stage at diagnosis varies according to the level of organisation of the cancer control programme. It is expected that in well-developed programmes there will be a shift to an early stage diagnosis. What the results of this study add? The stage at a diagnosis was associated with the human development level where the women live in Brazil, where most cases were diagnosed at the late stages. What the implications are of these findings for clinical practice and/or further research? This analysis can help with better planning strategies for cancer control. Regional strategies would improve the efficiency of cancer care interventions in countries with large socioeconomic disparities.

Importancia del "diagnóstico temprano" en los niños con cáncer para mejorar el pronóstico: concepto con poco sustento científico.

La mortalidad por cáncer en niños mexicanos no ha disminuido a los niveles informados en países desarrollados. Una explicación frecuentemente declarada es el alto porcentaje (57.3 %) de pacientes diagnosticados en estadios avanzados (III/IV), atribuible a errores en la sospecha o en la metodología empleada, consideración dudosa si se toma en cuenta que el tiempo de diagnóstico y la proporción de estadios avanzados en México son semejantes a los de países desarrollados. En la mayoría de los niños con cáncer, los días transcurridos desde el primer síntoma a momento del diagnóstico oncológico no correlacionan con el estadio clínico y tampoco con la probabilidad de supervivencia. El éxito en la supervivencia depende en gran medida del tratamiento integral (específico y de la atención a las complicaciones). Esta visión obliga a estrategias dirigidas principalmente a invertir más recursos en opciones terapéuticas eficaces y eficientes, capacitación oncológica integral del equipo de salud (médicos, enfermeras, técnicos), tecnologías diagnósticas, fomento a la colaboración interinstitucional e internacional y apoyo socioeconómico a las familias durante el proceso terapéutico.Cancer mortality in Mexican children has not decreased to the levels reported in developed countries. A commonly proposed explanation is the high percentage (53.7%) of patients diagnosed at advanced stages (III/IV), which is attributed to erroneous assumptions or mistakes in the diagnostic approach ­a questionable consideration taking into account that both time to diagnosis and the proportion of advanced stage cases in Mexico are similar to those in developed countries. In most cancer cases in children, the number of days elapsed from the moment of the first symptom to the cancer diagnosis is not correlated with clinical stage, and neither with the probability of survival. Survival success largely depends on comprehensive treatment (specific and for the care of complications). This view calls for strategies mainly aimed at spending more resources on efficacious and efficient therapeutic strategies, comprehensive oncology training of healthcare personnel (physicians, nurses and technicians), diagnostic technologies, promotion of interinstitutional and international collaboration and socioeconomic support to families during the therapeutic process.