Compared with conventional external-beam radiation therapy (cEBRT) for patients with breast cancer (BC) and prostate cancer (PC), shorter radiation regimens may be associated with lower treatment noncompletion rates. We assess disparities in receipt of shorter radiation regimens and treatment noncompletion for BC and PC.
The 2004-2017 National Cancer Database was queried for adjuvant cEBRT or hypofractionated EBRT (hEBRT) for nonmetastatic BC; and definitive cEBRT, moderate hypofractionation (mEBRT), or stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) for localized PC. Multivariable logistic regression identified factors associated with treatment noncompletion and receipt of shorter regimens.
We identified 170,386 men with PC (median age [interquartile range], 70 [64-75] years; Black, 17.5%; White, 82.5%) and 306,846 women with BC (61 [52-69] years; Black, 12.3%; White, 87.7%). Among patients who received cEBRT for PC, Black men had higher treatment noncompletion rates compared with White (14.1% v 13.0%; odds ratio [95% CI] 1.07 [1.03 to 1.12]; P < .001). In contrast, treatment noncompletion was not disparate with SBRT (Black 1.6% v White 1.3%; 1.20 [0.72 to 2.00], P = .49) or mEBRT (Black 9.0% v White 7.1%; 1.05 [0.72 to 1.54], P = .79). From 2004 to 2017, SBRT (0.07% to 11.8%; 1.32 [1.31 to 1.33]) and mEBRT (0.35% to 9.1%; 1.27 [1.25 to 1.28]) increased (both P < .001); however, Black men were consistently less likely to receive SBRT (7.4% v White, 8.3%; 0.84 [0.79 to 0.89], P < .001). Among women with BC, there were no racial differences in treatment noncompletion; however, hEBRT was associated with lower treatment noncompletion rates (1.0% v cEBRT 2.3%; 0.39 [0.35 to 0.44], P < .001). Although hEBRT for BC increased (0.8% to 35.6%) between 2004 and 2017, Black women were less likely to receive hEBRT (10.4% v 15.3%; 0.78 [0.75 to 0.81], P < .001).
Black patients were consistently less likely to receive hypofractionated radiation for PC or BC, despite evidence suggesting that shorter regimens may lower rates of treatment noncompletion with similar oncologic outcomes.
JCO oncology practice. 2022 Nov 18 [Epub ahead of print]
Edward Christopher Dee, Neil K Taunk, Fumiko L Chino, Curtiland Deville, Shearwood McClelland, Vinayak Muralidhar, Sean N McBride, Erin F Gillespie, Kosj Yamoah, Paul L Nguyen, Brandon A Mahal, Karen M Winkfield, Neha Vapiwala, Patricia Mae G Santos
Department of Radiation Oncology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY., Department of Radiation Oncology, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA., Department of Radiation Oncology and Molecular Radiation Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD., Departments of Radiation Oncology and Neurological Surgery, University Hospitals, Cleveland Medical Center, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH., Department of Radiation Oncology, Dana Farber Cancer Institute/Brigham & Women's Hospital, Boston, MA., Cancer Epidemiology Program, Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, FL., Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL., Meharry-Vanderbilt Alliance, Nashville, TN.