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Racial/ethnic differences in survival among elderly patients with a primary glioblastoma

  • Lab. Investigation-Human/Animal Tissue
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Abstract

Background

Few studies have assessed racial/ethnic differences in survival after primary glioblastoma diagnosis. We investigate these differences, incorporating information on White, Hispanics and Asians, as well as White, non-Hispanics and Blacks, among elderly individuals with a primary glioblastoma utilizing the population-based Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) Program-Medicare linked database.

Methods

A total of 1,530 individuals diagnosed > = 66 years of age from 6/1/91 to 12/31/99 in the SEER data were linked with Medicare information from 1/1/91 to 12/31/01. All individuals had Medicare Parts A and B and were non-HMO for 6 months before and 12 months after diagnosis to gather pre-diagnosis co-morbidities and post-diagnosis first course of treatment. Survival differences by race/ethnicity and by race/ethnicity stratified by treatment type and/or median household income were examined using Kaplan–Meier and multivariable Cox proportional hazards models.

Results

Significant racial/ethnic differences existed between White, non-Hispanics and Blacks in marital status, income and SEER registry region for the entire US. In analysis limited to the West region, significant racial/ethnic differences existed for income only. Overall there were no differences in survival between White, non-Hispanics and Blacks, however, in analysis limited to the West region, Asians had a lower risk of death compared to White, non-Hispanics [HR = 0.67, 95% CI (0.43, 1.03)]. Asians who had multiple treatments also had a lower risk of death compared to White, non-Hispanics [HR = 0.65, 95% CI (0.41, 1.01)].

Conclusions

Racial/ethnic differences in survival after primary glioblastoma diagnosis exist and may be partially explained by racial/ethnic differences in treatment and income.

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Acknowledgment

Supported for JSB-S by National Cancer Institute grant number K07 CA91849 and for AES by NCI grant number K08101954.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, 11100 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH, 44106-5065, USA

    Jill S. Barnholtz-Sloan & Andrew E. Sloan

  2. H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA

    John L. Maldonado, Vonetta L. Williams & Elizabeth A. Rodkey

  3. Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of South Florida College of Public Health, Tampa, FL, USA

    Vonetta L. Williams

  4. Department of Neurosurgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA

    William T. Curry & Frederick G. Barker II

Authors
  1. Jill S. Barnholtz-Sloan
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  2. John L. Maldonado
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  4. William T. Curry
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  5. Elizabeth A. Rodkey
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  6. Frederick G. Barker II
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  7. Andrew E. Sloan
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jill S. Barnholtz-Sloan.

Additional information

Dr Barnholtz-Sloan has now moved to a new institution, but this study was performed while she was at the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute

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Barnholtz-Sloan, J.S., Maldonado, J.L., Williams, V.L. et al. Racial/ethnic differences in survival among elderly patients with a primary glioblastoma. J Neurooncol 85, 171–180 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11060-007-9405-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11060-007-9405-4

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