How Lung Cancer Is Treated Often Based On Insurance, Race And Medical Facilities

Unfortunately, not all patients receive the same medical care. Insurance, income and geographic locations can play a role in treatment and access to doctors.

Recent findings published in the Journal of Thoracic Oncology show that African Americans, Hispanics and those who receive community hospital care are significantly less likely than other patients to receive treatment for early stage non-small cell lung cancer.

"We found significant disparities for treatment of a curable cancer based on race, insurance status, and whether or not treatment was at an academic or community hospital," said lead study author Dr. Matthew Koshy, a physician in the department of radiation oncology at the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine, and lead author of the study, in a news release. "Reducing these disparities could lead to significant improvements in survival for many people with inoperable early stage lung cancer."

The study is the first to examine patients with stage 1 non-small cell cancer. Treatment during the early stages offers the best chances for long-term survival. However, findings revealed that African Americans 40 percent less likely to be treated with conventional radiation treatments. Furthermore, Hispanics were 60 percent less likely to be treated with the same help.

Findings also revealed that patients were about two-and-a-half times more likely to receive SBRT in academic hospitals than in community ones and seven times more likely to receive SBRT at a high-volume medical center than at a low-volume center.

Researchers concluded that better access to medical facilities could help with doctors and treatments to those in need, as well as targeting health problems during their early stages.