Study: Poor cancer patients have lower survival rate

An analysis of data from almost 14,000 cancer patients determined that that those with lower incomes had a lower survival rate (Source: “Poorer Patients Have Poorer Survival After Cancer Diagnosis,” Yahoo!News/ HealthDay News, June 24, 2008).

The study of breast, prostate and colorectal cancer patients in seven states found that poor patients had more advanced cancers at time of diagnosis, received less aggressive treatment and had a higher risk of dying within five years of diagnosis.

The link between increased risk of cancer death and low socioeconomic status applied to all racial and ethnic groups except for patients 65 and older. The researchers theorized that the disparity was not apparent in older patients perhaps because patients at all socioecomic levels have access to cancer screening and treatment via Medicare.

"These findings support the need to focus on socioeconomic status as an important underlying factor in cancer disparities by race and ethnicity," wrote Dr. Tim Byers, of the University of Colorado Denver, and colleagues, whose study is published in the Aug. 1 issue of the journal Cancer.