Differences in treatment patterns for localized breast carcinoma among Asian/Pacific islander women.
BACKGROUND
Many studies have examined racial/ethnic differences in treatment for localized breast carcinoma, but to the authors' knowledge few have included Asian/Pacific Islander (API) women.


METHODS
The population-based study included API and non-Hispanic white women diagnosed with localized invasive breast carcinoma in the Greater San Francisco Bay Area during 1994 (n = 1772). Multiple logistic regression was used to assess the association between race/ethnicity and type of surgery, radiation therapy following breast-conserving surgery (BCS), and hormone therapy for estrogen receptor-positive tumors while adjusting for demographic, medical, and census block-group socioeconomic characteristics.


RESULTS
API women were significantly more likely to undergo mastectomies than white women (58% vs. 42%). This difference remained for Chinese and Filipino women after multivariate adjustment (odds ratio vs. whites [OR] = 2.4, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] = 1.4-4.2; OR [95%CI] = 1.8[1.0-3.1], respectively). Chinese women were also more likely than white women to not receive adjuvant therapy, be it radiation after BCS or hormone therapy for estrogen receptor-positive disease. Other API women did not differ from white women in adjuvant therapy use.


CONCLUSIONS
This population-based study identified differences in treatment for localized breast carcinoma by race/ethnicity that were not explained by differences in demographic, medical, or socioeconomic characteristics. These results underscore the importance of looking at treatment patterns separately for API subgroups and support the need for research into cultural differences that may influence breast carcinoma treatment choices.
Prehn
Angela W
AW
Surveillance Research, Northern California Cancer Center, Union City, California, USA. awprehn@stkate.edu
Topol
Barbara
B
Stewart
Susan
S
Glaser
Sally L
SL
O'Connor
Lilia
L
West
Dee W
DW
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001208:Asia / Q000208:ethnology; D001213:Asian; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003657:Decision Making; D003710:Demography; D016021:Epidemiologic Studies; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D008408:Mastectomy; D015412:Mastectomy, Segmental; D008875:Middle Aged; D008913:Minority Groups; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010139:Pacific Islands / Q000208:ethnology; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant; D012923:Social Class; D044465:White People