Differences in testis cancer survival by race and ethnicity: a population-based study, 1973-1999 (United States).
OBJECTIVE
We examined the relationship between race/ethnicity and testis cancer survival in a population-based setting.


METHODS
We analyzed 16,086 cases of primary testis cancer diagnosed during 1973-1999 and reported to 12 cancer registries participating in the National Cancer Institute's Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program. We compared testis cancer-specific survival between patients from different racial/ethnic groups by use of the hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) calculated from Cox proportional hazards models, adjusting for stage, histology, and period of diagnosis.


RESULTS
Relative to non-Hispanic whites, a greater proportion of African American, Native American, Hawaiian, and Hispanic patients were diagnosed at late stages. There were 886 deaths among 16,086 testis cancer patients and overall 5-year survival was 95%. After adjustment for stage, histology, and period of diagnosis, the risk of dying from testis cancer was increased among African Americans (HR = 2.3; CI: 1.6-3.2), Native Americans (HR = 2.1; CI: 1.1-3.9), Filipinos (HR = 3.6; CI: 1.3-9.5), Hawaiians (HR = 2.4; CI: 1.4-4.1), and Hispanics (HR = 1.4; CI: 1.1-1.8), compared to non-Hispanic whites.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings are consistent with previous reports of race/ethnic disparities in stage at diagnosis and survival in testis cancer patients as well as other cancer patients. Further research is needed to understand the reasons underlying these disparities.
Biggs
Mary Lou
ML
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, University of Washington, M4-C308, P.O. Box 19024, Seattle, WA 98109-1024, USA. mlbiggs@u.washington.edu
Schwartz
Stephen M
SM
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005006:Ethnicity; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D044469:Racial Groups; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018426:SEER Program / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013736:Testicular Neoplasms / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000401:mortality*; D014481:United States