Do age and ethnicity predict breast cancer treatment received? A cross-sectional urban population based study. Breast cancer treatment: age and ethnicity.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the treatment patterns of women aged 55 years or older with newly diagnosed breast cancer and to examine the association between age and ethnicity/race on treatment selection.


METHODS
A cross-sectional survey between January 1 and June 30, 2001 of 401 women was performed of Hispanic, black and non-Hispanic white women in Los Angeles County, aged 55 years or older with newly diagnosed breast cancer. Regression analysis examined the association between: (a) age and treatment selection and (b) ethnicity/race and treatment selection, adjusting for the effect of possible confounders.


RESULTS
In this study of urban breast cancer patients (64.1% response rate), blacks were less likely to receive hormone (OR=0.36) or chemotherapy therapy (OR=0.50) while older patients were less likely to receive lymph node dissection after lumpectomy (OR=0.48) and chemotherapy (OR=0.22).


CONCLUSIONS
Although there are racial and age disparities in breast cancer treatment, other factors such as education, income status, insurance plan, functional status, and comorbidity also play an important role.
Naeim
Arash
A
Division of Hematology-Oncology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1687, USA. anaeim@mednet.ucla.edu
Hurria
Arti
A
Leake
Barbara
B
Maly
Rose C
RC
D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000628:therapy*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005006:Ethnicity; D005260:Female; D006728:Hormones / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D015141:Los Angeles; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000601:surgery; D015412:Mastectomy, Segmental; D008875:Middle Aged; D010347:Patient Care Planning / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011379:Prognosis; D018570:Risk Assessment; D014505:Urban Population
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D006728:Hormones