ASPO Abstracts
Demographic Disparities in Gastric Cancer Diagnosis
Category: Cancer Health Disparities
Conference Year: 2020
Abstract Body:
Background: Gastric cancer rates are decreasing in the U.S., but the disease burden varies across races/ethnicities and economic metrics. American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/AN) are at a higher risk for gastric cancer than non-Hispanic white populations. Hispanic individuals are more likely to present with gastric cancer at a younger age (< 50 years old), present at a later stage, and have higher recurrence rates than non-Hispanic patients. We sought to better understand gastric cancer associated mortality and incidence among minority populations using two national databases
Methods: Cases and stage at diagnosis data from SEER-18 (2000-2015) were used. Analyses were restricted to non-cardia gastric cancer as this is the more common manifestation among these populations and it is associated with Helicobacter pylori infection. We evaluate trends over time and disparities in incidence rate and stage at diagnosis by race/ethnicity, age and sex.
Results: Incidence rates were highest among Black and Asian/Pacific Island males (14.9 per 100,000, 95%CI: 14.5,15.3; 8.5 per 100,000, 95%CI: 8.3,8.7) and lowest among white females (3.6 per 100,000, 95%CI: 3.5,3.7). The decreasing trends over time seen in other sub-populations were not seen among those under 50 years of age, AI/AN men and women 51-69 years, Hispanic men and women 51-69 years, AI/AN women 70 and over, and Hispanic and White men 70 and over. Younger individuals (<50 years) were more likely to be diagnosed at a later stage, and this was particularly apparent among Hispanic and AI/AN males.
Conclusions: This analysis highlights the importance of gastric cancer in the differential diagnosis of younger individuals and among Hispanic and AI/AN males presenting with stomach pain.
Keywords: Non-cardia gastric cancer, American Indian, late diagnosis