Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To determine correlation between race and receipt of optimal treatment for ovarian cancer and the impact of this on overall survival. METHODS: Using SEER-linked Medicare database, women 66 and older diagnosed with advanced ovarian cancer between 2002 and 2011 were identified. Patients with unclear histology, diagnosed on autopsy and without Medicare Parts A and B were excluded. We used Chi-square test for categorical variables, F test for continuous variables, and multivariable logistic regression to identify characteristics associated with receipt of surgery and chemotherapy. Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to compare overall survival rates. Cox Proportional Hazards regression was performed to identify factors associated with 5-year survival. RESULTS: 9016 ovarian cancer patients were included. 2638 had primary chemotherapy, 4854 had primary surgery, and 1524 had no treatment. 7653 (84.9%) were white, 572 (6.3%) black, 479 (5.3%) Hispanic, and 312 (3.5%) were of other race/ethnicity. More white patients (57.2%) received both chemotherapy and surgery compared to black (39.9%), Hispanic (48.9%), or other (54.2%) (p < .001). Receipt of either only surgery or chemotherapy, or receipt of neither, resulted in higher risk of death when compared to receipt of both. On multivariable analysis, black (OR 0.58 [0.46-0.73]) and Hispanic (0.69 [0.54-0.88]) patients were less likely to receive both chemotherapy and surgery. Being of black race was significantly correlated with worse overall survival [HR 1.13 (1.03-1.23); p = .02]. CONCLUSIONS: Non-white women are less likely to receive the standard of care treatment for ovarian cancer and more likely to die from their disease than white women.