Treatment outcomes in black and white children with cancer: results from the SEER database and St Jude Children's Research Hospital, 1992 through 2007.

Abstract

PURPOSE:

Treatment outcome for black patients with cancer has been significantly worse than for their white counterparts. We determined whether recent improved treatment had narrowed the gap in outcome between black and white pediatric patients.

PATIENTS AND METHODS:

In a parallel comparison, we analyzed survival by disease category between black and white patients with childhood cancer registered in one of the 17 cancer registries of the National Cancer Institute's Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) program or treated at St Jude Children's Research Hospital, which provides comprehensive treatment to all patients regardless of their ability to pay, from 1992 to 2000 and from 2001 to 2007.

RESULTS:

Analysis of the SEER data indicated that in both study periods, black patients had significantly poorer rates of survival than did white patients, with the exception of a few types of cancer. Despite significantly improved treatment outcomes for patients who were treated from 2001 to 2007, the racial difference in survival has actually widened for acute myeloid leukemia and neuroblastoma. By contrast, in the cohorts treated at St Jude Children's Research Hospital, there were no significant differences in survival between black and white patients in either study period, regardless of the cancer type. Importantly, the outcome of treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukemia, acute myeloid leukemia, and retinoblastoma has improved in parallel for both races during the most recent study period.

CONCLUSION:

With equal access to comprehensive treatment, black and white children with cancer can achieve the same high cure rates.

• Authors: Ching-Hon Pui, Deqing Pei, Alberto S Pappo, Scott C Howard, Cheng Cheng, John T Sandlund, Wayne L Furman, Raul C Ribeiro, Sheri L Spunt, Jeffrey E Rubnitz, Sima Jeha, Melissa M Hudson, Larry E Kun, Thomas E Merchant, Mehmet Kocak, Alberto Broniscer, Monika L Metzger, James R Downing, Wing Leung, William E Evans, Amar Gajjar
• Journal: Journal of clinical oncology : official journal of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (J Clin Oncol) Vol. 30 Issue 16 Pg. 2005-12 (Jun 01 2012) ISSN: 1527-7755 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 22547602 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Topics

• Black or African American
• Child
• Child, Preschool
• Humans
• Neoplasms (ethnology, mortality, therapy)
• SEER Program
• Survival Analysis
• Treatment Outcome
• White People