A study found Hispanic and African American colorectal cancer patients have a higher burden of poor health-related quality-of-life than Caucasian patients, resulting in shorter median survival rates.
Austin-based University of Texas Assistant Professor Michelle Hildebrandt, PhD, led the study which surveyed 450 Caucasian, 466 Hispanic and 316 African American patients. Dr. Hildebrandt examined predictors of HR-QoL by racial group and used a a short-form-12 survey to see if these differences influenced survival rates,
Here are three study insights:
1. African American and Hispanic patients reported lower physical composite summary scores and mental composite summary scores than white patients.
2. Among colorectal patients reporting a poor PCS, researchers observed Hispanic patients had the highest median survival rate, followed by African Americans and Caucasians.
3. Researchers found a similar relationship for poor MCS scores, with Hispanics averaging an 81.9 months survival rate, African Americans averaging 54.1 months and Caucasians averaging 40.8 months.
Dr. Hildebrandt concluded, "The patterns of racial disparity observed in this study can be an important tool for assessing the underlying mediators of HR-QoL in colorectal cancer patients and in further identifying patients who are particularly at risk for poor prognosis."
Dr. Hildebrandt will present the study at the American Association for Cancer Research annual meeting on April 2, 2017 in Washington, D.C.