Socioeconomic variation in colon cancer tumour factors associated with poorer prognosis
2003

Socioeconomic Variation in Colon Cancer Tumour Factors

Sample size: 7393 publication Evidence: moderate

Author Information

Author(s): Lyratzopoulos G, West C R, Williams E M I

Primary Institution: University of Manchester

Hypothesis

More deprived patients are more likely to have tumours with more aggressive characteristics.

Conclusion

More deprived colon cancer patients do not have an excess risk of suffering from tumours of MPA subtype, proximal subsite, and poor grade.

Supporting Evidence

  • Colorectal cancer survival is greater in more affluent UK patients.
  • The 5-year relative survival deficit between most- and least-deprived patients was 4%.
  • More deprived patients were less likely to have MPA subtype tumours.

Takeaway

This study found that poorer colon cancer patients are not more likely to have worse tumours than richer patients.

Methodology

Data were obtained from the Merseyside and Cheshire Cancer Registry for colon cancer cases during 1989–1996, with statistical analysis using logistic regression models.

Potential Biases

Potential misclassification error in socioeconomic status measurement.

Limitations

The study may have under-ascertainment of MPA subtype and could not examine the influence of tumour stage.

Participant Demographics

{"total":6932,"sex":{"male":3302,"female":3630},"age_groups":{"50-64":1549,"65-74":2290,"75 and over":3093},"deprivation_groups":{"affluent":1174,"deprived":2672}}

Statistical Information

P-Value

p<0.001

Confidence Interval

{"MPA_subtype":"0.63 (0.45-0.84)","proximal_subsite":"0.93 (0.78 - 1.09)","poor_grade":"0.88 (0.61-1.26)"}

Statistical Significance

p<0.001

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1038/sj.bjc.6601192

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