Racial Disparities in Clinical Trial Enrollment for Prostate Cancer
Author Information
Author(s): Wiesen Brett M., Flaig Thomas W., Gershman Boris, Konety Badrinath, Warren Adam, Kuna Elizabeth Molina, Robin Tyler, Kessler Elizabeth R., Eule Corbin J., Breyer Benjamin N., Achua Justin, Kim Simon P.
Primary Institution: University of Colorado, Aurora, Colorado, USA
Hypothesis
Are there racial disparities in clinical trial enrollment among patients diagnosed with prostate cancer?
Conclusion
Hispanic/Latino men with advanced prostate cancer have significantly lower clinical trial enrollment rates compared to White men, while Black men do not show a significant difference.
Supporting Evidence
- Only 2.6% of patients with advanced prostate cancer were enrolled in clinical trials.
- Enrollment rates varied from 0.30% in 2011 to 3.94% in 2018, then decreased to 2.37% in 2023.
- Older age was associated with lower odds of clinical trial enrollment.
- Hispanic/Latino patients had significantly lower odds of enrollment compared to White patients.
- Black men did not show a statistically significant difference in enrollment compared to White men.
Takeaway
This study found that not many men with advanced prostate cancer are joining clinical trials, especially Hispanic/Latino men, which is a problem that needs fixing.
Methodology
The study used a population-based cohort from the CancerLinQ Discovery database, analyzing men with advanced prostate cancer diagnosed from 2011 to 2023.
Potential Biases
Potential biases may arise from the underrepresentation of certain racial groups and the lack of granularity in clinical trial data.
Limitations
The study did not provide details on the specific types or phases of clinical trials, and the sample size was limited to about 2% of the total diagnosed cases.
Participant Demographics
The study included men aged 40-90 diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer, with a focus on racial and ethnic backgrounds.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.001
Confidence Interval
CI: 0.161–0.744
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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