University of Illinois Cancer Center leaders and members are among the authors of the study, “Access to Care and the Hispanic Paradox Among Hispanic Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma,” published in the journal Clinics and Research in Hepatology and Gastroenterology.
Cancer Center member and UI Health surgical oncologist Aslam Ejaz, MD, MPH, is the study corresponding author and co-authors include Cancer Center Director Jan Kitajewski, PhD, who leads the center’s Liver/Hepatocellular Cancer Working Group (HCC), and Cancer Center Associate Director for Community Outreach and Engagement Yamilé Molina, PhD. The Cancer Center is part of UI Health, the academic health system of the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC).
There is a disproportionate impact of liver cancer (hepatocellular carcinoma or HCC) on Latino/Hispanic patients but reported outcomes are limited, particularly among subpopulations. This study aimed to evaluate outcomes in access to care and survival among racial and ethnic Latino/Hispanic subpopulations.
Study highlights are excerpted below:
- In aggregate, Latino/Hispanics were less likely to undergo a curative-intent procedure and were more likely to receive delayed care in comparison with Non-Hispanic White (NHW) patients.
- Among Latino/Hispanic subpopulations, Cuban patients had the lowest odds of receiving a curative-intent procedure whereas Mexican patients had the highest odds of delayed treatment.
- Despite differences in access to care, the Hispanic cohort had decreased mortality risk in comparison with NHW patients across all cancer stages, with significantly improved survival seen among Latino/Hispanic Black and Dominican patients.
“Despite decreased resection rates and increased likelihood of delayed treatment, Hispanics had improved survival across its subpopulations in comparison to NHW patients, further highlighting the Hispanic paradox,” the study discussion concluded.
Other study authors are affiliated with Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Universidad Central del Caribe in Puerto Rico, SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University in New York, University College Dublin in Ireland, and UT Southwestern Medical Center in Texas.