Racial and ethnic disparities in a national cohort of ampullary cancer patients

Background and Objectives

Racial and ethnic variations have been described in the different malignancies, but no such data exists for ampullary cancer. The aim of this study was to present an updated report on the epidemiology, treatment patterns, and survival of a national cohort of ampullary cancer patients.

Methods

Patients diagnosed with ampullary cancer between 2004 and 2014 were identified in the National Cancer Database. Overall survival was estimated and compared between racial/ethnic groups using the log-rank test.

Results

A total of 14 879 patients were identified; 78% of the patients were White, 9% Hispanic, 8% Black, and 5% Asian. We noted significant differences in disease presentation, socioeconomic status, and outcomes. Blacks had the lowest median overall survival at 18.9 months followed by Whites at 23.9 months, Hispanics at 32.7 months, and Asians at 37.4 months. On a multivariate Cox proportional-hazards model, being Black was associated with worse survival compared to being White while being Asian and Hispanic were associated with better survival.

Conclusions

Overall survival of ampullary cancer patients was independently associated with race and ethnicity. Further studies are needed to clarify whether these disparities are primarily due to socioeconomic status or biologic factors.

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