Disparities in Time to Treatment for Breast Cancer

Background/Aim: This study aimed to identify the demographic/socioeconomic factors associated with disparities in time to breast cancer treatment. Patients and Methods: We conducted an analysis of breast cancer patients from the National Cancer Database, 2008-2019. Time intervals from diagnosis to surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy were compared based on age, sex, race, and socioeconomic status. Results: A total of 715,210 patients with breast cancer were included. Overall, Hispanic patients had the longest times to surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy compared to non-Hispanic patients (surgery 73.3 vs. 53.8 days, radiation 177.2 vs. 136.9 days, chemotherapy 83.0 vs. 66.5 days, all p<0.01). Similarly, black patients, those who were uninsured, and those with lower income (<$63,000) had the longest times to treatment. Conclusion: We identified several racial/socioeconomic disparities in time to treatment. Further investigation into the causes of these disparities is of increasing importance to address inequities in breast cancer care.