Intra-racial disaggregation reveals associations between nativity and overall survival in women with endometrial cancer

Gynecol Oncol. 2023 Sep:176:98-105. doi: 10.1016/j.ygyno.2023.07.008. Epub 2023 Jul 20.

Abstract

Objective: Prior studies have demonstrated survival differences between Black women with endometrial cancer (EC) born in the US and Caribbean. Our objective was to determine if country of birth influences EC overall survival (OS) in disaggregated subpopulations of Black women.

Methods: Using the Florida Cancer Data System, women with EC diagnosed from 1981 to 2017 were identified. Demographic and clinical information were abstracted. Women who self-identified as Black and born in the US (USB), Jamaica (JBB), or Haiti (HBB) were included. Statistical analyses were performed using chi-square, Cox proportional hazards models, and Kaplan-Meier methods with significance set at p < 0.05.

Results: 3817 women met the inclusion criteria. Compared to USB, JBB and HBB had more high-grade histologies, more advanced stage disease, had a greater proportion of uninsured or Medicaid insured, and had a higher proportion of women who received chemotherapy (all p < 0.05). In multivariate analyses, age (HR 1.03 [1.02-1.05]), regional stage (HR 1.52 [1.22-1.89]), distant stage (HR 3.73 [2.84-4.89]), lymphovascular space invasion (HR 1.96 [1.61-2.39]), receipt of surgery (HR 0.47 [0.29-0.75]), and receipt of chemotherapy (HR 0.77 [0.62-0.95]) were independently associated with OS. Compared to USB, Haitian nativity was an independent negative predictor of OS when evaluating all histologies together (HR 1.54 [1.18-2.00]) and for endometrioid EC specifically (HR 1.77 [1.10-2.83]). Among women with serous EC, HBB had markedly worse median OS (18.5 months [13.4-46.5]) relative to USB (29.9 months [26.3-35.9]) and JBB (41.0 months, [34.1-82.6], p = 0.013).

Conclusion: Country of birth is associated with endometrial cancer survival in Black women, with HBB demonstrating worse outcomes.

Keywords: Ancestry; Black women; Caribbean women; Endometrial cancer; Health disparities.

MeSH terms

  • Black People
  • Black or African American
  • Carcinoma, Endometrioid* / mortality
  • Carcinoma, Endometrioid* / therapy
  • Caribbean People
  • Endometrial Neoplasms* / mortality
  • Endometrial Neoplasms* / therapy
  • Female
  • Haiti / epidemiology
  • Humans
  • Jamaica
  • Racial Groups
  • Survival Rate
  • United States / epidemiology

Supplementary concepts

  • Afro-Caribbean people