Patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) and low socioeconomic status (SES) have worse survival outcomes, according to a study published in Scientific Reports.
“The influence of SES on access to standard chemotherapy and/or monoclonal antibody therapy, and associated secular trends, relative survival, and excess mortality, among [patients with] DLBCL is not clear,” the researchers wrote.
In this population-based cohort study of people in Hong Kong, researchers assessed 4,017 adult patients with DLBCL between 2000 and 2018. They analyzed the link between SES levels and odds of receiving chemotherapy, while estimating long-term relative survival.
According to the results, low SES was associated with less frequent use of chemotherapy (odds ratio [OR]=0.44; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.34-0.57) and rituximab (OR=0.41; 95% CI 0.32-0.52). The researchers noted that socioeconomic disparity for either treatment showed no secular trend of change. Additionally, patients with low SES showed increased excess mortality, with a hazard ratio of 2.34 (95% CI 1.67-3.28).
“Improving survival outcomes for patients with DLBCL requires provision of best available medical care and securing access to treatment regardless of patients’ SES,” the researchers concluded.
