24 May Blacks Have Reduced Survival After Diagnosis of Liver Cancer
MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Dr. Patricia Jones MD
Medicine, Division of Hepatology
Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center
University of Miami Miller School of Medicine
Miami, Florida, United States
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings?
Dr. Jones: This study reviewed 999 patients diagnosed with hepatocellular carcinoma in a diverse American population over the past ten years. The main findings were that Blacks had reduced survival, only 301 days, when comparison to Whites (534.5 days) and Hispanics (437 days) after being diagnosed with liver cancer. This was adjusted for insurance status, chemotherapy and gender and the findings still persisted. We found that Blacks present at later stages, when the tumor is too large for some of the treatments that we would like to offer, such as liver transplant.
MedicalResearch.com: What should readers take away from your report?
Dr. Jones: It is important to determine if you are at risk for liver cancer. People who have viral hepatitis, like hepatitis B or C, or cirrhosis are at the greatest risk. They should be talking to their doctors about their risk and whether they should be screened for liver cancer. Physicians who are treating people with risk factors for cancer should consider referring patients to hematologists, liver specialists, for treatment of underlying conditions in order to decrease the risk for liver cancer.
MedicalResearch.com: What recommendations do you have for future research as a result of this study?
Dr. Jones: We have described that disparities exist. Now we need to understand why these disparities exist and work closely with the communities most affected by the increasing rates of liver cancer and death from liver cancer.
MedicalResearch.com: Thank you for your contribution to the MedicalResearch.com community.
Citation: Abstract presented at the May 2016 Digestive Disease Week Conference
Racial Disparities in Survival after Hepatocellular Carcinoma Diagnosis in a Diverse American Population
Author Block: Patricia D. Jones1,2, Paul Martin1,2, Erin Kobetz3,4
1 Medicine, Division of Hepatology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, United States; 2Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, United States; 3Medicine, Division of Computational Science and Population Health, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, United States; 4 Jay Weiss Institute for Health Equity, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, United States
Note: Content is Not intended as medical advice. Please consult your health care provider regarding your specific medical condition and questions.
More Medical Research Interviews on MedicalResearch.com.
[wysija_form id=”5″]
Last Updated on May 24, 2016 by Marie Benz MD FAAD