by A recent study published in JAMA Network Open by researchers from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center reveals that proximity to a Comprehensive Cancer Center (CCC), race, and insurance status significantly influence the likelihood of early-stage or late-stage cancer diagnosis.
The researchers analyzed medical records of over 94,000 cancer patients to identify trends in Cancer Testing based on various factors. They discovered that patients who lived farther away from a CCC and only received a diagnosis or treatment at the center had higher odds of late-stage cancer diagnosis.
Moreover, non-Hispanic Black patients and those with Medicaid or no insurance, regardless of their location, were also more likely to receive a late-stage cancer diagnosis.
Previous research has shown that patients who do not receive their initial cancer treatment at a CCC experience poorer cancer outcomes. In response, the research team, led by Michael Desjardins, Ph.D., an assistant research professor of epidemiology and a core faculty member at the Spatial Science for Public Health Center at the Bloomberg School of Public Health; Frank Curriero, Ph.D., professor of epidemiology and director of the Spatial Science for Public Health Center; and William Nelson, M.D., Ph.D., director of the Kimmel Cancer Center, initiated this study to examine the relationship between proximity to a CCC and other social determinants of health and the odds of receiving an early-stage or late-stage cancer diagnosis.
The findings of this study underscore the importance of addressing significant barriers to cancer screening and treatment for individuals living far from a CCC and for disadvantaged populations.
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1. Source: Coherent Market Insights, Public sources, Desk research
2. We have leveraged AI tools to mine information and compile it
