DISPARITIES IN ACCESS TO CHEMOTHERAPY AMONG KENTUCKY STAGE IV NON-SMALL CELL LUNG CANCER PATIENTS

OBJECTIVE: This population-based retrospective cohort study examines the association of sociodemographic disparities with the receipt of chemotherapy among patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer in the Commonwealth of Kentucky in the precision oncology and immunotherapy era. METHODS: Kentucky Cancer Registry data from 2010 through 2017 was analyzed using univariate, bivariate, unadjusted, and adjusted multivariate regressions to assess disparities in our population (N = 9490). RESULTS:We found no significant difference in receipt of chemotherapy between sexes (OR 0.99, P=0.90) nor races (OR 1.12, P=0.22). Patients diagnosed in an Appalachia county were significantly less likely to receive chemotherapy (OR 0.71, P Patients who were married or lived with a domestic partner were significantly more likely to receive chemotherapy (OR 1.71, P CONCLUSIONS: Higher proportions of patients have received chemotherapy over time. Receipt of life-prolonging chemotherapy is associated with patients’ age, Appalachian status, marital/living status, insurance type, and tobacco use