Equal access to care reduces disparities in nonmetastatic castration- resistant prostate cancer outcomes

A recent study suggests that differences in outcomes by race and ethnicity among men with nonmetastatic castration-resistant

prostate cancer (nmCRPC) exist but can be reduced with equal access to care. Researchers from the University of Utah analyzed clinical outcomes for 12,992 veterans with nmCRPC within the U.S. Veterans Health Administration from 2006 to 2021. The primary outcome was the time from the landmark period to death or metastasis, with overall survival as a secondary outcome.

The study found that the median time from nmCRPC to metastasis or death varied by race and ethnicity, with Black patients having 5.96 years, Hispanic patients 5.62 years, White patients 4.11 years, and other patients 3.59 years. The median unadjusted overall survival was 6.26 years overall but differed among racial groups, with Black patients at 8.36 years, Hispanic patients at 8.56 years, White patients at 5.48 years, and other patients at 4.48 years.

The authors conclude that the study’s findings indicate that equal- access care may help reduce and even reverse racial and ethnic disparities in patients, with Black and Hispanic men experiencing significantly improved outcomes when treated in an equal- access setting.