Author of

• 20155

  +

  P1.06 - Epidemiology/Primary Prevention/Tobacco Control and Cessation (ID 692)

  • Event: WCLC 2017
  • Type: Poster Session with Presenters Present
  • Track: Epidemiology/Primary Prevention/Tobacco Control and Cessation
  • Presentations: 1
  • Moderators:
  • Coordinates: 10/16/2017, 09:30 - 16:00, Exhibit Hall (Hall B + C)

  • 22645

    +

    P1.06-001 - Does Access to Private Health Care Influence Potential Lung Cancer Cure Rates? (ID 7325)

    09:30 - 09:30  |  Author(s): E. Irusen
    • Abstract

    Background:
    Numerous studies show a link between poor socioeconomic status (SES) and late stage cancer diagnosis. This however has not been consistently shown looking at non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in isolation. Despite the extremely high prevalence of lung cancer as well as disparities in access to healthcare based on health insurance in South Africa, there is a paucity of data looking at the influence of health insurance (as a surrogate for SES) on stage at presentation of NSCLC. We aimed to study the relationship between health insurance status (and invariably SES) and staging of patients (and by virtue, resectability) with primary non-small cell lung carcinoma at the time of initial presentation.
    
    Method:
    We retrospectively compared privately health insured patients (n=55) to those with no health insurance (n=610) with regard to demographics, tumour node metastasis staging and cell type at initial presentation.
    
    Result:
    Those with no health insurance were younger (59.9±10.1 years) than those with private health insurance (64.15±9.6 years, p = 0.03). Poorly differentiated NSCLC was significantly more common in the privately health insured group (23.6%) compared to those with no health insurance (4.6%; p < 0.01). Six of 51 NSCLC patients (11.8%) with private health insurance presented with early stage, potentially curable disease (up to stage IIIA) compared to 55 patients (10.3%) in the uninsured group (p = 0.75).
    
    Conclusion:
    We found that access to private health insurance did not have a significant impact on stage at initial presentation. The only significant differences were the relatively advanced age at presentation and relatively higher percentage of poorly differentiated NSCLC seen in private practice.