Even When Diagnosed Early, Bladder Cancer Mortality Is Higher in Blacks

Peggy Peck
Reviewed by Zalman S. Agus, MD; Emeritus Professor at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine.

Explain to interested patients that this report found a higher mortality for black patients with bladder cancer than for whites, which may reflect a difference in access to care or comorbidity or treatment decision-making.
Explain to interested patients that early diagnosis of bladder cancer allows more surgical options including resection of the bladder rather than total cystectomy.

ANN ARBOR, Mich., Sept. 22 -- Bladder cancer is deadlier in blacks than whites, even when it is diagnosed early.

The 10-year mortality rate for blacks with bladder cancer was 24% versus a 15% mortality rate for whites, reported Cheryl T. Lee, M.D., of the University of Michigan, and colleagues, in the September issue of the Journal of Urology.

Blacks-especially black women--had significantly lower survival rates than whites for every stage of localized or regional bladder cancer, they wrote. Ten-year survival in black and white patients with similar tumor stage and grade was consistently worse in black patients, except those with metastasis. An adjusted multivariable model demonstrated a persistent survival disadvantage in black patients (HR 1.35, P <0.001).

And while bladder cancer is now diagnosed at an earlier stage than it was a decade ago, blacks were still diagnosed with a higher stage disease than were whites (P<0.001).

Pages: 1 2 3 4