Introduction Evaluation of the extent of socioeconomic inequalities in cancer incidence and mortality is essential to generate hypotheses in population health research and provides evidence for population-based strategies for comprehensive cancer control. The objective of this study was to create an area-based socioeconomic position (SEP) index to assess possible socioeconomic disparities in incidence and mortality of selected cancers in Puerto Rico. Methods Data for cancer incidence and mortality from 1995 to 2004 were obtained from the Puerto Rico Central Cancer Registry and the Puerto Rico Department of Health, and Puerto Rico socioeconomic data were obtained from the US Census 2000. We used principal component and factor analysis methods to construct the SEP index at the municipality level. We calculated age-adjusted incidence and mortality for each SEP area and used rate ratios to evaluate the differences by SEP. Results Incidence and mortality of cancer in Puerto Rico varied by SEP area. In general, the incidence and mortality for cancers of the esophagus and stomach were higher for municipalities with the lowest SEP; in contrast, rates for breast, colorectal, kidney, pancreas, prostate, and thyroid were higher for areas with the highest SEP. Conclusion These results highlight cancer disparities in Puerto Rico by SEP level that warrant further research.

Colorectal cancer represents a major health problem and an important economic burden in Puerto Rico. In the 1990's, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico implemented a health care reform through the privatization of the public health system. The goal was to ensure access to health services, eliminate disparities for medically indigent citizens and provide special coverage for high-risk conditions such as cancer. This study estimates the 5-year relative survival rate of colorectal cancer and the relative excess risk of death in Puerto Rico for 2004–2005, by type of health insurance coverage; Government Health Plan vs. Non-Government Health Plan. Colorectal cancer in advanced stages was more common in Government Health Plan patients compared with Non-Government Health Plan patients (44.29% vs. 40.24 had regional extent and 13.58% versus 10.42% had distant involvement, respectively). Government Health Plan patients in the 50–64 (RR = 6.59; CI: 2.85–15.24) and ≥65 (RR = 2.4; CI: 1.72–4.04) age-groups had the greater excess risk of death compared with Non-Government Health Plan patients. Further studies evaluating the interplay of access to health services and the barriers affecting the Government Health Plan population are warranted.

PURPOSE Squamous cell carcinoma of the anus (SCCA) incidence and mortality rates are rising in the United States. Understanding state-level incidence and mortality patterns and associations with smoking and AIDS prevalence (key risk factors) could help unravel disparities and provide etiologic clues. METHODS Using the US Cancer Statistics and the National Center for Health Statistics data sets, we estimated state-level SCCA incidence and mortality rates. Rate ratios (RRs) were calculated to compare incidence and mortality in 2014-2018 versus 2001-2005. The correlations between SCCA incidence with current smoking (from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System) and AIDS (from the HIV Surveillance system) prevalence were evaluated using Spearman's rank correlation coefficient. RESULTS Nationally, SCCA incidence and mortality rates (per 100,000) increased among men (incidence, 2.29-3.36, mortality, 0.46-0.74) and women (incidence, 3.88-6.30, mortality, 0.65-1.02) age ≥ 50 years, but decreased among men age < 50 years and were stable among similar-aged women. In state-level analysis, a marked increase in incidence (≥ 1.5-fold for men and ≥ two-fold for women) and mortality (≥ two-fold) for persons age ≥ 50 years was largely concentrated in the Midwestern and Southeastern states. State-level SCCA incidence rates in recent years (2014-2018) among men were correlated ( r = 0.47, P < .001) with state-level AIDS prevalence patterns. For women, a correlation was observed between state-level SCCA incidence rates and smoking prevalence ( r = 0.49, P < .001). CONCLUSION During 2001-2005 to 2014-2018, SCCA incidence and mortality nearly doubled among men and women age ≥ 50 years living in Midwest and Southeast. State variation in AIDS and smoking patterns may explain variation in SCCA incidence. Improved and targeted prevention is needed to combat the rise in SCCA incidence and mitigate magnifying geographic disparities.

In the US, the success of widely implemented screening programs has been associated with a decrease in the incidence of cervical cancer during the last few decades. 1 Although national trends in cervical cancer incidence in the contiguous US are well documented, 1 recent trends in Puerto Rico (a US territory that is home to nearly 2 million Hispanic or Latino women) are unclear, particularly among age groups and birth cohorts that may have benefited from cervical cancer screening and human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination. We evaluated recent trajectories in the incidence of cervical cancer in Puerto Rico by age and among birth cohorts.Methods | We analyzed the 2001-2017 Puerto Rico Central Cancer Registry data set. Cervical cancer cases were identified

PURPOSE Squamous cell carcinoma of the anus (SCCA) is common among persons living with HIV (PLWH). We described SCCA incidence and survival among the general population and among PLWH in Puerto Rico (PR), along with mortality of anal cancer. METHODS PR HIV/AIDS Surveillance Program and the PR Central Cancer Registry databases were linked (2000-2016). Incidence rates (IRs) and trends (annual percent change [APC]) in SCCA and mortality rates and trends for anal cancer were estimated. Relative survival and relative excess risk (RER) of death were calculated. RESULTS From 2000 to 2016, 991 individuals in PR were diagnosed with anal cancer; 73% of cases were SCCA 9.1% of SCCA and 1.5% of non-SCCA cases were in PLWH ( P < .0001). SCCA incidence was higher among PLWH than the general population (IR = 27.7/100,000). Among PLWH, SCCA incidence (per 100,000) was the highest among men who have sex with men (IR = 60.5). From 2001-2016, SCCA incidence increased among the general population (APC: 4.90, P < .05); however, no significant change was observed among PLWH (APC = 0.19 and P = .96). The APC for anal cancer mortality in the general population was positive (3.9%) from 2000 to 2016, but not significant ( P > .05). The 5-year relative survival of SCCA was 56.9% among PLWH and 66.8% among the general population. In multivariate analysis, the RER of death for SCCA 5 years postdiagnosis was affected by stage at diagnosis (distant: RER = 7.6, 95% CI, 2.36 to 24.25) but not by PLWH status (RER = 1.4, 95% CI, 0.67 to 3.01). CONCLUSION Our findings highlight the relevance of anal cancer screening in PLWH and HPV vaccination in both PLWH and the general population in PR, which could have an impact on the disease trend in the next few decades.

Objective The aim of our study was to compare the age-standardized incidence of esophageal cancer (EC) in Puerto Ricans (PRs) with that for non-Hispanic White (NHW), non-Hispanic Black (NHB), and Hispanic (USH) groups in the United States (US) as reported by the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results program for the 1992–2005 period. Methods We computed age-standardized and age-specific incidence (per 100,000 individuals) of EC during 1992 to 2005 using the World Standard Population as reference. The percent changes for age-standardized incidences, from 1992–1996 to 2001–2005, were calculated. The relative risks (RR) and the standardized rate ratios (SRR) were estimated, along with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Results Age-standardized rates (ASR) of adenocarcinomas (AC) showed increases for most racial/ethnic groups from 1992–1996 to 2001–2005. All racial/ethnic groups showed ASR reductions for squamous cell carcinomas (SCC). For both sexes, PRs had lower AC incidences than NHW and USH but higher than NHB. For those younger than 80 years of age, PR men showed higher SCC incidences than NHW but lower than NHB (P < 0.05). The incidence of SCC was about two times higher in PR men than USH men (SRR: 2.16; 95% CI = 1.65–2.88). Among women, the RR for SCC increased with age when comparing PRs to groups in the US. Conclusion Incidence disparities were observed between PRs and other racial/ethnic groups in the US. These differences and trends may reflect lifestyles of each racial/ethnic group. Further studies are warranted to explain these disparities.

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Objective:In this study, we examine factors associated with the use of the emergency room (ER) as an entry point into the health-care system to initiate a cancer diagnosis among Puerto Rico’s Government Health Plan (GHP) patients and compare the 1-year survival of GHP patients that initiated cancer diagnosis in the emergency room (ER) presentation with those that initiated the diagnosis in a physician’s office.Methods:Data for patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) aged 50 to 64 years and diagnosed in 2012 were obtained from the Puerto Rico Central Cancer Registry and linked to the Puerto Rico Health Insurance Administration database (n = 190). Crude odds ratio, adjusted odds ratio, and their 95% confidence intervals were reported. We used the Kaplan-Meier method to generate survival curves. Multivariate Cox regression analysis was performed to evaluate the association between ER presentation and 1-year cause-specific survival.Results:We found that 37.37% of the study population had an ER presentation. Male patients had a higher occurrence of having an ER presentation (66.20%), while 76.06% of the patients with an ER presentation were diagnosed in late stage. Emergency room presentation was a highly predictive factor for cancer mortality in the year following the diagnosis. These patients had between 3.99 to 4.24 times higher mortality risk than non-ER presentation patients (P < .05).Conclusion:Late presentation for CRC diagnosis through an ER visit is a significant concern that influences negatively on the patient’s outcome. Efforts at increasing primary care visits and routine screening tests among GHP beneficiaries could improve survival.