A National Cancer Database Study on Intra-Operative Radiation Therapy in Breast Cancer Patients: Does Socioeconomic Status or Race Correlate with Cure?

Abstract

Background: Minority women with breast cancer more commonly have poorer outcomes and survival rates. Disparities are multifactorial. It is possible that poor outcomes in minority groups are related to aspects of care such as Intra-Operative Radiation Therapy (IORT). Our study aims to explore whether minority groups who received IORT vs. External Beam Radiation Therapy (EBRT) have poorer outcomes in comparison to non-minorities. Methods:A retrospective review of data from the National Cancer Database (NCDB) from 2004-2015 was conducted on breast cancer patients who received IORT and EBRT. Multiple demographic variables were examined. Outcomes variables included readmission within 30 days, 30-day mortality, 90-day mortality, and long term survival. Results:Patients who underwent IORT were generally older than those who underwent non-IORT radiation (66 years of age versus 60; p<0.001). Fewer black patients underwent IORT compared to white patients (p<0.001). There was no significant difference between patients who underwent IORT and those who underwent non-IORT radiation on 30-day or 90-day mortality, (p>0.99 and p=0.45, respectively).

Intra-Operative Radiotherapy in Breast Cancer Treatment: A Literature Review

“…In recent years, a body of literature has been added on long-term results and survival and mortality of the patients. One important issue is the sociodemographic differences in patients' willingness to adopt IORT as their treatment choice, which has had a determining effect on short and long-term outcomes (63). In many cases, patients' choices are not attributable to any known determinant (64).…”