Racial survival disparities in head and neck cancer clinical trials

Abstract

Background: Survival disparities between Black and White head and neck cancer patients are well documented, with access to care and socioeconomic status as major contributors. We set out to assess the role of self-reported race in head and neck cancer by evaluating treatment outcomes of patients enrolled in clinical trials, where access to care and socioeconomic status confounders are minimized. Methods: Clinical trial data from the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group studies were obtained. Studies were included if they were therapeutic trials that employed survival as an endpoint. Studies that did not report survival as an endpoint were excluded; 7 Radiation Therapy Oncology Group Studies were included for study. For each Black patient enrolled in a clinical trial, a study arm- matched White patient was used as a control. Results: A total of 468 Black participants were identified and matched with 468 White study arm-specific controls. White participants had better outcomes than Black participants in 60% of matched pairs (P