Park Henry S, Decker Roy H
Department of Therapeutic Radiology, Yale University School of Medicine, 15 York St, New Haven, CT 06519 USA.
Cancers Head Neck. 2016 Jun 13;1:5. doi: 10.1186/s41199-016-0005-x. eCollection 2016.
Though treatments for head and neck cancer have improved in recent years, significant variation persists in the delivery of surgery, radiation therapy, and systemic therapy to patients throughout the United States.
In this review, we explore the current evidence regarding radiation therapy utilization inequities across the spectra of race, socioeconomic status, and age. We also discuss hypothesized mechanisms for how non-clinical factors may influence shared clinical decisions between patients and providers. Finally, we suggest future directions for research in treatment disparities.
Radiation therapy continues to be delivered inequitably among certain subpopulations with head and neck cancer and other cancers. More research into the drivers of these disparities and interventions designed to address them are necessary.
尽管近年来头颈癌的治疗方法有所改进，但在美国各地，手术、放射治疗和全身治疗在患者中的应用仍存在显著差异。
在本综述中，我们探讨了有关种族、社会经济地位和年龄范围内放射治疗利用不平等的现有证据。我们还讨论了非临床因素可能如何影响患者与医疗服务提供者之间共同临床决策的假设机制。最后，我们提出了治疗差异研究的未来方向。
放射治疗在某些头颈癌和其他癌症亚人群中仍存在不公平现象。有必要对这些差异的驱动因素以及旨在解决这些差异的干预措施进行更多研究。
