Differences according to socioeconomic status in the management and mortality in men with high risk prostate cancer

Background: Outcomes for many cancer forms are associated with socioeconomic status (SES).We investigated if SES was associated with management and mortality in men with high risk prostate cancer. Material and methods: A nation-wide population-based cohort in Prostate Cancer Data Base Sweden (PCBaSe), a merged database including data on incident prostate cancer identified in the National Prostate Cancer Register (NPCR) between 1997 and 2006. High risk PCa was defined as T3 tumour, and/or Gleason score 8-10 and/or PSA 20-50 ng/mL. Use of bone scan, curative treatment, and mortality in relation to SES was assessed by logistic, Cox, and competing risk regression with hazard ratios (HR), sub-distributed HR and 95% confidence intervals (CI) adjusted for co-morbidity, age, calendar period and clinical subgroups. Results: Amongst 17,522 high risk prostate cancer patients, a bone scan was more often performed in higher white-collar than in blue-collar workers (OR 1.30; 95% CI 1.21-1.40). Amongst men without metastases, the likelihood of intention to treat was higher in higher white-collar workers (OR 1.43; 95% CI 1.28-1.57). In men who received curative treatment, the likelihood was higher to undergo radical prostatectomy for higher white-collar patients (OR 1.29; 95% CI 1.10-1.47). In men without metastases, not only overall mortality was lower amongst higher white-collar workers (HR, 0.76; 95% CI 0.60-0.97), but also prostate cancer-specific mortality (sHR 0.70; 95% CI, 0.49-0.99). Conclusions: We conclude that socioeconomic disparities in the management and mortality in men with high risk prostate cancer exist also within the setting of a National Health Care System aiming to provide care on equal terms to all residents. © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.