Disaggregating U.S. Asian and Pacific Islanders: Colorectal cancer

Abstract

Background

Colorectal cancer remains a public health concern as the 4th most common cancer in the US. Incidence and mortality have been observed to differ between races; however, Asian and Pacific Islander ethnicities are often documented in aggregate. Recognizing that these groups are heterogeneous, this study seeks to disaggregate Native Hawaiian from the broader “Asian/Pacific Islander” group and examine disparate outcomes in colorectal cancer.

Methods

De-identified data from the Hawaii Tumor Registry was queried to evaluate colorectal cancer in the state of Hawaii. Primary outcomes were cancer stage at diagnosis, first course of therapies received, and duration of survival from diagnosis. Chi-square analyses were performed for differences in categorical variables.

Results

7943 Hawaii residents were diagnosed with colorectal cancer in 2008–2018 with 1151 (14.5 %) patients identifying as Native Hawaiian. Native Hawaiians were less likely to present with localized cancer (36.7 % vs. 41.7 %; p = 0.002) and more likely to be diagnosed with distant stage cancer compared to non-Native Hawaiians (25.2 % vs. 17.67 %; p < 0.0001) and, among those with distant metastases, more likely to receive chemotherapy (68.3 % vs. 61.1 %; p = 0.029). No significant differences were observed between races on analysis of CRC-specific mortality.

Conclusion

Significant differences exist between disaggregated Asian and Pacific Islander ethnic groups. Native Hawaiians are observed to present with more advanced cancer at the time of diagnosis in comparison to ethnicities. Disaggregating these groups reveals racial and ethnic disparities that may inform public health measures.

Synopsis

Disaggregating Asian and Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander groups reveals disparities in colorectal cancer. Native Hawaiians presented with more advanced disease across all studied ethnic groups. No significant differences were observed in colorectal cancer specific mortality across groups.