Breast and Prostate Cancer Outcomes and Ethnicity in Windsor-Essex County

Standing

Undergraduate

Type of Proposal

Visual Presentation (Poster, Installation, Demonstration)

Faculty

Schulich School of Medicine Windsor

Faculty Sponsor

Dr. Caroline Hamm

Proposal

Objectives:To determine whether the ethnicity of a patient diagnosed with breast or prostate cancer in the Windsor-Essex County region influences baseline cancer characteristics or clinical outcome. If a relationship was found, this would provide an opportunity to explore improvements in management. Methods: A retrospective chart review was conducted with patients diagnosed with breast or prostate cancer at the Windsor Regional Cancer Centre (WRCC) between 2000-2010. To identify patient ethnicity, we used patient surnames as a proxy. Statistical analysis was performed to determine if there was any ethnic disparities in cancer outcomes or baseline cancer characteristics. Results: Baseline breast cancer characteristics investigated included breast cancer stage, receptor status (ER, PR,HER2), and age. Prostate cancer characteristics investigated included age at diagnosis, prostate cancer stage, PSA (pre- and post-treatment), Gleason score, and treatment received Clinical outcome was defined by survival in months. There were no statistically significant findings that tied ethnicity to differences in either baseline characteristics or clinical outcomes in patients diagnosed with breast cancer. Conclusion: There was no statistically significant relationship found between ethnicity and cancer outcomes or baseline characteristics. However, further studies are recommended to examine the reason for lack of ethnic disparities, which have been described in previous papers.

Location

Windsor

Grand Challenges

Understanding Borders

Special Considerations

N/A

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Breast and Prostate Cancer Outcomes and Ethnicity in Windsor-Essex County

Windsor

Objectives:To determine whether the ethnicity of a patient diagnosed with breast or prostate cancer in the Windsor-Essex County region influences baseline cancer characteristics or clinical outcome. If a relationship was found, this would provide an opportunity to explore improvements in management. Methods: A retrospective chart review was conducted with patients diagnosed with breast or prostate cancer at the Windsor Regional Cancer Centre (WRCC) between 2000-2010. To identify patient ethnicity, we used patient surnames as a proxy. Statistical analysis was performed to determine if there was any ethnic disparities in cancer outcomes or baseline cancer characteristics. Results: Baseline breast cancer characteristics investigated included breast cancer stage, receptor status (ER, PR,HER2), and age. Prostate cancer characteristics investigated included age at diagnosis, prostate cancer stage, PSA (pre- and post-treatment), Gleason score, and treatment received Clinical outcome was defined by survival in months. There were no statistically significant findings that tied ethnicity to differences in either baseline characteristics or clinical outcomes in patients diagnosed with breast cancer. Conclusion: There was no statistically significant relationship found between ethnicity and cancer outcomes or baseline characteristics. However, further studies are recommended to examine the reason for lack of ethnic disparities, which have been described in previous papers.