Racial, ethnic disparities in cancer care during COVID-19

Editor's Note

This national survey study led by researchers from Stanford University finds that the COVID-19 pandemic was linked to disparities in the receipt of timely cancer care in Black and Latinx adults.

Of 1,240 adult cancer patients surveyed, Black and Latinx respondents had greater odds of :

• involuntary treatment delays, and Black respondents had greater odds of treatment delays over 4 weeks
• concerns about food security
• financial instability
• unaffordability of cancer treatment.

The survey included 266 Black, 186 Asian, 232 Latinx, 29 American Indian or Alaska Native Hawaiian or multiple races, and 527 White patients nationwide.

Urgent efforts are needed to address these disparities in Black and Latinx patients with cancer, the authors say.