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The Relationship Between Hodgkin Lymphoma Survival Rate and Insurance Status
According to the American Cancer Society, the estimated overall survival rate of patients diagnosed with Stage I Hodgkin lymphoma is 90%, while Stage IV has a 65% survival rate. A study published in Cancer sought to determine how insurance status affects Hodgkin lymphoma survival rate [Cancer. 2015 June 8. DOI: 10.1002/cncr.29518.].
Using the National Cancer Data Base, researchers determined that of the 45,777 eligible Hodgkin lymphoma patients, 66.3% were privately insured, 17.4% received insurance through Medicaid, 8.2% had managed care, 7.1% were uninsured, and 1.1% were insured through Medicare.
Patients who were insured through Medicaid or were not insured were less likely to receive radiotherapy and begin chemotherapy in a timely manner, and were less likely to be treated at an academic/research-based medical center (P<.01). These patients were also at more advanced stages of Hodgkin lymphoma and had higher comorbidity scores (P<.01). Participants who were insured through Medicaid or were not insured had a 5-year overall survival of 54% compared to the other participants who were considered “favorably insured” (87%, P<.01).—Melissa D. Cooper
