In a recent study, Esteban Toro-Vélez, MD, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, and colleagues analyzed if sociodemographic characteristics influence the overall survival (OS) rates of Hispanic (HI) compared to non-Hispanic (NH) patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and/or small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL). They presented their findings at the 2023 ASCO Annual Meeting in Chicago, IL.

To analyze the impact of sociodemographic factors on OS, Toro-Vélez and colleagues used data on US patients with CLL/SLL in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results 18 database between 2000 and 2018. They analyzed patterns for demographics, disease characteristics, and survival for HI and NH patients, using Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression for OS. They also used multivariate analysis and propensity score matching, with adjustments for age, cancer stage, and B-symptoms. 

The researchers included data from 98,884 patients with CLL/SLL in their analyses, which included 5,012 HI patients. They found that there were more males than females in both patient groups (HI vs NH) and that HI patients were diagnosed at a younger median age (68 years vs 70 years; P < .001), although a majority of patients in both groups belonged to the 60-80–year age bracket. The two most prevalent cancer stages at diagnosis were unknown followed by advanced (stage III or IV) for HI and NH (P = .075). For both groups, the B-symptoms were mostly unknown, and the analysis showed a trend toward patients not receiving radiation as part of their treatment plan.

Although survival probability was similar for HI and HN patients at 2, 5, and 10 years, HI patients had better OS (P = .0045). The multivariate analysis revealed that OS was better for patients <60 years old (hazard ratio [HR], 2.5; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.4-2.7) and those diagnosed at an earlier stage (HR, 1.2; 95% CI, 1.0-1.4) compared to patients between 60 to 80 or >80 years old (HR, 7.5; 95% CI, 7.0-8.1) and those diagnosed at more advanced stages (HR, 1.4; 95% CI, 1.1-1.6). 

Toro-Vélez and colleagues ultimately determined in this study that HI patients diagnosed with CLL/SLL have better OS when compared to NH patients, with a correlation between better OS when CLL/SLL is diagnosed at an early stage and younger age. “Although demographic differences may be driving the survival effect in HI as they were noted to be younger, identification and better understanding of intrinsic disease characteristics, treatment patterns, and biological variables may aid in the understanding on how these factors contribute and impact the survival advantage in this ethnic group,” the authors wrote.

Source:

Toro-Vélez E, Rosas D, Velez-Mejia C, et al. Chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma nationwide analysis: Comparing sociodemographic and survival outcomes among Hispanics and non-Hispanics in the United States; June 2-6, 2023; Chicago, IL, and virtual; Abstract 7540.