Abstract
Abstract only
e14642
Background: Insurance status has been shown to affect adherence to guidelines in the treatment of colon cancer1. This study aims to investigate trends in management of colon cancer and time to first treatment in patients with various insurance types using the National Cancer Database (NCDB). Methods: Treatment data for 845,121 patients and time to first treatment data for 497,993 patients diagnosed with colon cancer between 2000 and 2010 were identified using the NCDB. Reported utilization of treatment and time to first treatment were analyzed by insurance status. Results: Among all stages of colon cancer, no treatment was received more often by Veteran Affairs (10.5%) and Medicare (10.9%) patients than uninsured (8.8%), managed care (4.5%), private insurance (4.7%), Medicaid (8.4%) or Medicare with supplement (7.7%). Among stage I colon cancer, surgery was received less often by uninsured (90.9%) than other insurance types. Stage III colon cancer patients enrolled in Medicare with/without supplement received chemotherapy less often than other insurance types (49.9% and 46%). Stage IV Medicare patients with/without supplement also received chemotherapy less than other insurance types (59.5% and 52.9%). Surgery as monotherapy was the most common treatment received among all insurance types and stages. More uninsured patients received treatment within 3 days than any other insurance types (61%). A delay of at least 17days occurred more in Veteran Affairs patients than other insurance types (40.6%). Conclusions: This is the largest study to date to have examined treatment trends and time to first treatment. Among all insurance types, Medicare without supplement and Veteran Affairs patients were most likely to receive no treatment. Uninsured were less likely to receive the standard of care treatment with stage I cancers. Medicare patients were less likely to receive the standard of care for stage III and stage IV cancers than other insurance types. Veteran Affairs patients had treatment delayed significantly more than other insurance types. Future studies are needed to assess factors leading to receipt of substandard care.