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Marianna Sarkissyan
Diabetes Type II and Hypertension are Associated with Breast Cancer in African-American and Hispanic women
Abstract Text:
Objectives and Background: The presence of comorbidities may modify health outcomes from breast cancer and may significantly contribute to health disparities. Studies examining the association of specific comorbidities with breast cancer outcomes in minority women have been limited in number. Therefore, the aims of the present study were to evaluate the distribution of comorbidity and breast cancer among African-American and Hispanic women and assess the consequence of comorbidity on survival in minority women with breast cancer. Methods: The association between comorbidity and breast cancer was assessed in a cross-sectional cohort of 585 African-American and Hispanic women from Los Angeles. Clinical data were obtained by medical record abstraction. The results were assessed using logistic regression with multivariate analysis. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was used to evaluate disease-free survival. Results: Our study identified a high frequency of comorbidity, especially hypertension and hypertension with diabetes in African-American women (40% and 13%, respectively) and Hispanic women (13% and 10%, respectively). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed a strong association between multiple comorbidity and breast cancer (odds ratio [OR], 2.1; P=0.039). Furthermore, multiple comorbidity was significantly associated with obesity, especially in breast cancer patients (P=0.029). There was also a trend towards significance (P=0.075) for the association between multiple comorbidity and decreased five-year disease-free survival. Implications and Next Steps: In sum, our study highlights a cohort of women who may be at a high risk for health inequalities due to the presence of comorbidity and should be considered for interventions.
Diabetes Type II and Hypertension are Associated with Breast Cancer in African-American and Hispanic women
Abstract Text:
Objectives and Background: The presence of comorbidities may modify health outcomes from breast cancer and may significantly contribute to health disparities. Studies examining the association of specific comorbidities with breast cancer outcomes in minority women have been limited in number. Therefore, the aims of the present study were to evaluate the distribution of comorbidity and breast cancer among African-American and Hispanic women and assess the consequence of comorbidity on survival in minority women with breast cancer. Methods: The association between comorbidity and breast cancer was assessed in a cross-sectional cohort of 585 African-American and Hispanic women from Los Angeles. Clinical data were obtained by medical record abstraction. The results were assessed using logistic regression with multivariate analysis. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was used to evaluate disease-free survival. Results: Our study identified a high frequency of comorbidity, especially hypertension and hypertension with diabetes in African-American women (40% and 13%, respectively) and Hispanic women (13% and 10%, respectively). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed a strong association between multiple comorbidity and breast cancer (odds ratio [OR], 2.1; P=0.039). Furthermore, multiple comorbidity was significantly associated with obesity, especially in breast cancer patients (P=0.029). There was also a trend towards significance (P=0.075) for the association between multiple comorbidity and decreased five-year disease-free survival. Implications and Next Steps: In sum, our study highlights a cohort of women who may be at a high risk for health inequalities due to the presence of comorbidity and should be considered for interventions.
