Lack of reduction in racial disparities in cancer‐specific mortality over a 20‐year period

BACKGROUND To the authors' knowledge, it remains unknown whether race‐based differences in cancer outcomes have changed with time. In the current study, the authors assessed whether racial disparities in cancer‐specific mortality have improved over the last 20 years. METHODS The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results program was used to identify 2,713,474 patients diagnosed between 1988 and 2007 with either lung, breast, prostate, or colorectal cancer (the leading 3 causes of cancer‐related mortality among each sex). After exclusions, 1,001,978 patients remained eligible for analysis. The impact of race on cancer‐specific mortality was assessed using the regression model of Fine and Gray; an interaction model evaluated trends over time. RESULTS African Americans presented with a more advanced stage of disease (P