Socio-Economic Inequalities in Lung Cancer Outcomes: An Overview of Systematic Reviews

Simple Summary Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer mortality worldwide. Research has revealed significant socio-economic inequalities in lung cancer, such that people of lower socio-economic status (SES) generally have worse outcomes. In this article, using the umbrella review methodology, we review and organize the available evidence on socio-economic inequalities in diverse lung cancer outcomes. We find that people of a lower SES have a lower chance of cancer survival, most likely due to the lower likelihood of receiving both traditional and next-generation treatments, higher rates of comorbidities, and higher likelihood of being admitted as emergency. People of a lower SES are generally not diagnosed at later stages, but this may change after broader implementation of lung cancer screening, as early evidence suggests that there are socio-economic inequalities in its use. In the past decade, evidence has accumulated about socio-economic inequalities in very diverse lung cancer outcomes. To better understand the global effects of socio-economic factors in lung cancer, we conducted an overview of systematic reviews. Four databases were searched for systematic reviews reporting on the relationship between measures of socio-economic status (SES) (individual or area-based) and diverse lung cancer outcomes, including epidemiological indicators and diagnosis- and treatment-related variables. AMSTAR-2 was used to assess the quality of the selected systematic reviews. Eight systematic reviews based on 220 original studies and 8 different indicators were identified. Compared to people with a high SES, people with a lower SES appear to be more likely to develop and die from lung cancer. People with lower SES also have lower cancer survival, most likely due to the lower likelihood of receiving both traditional and next-generation treatments, higher rates of comorbidities, and the higher likelihood of being admitted as emergency. People with a lower SES are generally not diagnosed at later stages, but this may change after broader implementation of lung cancer screening, as early evidence suggests that there may be socio-economic inequalities in its use.

Automated summary

Lung cancer is a leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Lower socio-economic status (SES) is associated with higher risk and worse outcomes in lung cancer. People with lower SES have lower cancer survival due to barriers in receiving treatments, higher rates of comorbidities, and increased likelihood of emergency admissions. However, they are generally diagnosed at earlier stages. Broad implementation of lung cancer screening may change this scenario.