Are There Ethnic Differences in Recorded Features among Patients Subsequently Diagnosed with Cancer? An English Longitudinal Data-Linked Study

Simple Summary This UK population-based study aimed to determine whether the presenting features of cancer recorded in primary care before diagnosis differed by ethnicity. We found that for some cancer types, Asian and Black patients were more likely than White patients to have 'less concerning' features, such as cough and upper abdominal pain, recorded before diagnosis. Indeed, there was no site where either group was more likely than the White group to have alarm features, such as blood in urine, recorded. However, further research is necessary to determine the extent to which these ethnic differences reflect the disease biology, patient, or healthcare factors. We investigated ethnic differences in the presenting features recorded in primary care before cancer diagnosis. Methods: English population-based cancer-registry-linked primary care data were analysed. We identified the coded features of six cancers (breast, lung, prostate, colorectal, oesophagogastric, and myeloma) in the year pre-diagnosis. Logistic regression models investigated ethnic differences in first-incident cancer features, adjusted for age, sex, smoking status, deprivation, and comorbidity. Results: Of 130,944 patients, 92% were White. In total, 188,487 incident features were recorded in the year pre-diagnosis, with 48% (89,531) as sole features. Compared with White patients, Asian and Black patients with breast, colorectal, and prostate cancer were more likely than White patients to have multiple features; the opposite was seen for the Black and Other ethnic groups with lung or prostate cancer. The proportion with relevant recorded features was broadly similar by ethnicity, with notable cancer-specific exceptions. Asian and Black patients were more likely to have low-risk features (e.g., cough, upper abdominal pain) recorded. Non-White patients were less likely to have alarm features. Conclusion: The degree to which these differences reflect disease, patient or healthcare factors is unclear. Further research examining the predictive value of cancer features in ethnic minority groups and their association with cancer outcomes is needed.

Automated summary

This UK population-based study aimed to investigate whether there are ethnic differences in the presenting features of cancer recorded in primary care before diagnosis. The study found that Asian and Black patients were more likely to have 'less concerning' features recorded before diagnosis compared to White patients, while no ethnic group was more likely to have alarm features recorded. Further research is needed to determine the underlying factors behind these ethnic differences, whether it is related to disease biology, patient, or healthcare factors.