Histopathologic differences account for racial disparity in uterine cancer survival

ObjectiveThe incidence for uterine cancers has been reported to be higher among white women, whereas mortality is higher among black women. Reasons for the higher mortality among black women are not completely understood. The aim of our study is to examine the relationship between race/ethnicity, histopathologic subtype, and survival in uterine cancer.MethodsWe abstracted socio-demographic, treatment, and survival data for all women who were diagnosed with uterine cancer at Montefiore Medical Center from January 1999 through December 2009. Pathology records were reviewed.Results984 patients were identified. Racial/ethnic distribution was 382 (39%) white, 308 (31%) black, 232 (24%) Hispanic, and 62 (6.3%) other races, mixed, or unknown. 592 (60%) patients had endometrioid histology. Blacks were much more likely than whites to have non-endometrioid histologies (p < 0.001), including papillary serous, carcinosarcoma, and leiomyosarcoma. Blacks and Hispanics were at least as likely as whites to receive either chemotherapy or radiation therapy. The hazard ratio for death for black versus white patients was 1.94 (p < 0.001) when all histological subtypes were included. The hazard ratio for Hispanics for death was 1.2 (p = 0.32) compared to whites. However, when patients were divided into endometrioid and non-endometrioid histological subtypes, there was no significant difference in survival by race/ethnicity.ConclusionBlack patients with uterine cancer are much more likely to die and are much more likely to have non-endometrioid histologies than white patients. There are no differences in survival among white, black, or Hispanic women with uterine cancer, after control for histological subtype.

► We study the relationship of histology and race/ethnicity to survival in uterine cancer patients at a single institution. ► Blacks are much more likely to have non-endometrioid uterine cancers, including uterine papillary serous, carcinosarcoma, and leiomyosarcoma. ► Risk of death is much higher with blacks than whites, largely because of differences in the distribution of histologic types.