Government insurance linked with lower likelihood of radiation therapy for limited-stage small cell lung cancer

Patients with limited-stage small cell lung cancer who are covered by Medicare or Medicaid are less likely to receive radiation treatment, according to new research.

Researchers looked at utilization rates and factors associated with chemotherapy and radiation therapy delivery for limited-stage small cell lung cancer cases from 2004 through 2013 in the National Cancer Database.

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Researchers suggest that programs such as 340B and the Medicaid Drug Discount Program allow for improved access to chemotherapy.

“However, these programs provide no financial assistance for radiation therapy delivered to this high-risk population, which may partially explain why patients with government insurance were significantly less likely to receive radiation therapy,” Dr. Pezzi and his colleagues noted.

“Our findings suggest the need for targeted access improvement to radiation therapy for this population,” they added.

gtwachtman@frontlinemedcom.com

SOURCE: Todd Pezzi, MD, et al. JAMA Oncol. doi: 10.1001/jamaoncol.2017.4504.