Ontario study links social disadvantage to early breast cancer deaths

A study conducted in Ontario has linked social disadvantage and a lack of access to primary care providers with increased risks of early death among patients diagnosed with de novo metastatic breast cancer.

Analyzing ICES data from 4,004 patients treated in Ontario between 2010 and 2019, researchers found that approximately 23 per cent of those with de novo metastatic disease—cancer that has already spread to other parts of the body at the time of initial diagnosis—died within six months of their diagnosis.

The research, published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, utilized the Ontario Marginalization Index to examine how factors such as housing stability, income, age, and employment status influence mortality. The study authors, including Priya Thomas of Western University and Phillip Blanchette of ICES, noted that patients with this specific stage of cancer are often vulnerable to health equity disparities.

While the findings highlight significant inequalities in care access and social circumstances, the researchers noted that these observational associations identify areas for investigation rather than establishing that a single change in care would guarantee improved survival.