This piece was last updated on 4/12/24 to reflect current information and statistics.
An April 25th study in the journal Gastroenterology has shed light on the alarming disparities in mortality rates from gastrointestinal (GI) cancers across the United States.
Researchers from the University of Alberta in Canada analyzed data from 3,147 U.S. counties between 2010 and 2019 to identify areas with the highest age-adjusted mortality rates for esophageal, gastric, pancreatic, and colorectal cancers.
Study Results
Results showed that counties located in the southeast United States made up most of the results. Counties in Kentucky, Georgia, Arkansas, Mississippi, and Louisiana made up 41.2-percent of the top five-percent of mortality from pancreatic cancer. Additionally, these counties comprised 48.8-percent of the top five-percent of mortality rates from colorectal cancer.
The researchers identified several factors contributing to these geographic disparities. Counties with high cancer mortality rates had a higher prevalence of smoking and chronic health conditions such as diabetes. Furthermore, many of these counties were rural, with limited access to specialist care. Delayed diagnosis and treatment due to lack of proximity to healthcare providers can seriously impact community care and drive up GI cancer mortality rates.
“Both patient and structural factors contribute to significant geographic differences in mortality from GI cancers,” the authors stated. “Our findings support continued public health efforts to reduce smoking use and improve care for rural patients, which may contribute to a reduction in disparities in GI cancer–related death.”
Investing in prevention strategies, early detection initiatives, and expanding healthcare access may help bridge the gap in GI cancer outcomes. We must address the root causes of these geographic disparities and promote equitable access to care in the Southeastern United States and other underserved areas to work towards a future with timely care and lower GI cancer mortality rates.
