Hematology & Oncology Fellow Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center at University of Miami / Jackson Health Doral, FL, United States
Background: Kidney cancer remains a significant contributor to cancer-related mortality in the United States, with recent studies indicating an alarming increase in disease burden. Moreover, racial disparities have been shown to significantly impact its outcomes. To address this critical health issue, this study aims to investigate trends in kidney cancer mortality across different age groups and races.
Methods: We extracted Age Stratified Mortality Rates (ASMR) and Crude Mortality Rates (CMR) per 100,000 population data for ICD code 64 (Kidney Cancer). The CMR data was stratified by 10-year age groups and race. Joinpoint regression analysis was performed to identify time trends and calculate the average annual percentage change (AAPC).
Results: Over the 21-year study period, kidney cancer accounted for a staggering 284,224 deaths. The 65-74 age group exhibited the most prominent absolute decline in mortality, [(16.4 in 1999 to 13.1 in 2020); AAPC of -1.1% (p=0.019)] while 85+ being the only age group experiencing an increase [31.1 in 1999 to 35.1 in 2020; AAPC of 0.6% (p=0.001)]. Amongst racial groups, American Indians (AI) had the highest mortality in 1999 (5.7). However, due to the disproportionate decrease of ASMR in Whites compared to Non-Whites, Whites showed the highest ASMR (3.9) in 2020. On stratifying age groups based on race, an increase in ASMR was only seen in Whites for the Age group 85+, while all other groups showed a decline.
Conclusions: This study highlights the alarming rise in kidney cancer mortality among the elderly and Whites, while other age and racial groups experience a decline. The multifactorial nature of this decline likely stems from improved healthcare access and reductions in smoking rates. These findings underscore the urgent need for equitable access to cancer care to address healthcare disparities and inform healthcare policies focused on enhancing healthcare outcomes for all demographic groups.
