Regional differences in chemotherapy treatment for breast cancer may affect survival, Swedish study finds
The proportion of women with early breast cancer who receive chemotherapy varies significantly across different regions of Sweden. A study from Karolinska Institutet, published in the journal Breast Cancer Research, shows that these differences may affect survival among women 65 and older.
A Swedish study published in Breast Cancer Research suggests that regional disparities in chemotherapy treatment for early-stage breast cancer may impact survival rates among older patients. Researchers from Karolinska Institutet analyzed data from nearly 62,000 breast cancer patients diagnosed between 2007 and 2023, covering chemotherapy usage across different healthcare regions in Sweden.
Overall, 28% of breast cancer patients received chemotherapy, but the proportion varied significantly across regions, ranging from 23% in the western health care region to 34.7% in the Stockholm-Gotland region. Despite national guidelines dictating uniform care, the study found that older women (65 and older) in regions with lower chemotherapy use had higher 10-year mortality rates—35.8% compared to 27.9% in regions with higher usage—after accounting for tumor characteristics and socioeconomic factors.
The findings highlight potential disparities in care provision across Sweden, with health care regions employing lower chemotherapy rates associated with poorer prognoses for older women. Lead author Johan Hartman, a professor at Karolinska Institutet, suggests that local guidelines and treatment traditions may contribute to these disparities. Hartman emphasizes that while national guidelines provide a framework, regional variations in care could be optimized for better outcomes, particularly for elderly patients.
Written by urgent.news from Medical Xpress's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — it may contain errors, so check the original before relying on it.
