117 Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Treatment Outcomes of Patients with Colorectal Cancer (CRC) in the United Kingdom (UK): A Systematic Review
Mostafa, O Zaman, S Openshaw, M Akingboye, A
Mostafa, O
Zaman, S
Openshaw, M
Akingboye, A
Affiliation
The Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust; University of Birmingham
Other Contributors
Publication date
2025-6-19
Subject
Collections
Research Projects
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Abstract
Aim Implementing a standardised National Health System (NHS) in the United Kingdom (UK) has promoted equitable healthcare access. This review aims to explore disparities in treatment outcomes for individuals with colorectal cancer (CRC) based on their race or ethnicity.
Methods This prospectively registered review on the INPLASY database and a systematic search was conducted following PRISMA guidelines using EBSCO, Medline and EMBASE databases from inception to June 2024. Observational, experimental or qualitative studies reporting disparity in treatment outcomes for adult patients with CRC in the UK were included. Our primary outcomes included were survival rates and morbidity. Our secondary outcome was rate of surgery with curative intent. Studies reported or performed outside of the UK were excluded.
Results Three retrospective cohort studies were identified (1992, 1995 and 2009). One study reported lower mortality from CRC in patients of Indian ethnicities born in India compared to their UK-born counterparts by 40%. One study reported East African males had a 30% lower risk of mortality compared to their UK-born counterparts. One study found no significant difference in 5-year survival outcomes between Caucasian and South Asian patients [pā>ā0.05]. There was a larger number of Caucasian patients undergoing definitive surgical resection (72.8%) compared to the South Asian population (63%). One study reported a higher proportion of South Asian patients undergoing palliative surgery compared with Caucasian patients (14.2% vs 7.2%, respectively, pā=ā0.017].
Conclusion Disparities in treatment outcomes within the UK remain under-explored. Robust national studies are needed to investigate disparities between different ethnic and racial groups in the UK.
Citation
Mostafa, O.E.S., Zaman, S., Openshaw, M. et al. Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Treatment Outcomes of Patients with Colorectal Cancer (CRC) in the UK: A Systematic Review. SN Compr. Clin. Med. 7, 302 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42399-025-02074-0
Type
article