SURGERY FOR COLORECTAL-CANCER - RACE-RELATED DIFFERENCES IN RATES ANDSURVIVAL AMONG MEDICARE BENEFICIARIES

This study examined surgery for colorectal cancer among Medicare benef iciaries 65 years of age or older with an initial diagnosis in 1987 (n = 81 579). Black patients were less likely than Whites to undergo sur gical resection (68% vs 78%), even after age, comorbidity, and locatio n and extent of tumor were controlled for. Among those who underwent r esection, Black patients were more likely to die (a 2-year mortality r ate of 40.0% vs 33.5% in White patients); this disparity also remained after confounders had been controlled. The disparities were similar i n teaching and nonteaching hospitals and in private and public hospita ls. These data may indicate racially based differences among Medicare beneficiaries in access to and quality of care for colorectal cancer.