New research indicates that the socioeconomic status (SES) of cell donors can influence the outcomes of blood cancer patients who have undergone hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT).
A recent study published in PNAS reveals that the SES of cell donors plays a role in the health outcomes of blood cancer patients who have undergone hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT).
The study focused on the health outcomes of 2,005 blood cancer patients who underwent HCT in 125 hospitals across the United States. It was discovered that patients who received cells from donors with the lowest socioeconomic status had a 9.7% lower overall survival rate and a 6.6% higher transplant-related mortality rate at three years compared to those who received cells from donors of higher socioeconomic status, irrespective of the patients’ own socioeconomic status.
“Our findings are quite significant. We have demonstrated that social disadvantage can be transferred to a new host through transplantation and can have lasting effects,” said Dr. Lucie Turcotte, an associate professor at the University of Minnesota Medical School and a pediatric hematologist and oncologist at M Health Fairview. Dr. Turcotte also heads the Cancer Survivorship Services and Translational Research program at the Masonic Cancer Center.
The results underscore the profound biological impact of social disadvantage and its ability to influence health outcomes, particularly in the context of cancer and hematopoietic cell transplantation.
The research team intends to delve deeper into investigating the underlying biological and physiological factors behind these findings to develop strategies to alleviate the negative health outcomes associated with socioeconomic disadvantage.
“These findings have implications beyond cancer and bone marrow transplant care. They reveal the significant health consequences of social inequality and emphasize the urgent need for public health interventions,” remarked Dr. Turcotte.
Funding for the study was provided by the National Cancer Institute of the National Institutes of Health [R01 CA23856].
