WCLC 2022 | Socio-economic inequalities in NSCLC treatment during the era of tumour biomarker guided therapy

Socio-economic treatment inequalities have been well documented in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), leading to poorer outcomes in patients with low socioeconomic status due to reduced access to conventional treatment including surgery and chemotherapy. However, it remains unknown whether socioeconomic inequalities are also seen with novel anti-cancer treatments targeting tumor biology and the immune system. Ruth Norris, BSc, PGCE, MPharm, Newcastle University, Newcastle, UK, provides an overview into a population-based study using comprehensive national databases in the UK to investigate inequalities with novel therapies. Significant treatment inequalities by deprivation in novel anti-cancer therapies were observed. Patients living in the most deprived areas were almost half as likely to utilize any novel therapy compared to patients living in the most affluent areas. This interview took place at the IASLC 2022 World Conference on Lung Cancer congress in Vienna, Austria.