Exploring disparities in receipt of adjuvant chemotherapy in culturally and linguistically diverse groups: an Australian centre's experience

Background Globally, racial and ethnic disparities exist in treatments and outcomes for cancer patients. In Australia, there is little published data relating to cancer patients from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds. Aim To explore disparities in adjuvant chemotherapy utilisation in cancer patients from CALD groups. Methods Retrospective analysis of patients who were recommended adjuvant chemotherapy for early-stage breast cancer (eBC) or early-stage colorectal cancer (eCRC) between July 2011 and October 2014. Rates of adjuvant chemotherapy uptake were analysed between those who identified English as their first preferred language, versus those who did not, as well as between patients who were born in a country where English is the main language (non-CALD), versus those born in a country where English is not the main language (CALD). Results 211 patients were identified. 143 (67.7%) patients had eBC and 68 (32.2%) patients had eCRC. No difference was detected in the acceptance of adjuvant chemotherapy between non-CALD (80.9%) and CALD patients (81.3% p = 0.984) or between patients who identified as English their first preferred language (80.8%) and those who did not (81.8% p = 0.870). There was no difference in the rate of chemotherapy completion, with 75.6% completion in the non-English speaking group and 81.1% in the English-speaking group (p = 0.426). Conclusion No difference was observed in adjuvant chemotherapy utilisation in patients who identified English as their first preferred language compared to those who did not as well as between non-CALD and CALD groups. This is the first study to assess these differences in Australia.