Lung Cancer Care Shows Racial Gaps That Haven’t Closed

Recent research on Medicare patients with early‑stage lung cancer reveals a troubling trend: Black individuals are still far less likely to receive surgery or radiation that can cure the disease than their white counterparts. The study, which looked at more than 28, 000 cases from 2005 to 2019, found that while overall use of these treatments has risen over time, the disparity between Black and white patients has stayed stubbornly wide. The data show that in the early years of the study, only about 53 % of Black patients got surgery compared with 66 % of white patients. Even a decade later, when fewer people chose surgery because newer, less invasive options became common, the gap persisted: 44 % of Black patients received surgery versus 53 % of white patients. These differences cannot be blamed on insurance status, because the analysis focused exclusively on people covered by Medicare.

Why does this gap exist? The investigators point to deeper problems in access to surgical care. Black patients who do get surgery are treated according to the same clinical guidelines as others, suggesting that the barrier appears before they even reach an operating room. Similar patterns emerged with advanced radiation techniques, such as stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT). Although SBRT became widespread in the 2010s, Black patients were less likely to receive it during its early adoption, and only later did the gap narrow. These findings highlight a paradox: medical breakthroughs can unintentionally widen existing inequities if they are not equitably delivered. The researchers call for a shift from simply developing new treatments to actively ensuring they reach all patients who need them. Understanding the root causes of these access issues is the first step toward closing the gap.

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