OBJECTIVE: To test the effect of race/ethnicity on histological subtype, stage at presentation, and cancer specific mortality (CSM) in urethral cancer patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Stratified analyses (Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results [2004-2016]) tested the effect of race/ethnicity on histology and stage. Cumulative incidence-plots and multivariable competing-risks regression models (CRR), addressed CSM, after matching for TNM-stage, histology, age, and gender. RESULTS: Of 1,904 urethral cancer patients, 71% were Caucasian, 16% African American, 7% Hispanic and 5% other. African Americans were younger (66 years) than Caucasians (73 years) and Hispanics (74 years). In African Americans, adenocarcinoma (25%) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC; 29%) were more frequent than in Caucasians (12% and 23%) or Hispanics (15% and 20%). African Americans with adenocarcinoma exhibited higher stage than other adenocarcinoma patients. In CRR, African Americans (35%) and Hispanics (29%) exhibited highest and second highest 3-year CSM, even after matching. After further multivariable adjustment of matched CRRs, CSM was higher in Hispanics (HR: 1.93, P= 0.03) and in African Americans (Hazard ratio 1.35, P= 0.07), relative to Caucasians. CONCLUSION: Race/ethnicity impacts important differences on urethral cancer patients. African American race/ethnicity predisposes to higher rate of SCC and adenocarcinoma. Moreover, African Americans are younger and present with higher stage at diagnoses. Finally, even after most detailed matching for stage, age, gender, and adjustment for treatment and systemic therapy and socioeconomic status, African Americans and Hispanics exhibit higher CSM than Caucasians.

Cancer Prognostics and Health Outcomes Unit Division of Urology University of Montréal Health Center Montréal Québec Canada

Cancer Prognostics and Health Outcomes Unit Division of Urology University of Montréal Health Center Montréal Québec Canada; Department of Neurosciences Reproductive Sciences and Odontostomatology University of Naples Federico 2 Italy

Cancer Prognostics and Health Outcomes Unit Division of Urology University of Montréal Health Center Montréal Québec Canada; Division of Experimental Oncology Department of Urology URI Urological Research Institute IBCAS San Raffaele Scientific Institute Milan Italy

Cancer Prognostics and Health Outcomes Unit Division of Urology University of Montréal Health Center Montréal Québec Canada; Martini Klinik Prostate Cancer Center University Hospital Hamburg Eppendorf Hamburg Germany

Department of Urology Comprehensive Cancer Center Medical University of Vienna Vienna Austria; Departments of Urology Weill Cornell Medical College New York NY; Department of Urology University of Texas Southwestern Dallas TX; Department of Urology 2nd Faculty of Medicine Charles University Prag Czech Republic; Institute for Urology and Reproductive Health 1 M Sechenov 1st Moscow State Medical University Moscow Russia; Division of Urology Department of Special Surgery Jordan University Hospital The University of Jordan Amman Jordan

Department of Urology University Hospital Frankfurt Frankfurt am Main Germany

Department of Urology University Hospital Frankfurt Frankfurt am Main Germany; Cancer Prognostics and Health Outcomes Unit Division of Urology University of Montréal Health Center Montréal Québec Canada

Division of Experimental Oncology Department of Urology URI Urological Research Institute IBCAS San Raffaele Scientific Institute Milan Italy

References provided by Crossref.org

Incidence rates and contemporary trends in primary urethral cancer