Insurance status influences overall patient survival for some cancer types, but its impact on survival in patients with glioblastoma multiforme is not well documented. Researchers based at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, conducted a research study to explore the possible impact of insurance on glioblastoma multiforme survival.

The investigators, led by Xiaoming Rong, MD, reviewed the records of 13,665 patients with glioblastoma multiforme diagnosed from 2007 through 2012. Data for the adult patients was obtained from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results program. The patients were categorized into 3 groups of insurance status: non-Medicaid insurance (11,591; 84.8%), Medicaid (1516; 11.1%), and no insurance (558; 4.1%).

On review of the data, Medicaid insurance status was found to be a factor related to shorter survival (HR, 1.10) compared with participants in the other insurance status groups. Larger tumor size, male sex, and older age were also linked to increased mortality. Patients in the non-Medicaid group were observed to have a yearly, progressive survival improvement.

The authors concluded that non-Medicaid insurance status was often linked to increased survival in patients with glioblastoma multiforme compared with patients with Medicaid or those who were uninsured.

Reference

Medicaid Insurance Linked to Worse Outcomes for Patients With Glioblastoma Multiforme

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