Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40481575›Full record

ArticleArchives of public health = Archives belges de sante publique2025

Radiotherapy and time to initial treatment following a cancer diagnosis among First Nations Australians: results from a population-based analysis.

Sewunet Admasu Belachew, Ming Li, Shafkat Jahan, Siddhartha Baxi, Joan Cunningham, Kalinda E Griffiths, Gail Garvey

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Archives of public health = Archives belges de sante publique, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Sewunet Admasu BelachewFirst Nations Cancer and Wellbeing Research Program, School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia. s.admasubelachew@uq.edu.au.
Ming LiFirst Nations Cancer and Wellbeing Research Program, School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.
Shafkat JahanFirst Nations Cancer and Wellbeing Research Program, School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.
Siddhartha BaxiGenesisCare Australia, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Australia.
Joan CunninghamMenzies School of Health Research, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Australia.
Kalinda E GriffithsMenzies School of Health Research, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Australia.
Gail GarveyFirst Nations Cancer and Wellbeing Research Program, School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.

Funding

National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) funded Centre of Research Excellence (CRE) in Targeted Approaches to Improve Cancer Services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians 1153027NHMRC Investigator Grant 1176651NHMRC Research Fellowship 1058244
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundFirst Nations Australians experience poorer cancer outcomes than other Australians. This is attributable to multidimensional factors, including disparities in access to cancer services and treatments. Radiotherapy (RT) is an important component of cancer treatment yet evidence of its utilisation among First Nations Australians is limited. We aimed to examine RT utilisation, time to the treatment, and associated factors in First Nations Peoples diagnosed with cancer in Queensland, Australia.

methodsFirst Nations Queenslanders (N = 1884) and other Queenslanders (N = 104,204) diagnosed with any cancer between 1st July 2011 and 30th June 2015 and their RT details between 1st July 2011 and 30th June 2018 were identified using the Cancer CostMod dataset, comprising Queensland Cancer Registry data linked with Queensland Hospital Admitted Patient Data Collection (QHAPDC) and Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS). Analysis was limited to those with non-missing Indigenous status who linked to MBS and/or QHAPDC records (N = 105, 983). Differences in RT utilisation and waiting times by First Nations status were tested using logistic regressions, non-parametric tests, and quantile regression.

resultsAmong 105, 983 people with a cancer diagnosis in Queensland, 28.6% had RT, with external Beam RT(EBRT) as the predominant type (n = 29,387, 96.9%). One-third (33.5%) of First Nations cancer patients received RT at least once, compared to 28.5% of other Queensland cancer patients (P < 0.001). After adjustment for covariates, First Nations cancer patients had a greater likelihood of RT utilisation than other Queenslanders (adjusted odds ratio(aOR): 1.15; 95% (confidence-interval (CI): 1.04-1.27) and more pronounced within the first year after diagnosis (aOR: 1.23: 95% CI:1.11-1.37). Among those receiving any RT, the median time from cancer diagnosis to first RT was 118 days (Interquartile-range (IQR): 55-232) for First Nations and 132 days (IQR: 59-258) for other Queenslanders (P = 0.034).

conclusionsA higher proportion of First Nations cancer patients received RT than other Queensland cancer patients, particularly in the first year following diagnosis. However, RT utilisation for all cancer patients was notably lower (28.6%) than the national optimal RT(EBRT) rate of 48%. This finding highlights the need for RT to align with optimal care standards, which is crucial for improving cancer outcomes.

Indexed as

CancerIndigenousQueenslandRadiotherapyTime to initial treatmentUtilisation

Identifiers

PMID40481575
PMCPMC12142829

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.