Disparities in the Use of Programmed Death 1 Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors

AbstractAmid growing excitement for immune checkpoint inhibitors of programmed death protein 1 (anti‐PD1 agents), little is known about whether race‐ or sex‐based disparities exist in their use. In this observational study, we constructed a large and mostly community‐based cohort of patients with advanced stage cancers, including melanoma, non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), and renal cell carcinoma, to compare the odds of receiving systemic treatment with or without anti‐PD1 agents by race and by sex. In multivariable models that adjusted for age, stage, and number of prior anticancer therapies, we found no significant race‐based disparities in anti‐PD1 treatment. However, among patients with NSCLC, males had significantly higher odds of receiving anti‐PD1 treatment compared with females (odds ratio 1.13, 95% confidence interval 1.02–1.24, p = .02). This finding suggests that as anti‐PD1 agents enter the market to transform patient care, it will be critical to monitor for disparities in the use of these drugs.

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