Unraveling racial disparities in mycosis fungoides mortality using real-world data

Summary: Abstract Body: This study investigates racial disparities in mortality outcomes among Black patients with mycosis fungoides (MF), a form of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma. Previous studies have reported disproportionately poorer outcomes in Black individuals, but these disparities remain unexplained by demographic or disease characteristics.A retrospective analysis was performed in October 2024 using the TriNetX database, which aggregates electronic health records from 66 health systems across the United States. Patients diagnosed with MF were categorized by racial groups (Black and White). Propensity score matching by sex and age generated two balanced cohorts of 682 patients each. Five-year mortality was evaluated using risk analysis and Kaplan-Meier survival curves. Black patients demonstrated significantly higher mortality compared to White patients, even after adjusting for sex and age (hazard ratio 1.37, 95% CI: 1.09–1.72, p=0.007). The odds ratio for mortality was 1.68 (95% CI: 1.15–2.47). Kaplan-Meier survival analysis revealed lower five-year survival probability for Black patients (72%) compared to White patients (81%, p=0.006). These findings highlight persistent racial disparities in MF outcomes, emphasizing the need for further research into potential contributing factors, including diagnostic delays, healthcare access, socioeconomic status, and disease presentation. Targeted interventions addressing these disparities are crucial for improving survival outcomes among Black patients with MF. Jessica Saoub¹, Sarahi Mera¹, Roy Mendoza¹, Pavneet Kaur¹, Ashley Elsensohn², Daniel Novak¹ 1. University of California Riverside, Riverside, CA, United States. 2. Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA, United States. Clinical Research: Epidemiology and Observational Research