Endocrine therapy initiation among Medicaid-insured breast cancer survivors with hormone receptor-positive tumors

• DOI: 10.1007/s11764-014-0365-3
• Publication Date: 2014-05-27T06:28:20Z
• Authors: Stephanie Brooke ...; Racquel Elizabeth...; Katherine Elizabe...; Ravi K. Goyal; Kristen Hassmille...; Alexis Moore; Timothy W. Smith; Cathy L. Melvin; Hyman Bernard Muss
• Keywords: 03 medical and health sciences; 0302 clinical medicine; Medicaid; Humans; Breast Neoplasms; Female; Survivors; Middle Aged; United States; 3. Good health

Hormone receptor positive (HR+) cancers account for most breast cancer diagnoses and deaths. Among survivors with HR+ breast cancers, endocrine therapy (ET) reduces 5-year risk of recurrence by up to 40%. Observational studies in Medicare and privately-insured survivors suggest under-utilization of ET. We sought to characterize ET use in a low-income Medicaid-insured population in North Carolina.