Posters
Presenting Author Academic/Professional Position
Medical Student
Academic Level (Author 1)
Medical Student
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Immunology and Microbiology
Academic Level (Author 2)
Medical Student
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Immunology and Microbiology
Academic Level (Author 3)
Medical Student
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Immunology and Microbiology
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Medical Student
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Immunology and Microbiology
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Faculty
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Surgery
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Community/Public Health
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Research/Clinical
Abstract
Background: Non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC) is among the most common malignancies, yet survival outcomes vary widely across regions due to disparities in access to healthcare, socioeconomic factors, and public health infrastructure. The Lower Rio Grande Valley (LRGV) region of South Texas, encompassing Starr, Willacy, Cameron, and Hidalgo counties, is a predominantly Hispanic, medically underserved region where residents face systemic barriers to dermatologic care and early cancer detection. This study aims to evaluate survival disparities in NMSC patients between the LRGV and other Texas counties, emphasizing the need to address these inequities.
Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort analysis using data from the Texas Cancer Registry. The dataset included 4,017 patients diagnosed with skin carcinoma between 1995-2019, grouped into two cohorts: Group 1 (Starr, Willacy, Cameron, Hidalgo counties) and Group 2 (all other Texas counties). Survival months, defined as the duration from diagnosis to the last recorded follow-up or death (presumptive survival), were the primary outcome. Independent t-tests compared means, and Cohen’s d assessed the effect size.
Results: Group 1 patients (LRGV) had an average survival of 50.47 months, significantly shorter than Group 2’s 63.57 months (t = -2.99, p = 0.0032). The effect size (Cohen’s d = -2.99) indicates a large disparity, emphasizing significant regional differences in survival outcomes.
Conclusion: This study identifies substantial survival disparities among skin carcinoma patients in the RGV compared to the rest of Texas. These findings underscore the need for targeted interventions, such as early detection programs, enhanced access to dermatologic care, and culturally tailored public health initiatives.
Recommended Citation
Marupudi, Smaran; Arellano, Elias Villanueva; Quailes, Natasha; Hensley, Jared; and Villegas, Maria, "Disparities in Survival Among Skin Carcinoma Patients in South Texas Counties" (2025). Research Symposium. 151.
https://scholarworks.utrgv.edu/somrs/2025/posters/151
Included in
Disparities in Survival Among Skin Carcinoma Patients in South Texas Counties
Background: Non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC) is among the most common malignancies, yet survival outcomes vary widely across regions due to disparities in access to healthcare, socioeconomic factors, and public health infrastructure. The Lower Rio Grande Valley (LRGV) region of South Texas, encompassing Starr, Willacy, Cameron, and Hidalgo counties, is a predominantly Hispanic, medically underserved region where residents face systemic barriers to dermatologic care and early cancer detection. This study aims to evaluate survival disparities in NMSC patients between the LRGV and other Texas counties, emphasizing the need to address these inequities.
Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort analysis using data from the Texas Cancer Registry. The dataset included 4,017 patients diagnosed with skin carcinoma between 1995-2019, grouped into two cohorts: Group 1 (Starr, Willacy, Cameron, Hidalgo counties) and Group 2 (all other Texas counties). Survival months, defined as the duration from diagnosis to the last recorded follow-up or death (presumptive survival), were the primary outcome. Independent t-tests compared means, and Cohen’s d assessed the effect size.
Results: Group 1 patients (LRGV) had an average survival of 50.47 months, significantly shorter than Group 2’s 63.57 months (t = -2.99, p = 0.0032). The effect size (Cohen’s d = -2.99) indicates a large disparity, emphasizing significant regional differences in survival outcomes.
Conclusion: This study identifies substantial survival disparities among skin carcinoma patients in the RGV compared to the rest of Texas. These findings underscore the need for targeted interventions, such as early detection programs, enhanced access to dermatologic care, and culturally tailored public health initiatives.
