Improving lung cancer survival outcomes for Māori

Authors: Gurney J et al.

Summary: A nationwide project has identified a number of disparities along the lung cancer treatment pathway between Māori and non-Māori. The project reviewed lung cancer registrations on the New Zealand Cancer Registry over the period 2007 to 2019 and linked these to hospital, emergency department and outpatient records, as well as other datasets. Positive findings included equitable access to bronchoscopy, pathological diagnosis, radiation therapy and systemic therapy, as well as minimal differences in the timing of treatment between ethnic groups. Disparities for Māori compared with non-Māori included higher emergency presentation rates, poorer access to early detection, lower surgery rates and longer distances required to travel for bronchoscopy, surgery and radiation therapy. Five recommendations for action were made, with a view towards improving survival outcomes for Māori: 1) shift lung cancer diagnoses away from emergency rooms to primary care and/or screening contexts; 2) ensure that Māori who are good candidates for surgery are offered this treatment; 3) reduce the treatment travel burden on Māori with lung cancer; 4) make the lung cancer treatment pathway acceptable to Māori; 5) improve the quality and completeness of national health data collections.

Reference: N Z Med J. 2025 Jul;138(1618):96-103.