The Impact of Neighborhood Deprivation on the Survival Rates of Patients with Cancer in Korea

The objective of this study is to investigate the correlation between the neighborhood deprivation index and survival rates of cancer patients in Korea. In this study, 5-year age-standardized survival rates of patients with cancer were determined using the National Cancer Cohort from 2014 to 2018 in Korea. The primary cancer sites were the stomach, colorectum, liver, lung, breast, cervix, prostate, and thyroid. Disparities were measured, and their impact on the overall survival rates was assessed using the Korean version of the Neighborhood Deprivation Index. Pearson's correlation coefficient was calculated to determine the strength of the correlation. The study cohort comprised 726,665 patients with cancer, of whom 50.7% were male. The predominant primary cancer sites were the stomach (n = 138,462), colorectum (n = 125,156), and thyroid gland (n = 120,886). Urban residents showed better survival outcomes than those situated in rural areas. The most deprived quartile had the lowest survival rate, while the least deprived quartile had the highest (p < 0.001). Most cancer types revealed significant correlations between neighborhood deprivation and 5-year age-standardized overall survival, with lung cancer showing the most substantial negative correlation (r = -0.510), followed by prostate cancer (r = -0.438). However, thyroid cancer showed only a marginal correlation (p = 0.069). The results of this study suggested that neighborhood deprivation is closely linked to disparities in overall survival across various types of cancer. A substantial negative correlation between the neighborhood deprivation index and all-cause mortality for lung and prostate cancer, as compared to breast and cervical cancers covered by the National Cancer Screening Program, may reinforce the need to address healthcare access and improve the early detection of cancer in socioeconomically deprived neighborhoods.