b'Lung Cancer Survival Rates in Federal Medicine Compare Well to Community Black Patients Have Equitable Survival to Whites in VHA, MHSLung cancer patients, most of whom have nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC), appeared to have fared better if treated within the VAor DoD healthcare systems. Not only are overall survival ratesimproving, but those universal healthcare providers providedmuch more equitable care so that, for example, Black veteransand servicemembers do as well or better than white ones.By Brenda L. MooneyLOS ANGELESSurvival rates are rising for vet- Palo Alto,CAHealthcareSystem;the AtlantaVA erans diagnosed with lung cancer within the VHAHealthcare System; the Tennessee Valley Healthcare and, unlike in the general population, Black veteransSystem in Nashville, the Durham, NC, VA Healthcare are benefiting as much or more than white ones.System and the VA Portland, OR, Healthcare System, Researchers credited the VAs equal access health- as well as related academic institutions.care system as well an increase in the percentage ofTheauthorspointedoutthat,comparedtowhite patients diagnosed at earlier stages, improved diag- veterans,BlackveteranswithNSCLChadsimilar nostictechnologiesandadvancementsinmedical,OS (p=0.81), and those with SCLC had higher OS surgical and radiation therapies.(p=0.003). The observed racial equity in outcomes Using data from the VA Central Cancer Registry, thewithinageographicallyandsocioeconomically study team identified 54,922 veterans with lung can- diverse population warrants further investigation to cer diagnosed from 2010-2017. Most of the veterans,better understand and replicate this achievement in 64.2%, had nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC), withother healthcare systems, they added. The VHA is otherhistologies,includingsmallcelllungcancerthe largest integrated healthcare system in the US and (SCLC) (12.9%) and other (22.9%).serves approximately 9 million enrollees. The proportion with stage I increased from 18.1% toThe MHS, which serves approximately 9.6 million 30.4%, while stage IV decreased from 38.9% to 34.6%beneficiariesthroughTRICARE,alsohasreported (both p0.001), wrote the VA Greater Los Angelesthat its patient populationactive-duty servicemem-HealthcareSystem-ledresearchers.The3-yearbers, National Guard/Reserve members, military retir-overall survival (OS) improved for stage I (58.6% toees and their familiesfares better than those receiv-68.4%, p0.001), stage II (35.5% to 48.4%, p0.001),ing civilian care when diagnosed with lung cancer. 3stage III (18.7% to 29.4%, p0.001), and stage IVBackgroundinformationrecountedhowaNew (3.4% to 7.8%, p0.001). For NSCLC, the medianEngland Journal of Medicine (NEJM) report in 2020 OS increased from 12 to 21 months (p0.001), andshowedimprovingsurvivalratesforlungcancer 3-year OS increased from 24.1% to 38.3% (p0.001). patientsintheUnitedStates. Thatstudyidentified For SCLC, the median OS remained unchanged (8 increasing 2-year survival rates for men (26%-35%) to 9 months, p=0.10), while the 3-year OS increased and women (35%-44%) diagnosed between 2001 and from 9.1% to 12.3% (p=0.014). 1 2014. On the other hand, the rates of lung cancer sur-Thestudyalsoincludedresearchersfromthe VAvival increase were found to accelerate between 2013 34'