Socioeconomic differences in cancer survival.

Abstract

Wide survival differentials were observed between socioeconomic groups. Differences in survival for cancers of poor prognosis (eg, oesophagus, pancreas, lung) where treatment has little effect, cannot be attributed to socioeconomic differences in treatment. The survival differences for cancers of good prognosis (eg, corpus uteri, bladder, skin) could, in part, be due to differences in treatment. It is probable that delay in seeking care is one of the major contributing causes.