Disparities in the use of antineoplastic immunotherapy in pediatric malignant adrenal tumors

Abstract

Dinutuximab is a costly life‐prolonging immunotherapy for high‐risk neuroblastoma. We used a large pediatric inpatient database to analyze the use of antineoplastic immunotherapy in patients with malignant adrenal tumors 1 year after Food and Drug Administration approval of dinutuximab for high‐risk neuroblastoma. On multivariate modeling, children of Black race (odds ratio [OR] 0.62, P = .04; referent non‐Black) and the lowest ZIP code income quartile (OR 0.74, P = .03; referent wealthier 3 quartiles) were significantly less like to receive antineoplastic immunotherapy. These results suggest substantial disparities in the distribution of a vital therapy in children with advanced cancer.