Background: Lung cancer is the most frequent cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States and worldwide. Infectious diseases such as pneumonia and influenza are major risk factors for morbidity and mortality in patients diagnosed with lung cancer. Our study expands upon existing literature investigating epidemiological differences in lung cancer mortality, using the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Wide-ranging Online Data for Epidemiology Research (WONDER) database to report on influenza- and pneumonia-related mortality rates in lung cancer patients through multiple decades. Methods: CDC WONDER was used to identify influenza- and pneumonia-related deaths in lung cancer patients that occurred within the United States from 1999 to 2022. Crude and age-adjusted mortality rates (AAMR) were calculated, as well as annual percent change and weighted average annual percent change with 95% confidence intervals for the AAMRs. The Joinpoint Regression Program was used to determine trends in mortality within the study period. Results: From 1999 to 2022, male lung cancer patients demonstrated greater mortality rates from pneumonia and influenza compared to females (60.6% vs. 39.4%). When stratified by race and ethnicity, Black patients had the highest AAMR over the study period at 9.1 per 100,000 people in 1999, as well as the most significant reduction in AAMR to 4.9 per 100,000 people in 2022. Additionally, AAMRs were consistently higher in rural areas compared to urban locations. By age group, patients aged 75–84 had the highest overall crude mortality rate at 28.3 per 100,000 people in 1999, with the lowest rate in ages 35–44 at 0.2 per 100,000 people in 2022. Conclusion: This study expands upon previously reported trends in lung cancer mortality, highlighting epidemiological differences in influenza- and pneumonia-related death. Significant disparities in mortality rates were noted in older-aged, male, Black, and rural lung cancer patients. Targeted public health strategies concerning the unique needs of these diverse populations will be essential in improving mortality rates. Future research should also investigate the underlying causes of these disparities, and examine how certain community-based initiatives, such as campaigns for tobacco cessation, vaccination, and lung cancer screening, can inform guidelines and reduce preventable mortality in high-risk groups.

Osteosarcoma is the most common primary malignancy of bone. Previous studies have demonstrated rural-urban disparities in metastatic disease incidence and overall survival in high-grade osteosarcoma patients. However, there is a paucity of literature investigating disease-specific survival (DSS) disparities between rural and urban patients, which is explored herein using the SEER database. Patients with biopsy-proven cases of osteosarcoma were identified from 2000–2021. Statistical analysis was completed using SPSS version 29.0.2 and included chi-squared, Kaplan–Meier and log-rank, and stepwise Cox regressions. Statistical significance was considered at p < 0.05. Kaplan–Meier analysis revealed no significant differences in 5- and 10-year DSS between rural (55.0% and 47.0%) and urban patients (56.0% and 51.0%) (p = 0.107). Multivariable analysis further revealed no significant DSS difference between rural and urban patients (aHR: 1.03; 95% CI: 0.86–1.24; p = 0.757). This study expands upon prior research by investigating DSS between rural and urban osteosarcoma patients and finding no significant differences. While rural living is often associated with worse outcomes, important prognostic factors for osteosarcoma, including metastatic disease at presentation and tumor grade, were not significantly different between rural and urban patients in our study, possibly explaining our DSS-related findings. Factors other than geographical location likely impact outcomes, and future research should examine other ways that rural living may influence cancer care.

Background/Objectives: Solitary plasmacytoma of bone (SPB) results from abnormal proliferation of plasma cells and accounts for 2–5% of all plasmacytic malignancies. Radiation therapy is the standard of care in treating SPB due to its efficacy in controlling disease progression and optimizing patient survival. However, prior studies have highlighted disparities in radiation therapy receipt among various cancer types. In this study, we aim to investigate whether similar sociodemographic and clinical disparities exist in the treatment of SPB through use of the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. Methods: The SEER database was queried for biopsy-confirmed cases of SPB between 2000 and 2021 using the ICD-O-3 histology code 9731/3 and primary site codes C40.0–41.9. Chi-square tests, Fisher’s exact tests, and multivariable logistic regression were completed using SPSS v29.0.2, with significance set to p < 0.05. Results: A total of 4139 patients were identified, of which 75.3% received treatment with radiation therapy. Multivariable analysis revealed that low-income patients making less than $74,999 annually (aOR 0.80, 95% CI 0.67–0.97), as well as those from non-Hispanic Asian/Pacific Islander (aOR 0.49, 95% CI 0.33–0.73) and Hispanic (aOR 0.77, 95% CI 0.60–0.98) racial and ethnic groups, were significantly less likely to receive radiation therapy. Conclusions: These findings reveal notable disparities in radiation therapy utilization for SPB patients based on income and race and ethnicity, emphasizing the need for interventions to address systemic inequities, improve access to care, and ensure that all patients receive high-quality cancer care to optimize long-term outcomes.