Health disparities in New Zealand Maori with pancreatic cancer at Lakes District health board.

e18554 Background: Global health disparities between ethnicities have been well documented in pancreatic cancer treatment & outcomes. However, pancreatic cancer treatment & survival outcomes between ethnicities, particularly NZ Māori have been poorly documented in our region. Aim to review whether health disparities existed between Māori and New Zealand European patients (NZE) treated with pancreatic cancer. Methods: Patients diagnosed with pancreatic cancer at LDHB between 01 Jul 2014 to 31 Mar 2020 were identified using the faster cancer treatment data. This was cross checked against surgical and Oncology referrals. Electronic notes were reviewed to collect data on ethnicity, patient demographics, presentation, treatment and survival. Results: A total of 69 patients; 25 identified as Māori and 44 NZE. Performance status at presentation was similar between Māori and NZE patients; 64% and 61% respectively, having ECOG 0-1. Majority of patients presented with unresectable locally advanced or metastatic disease (Māori 92% vs NZE 82%). 9% presented with resectable disease, 4% were borderline resectable, only 4 (6%) patients underwent surgical resection. Median overall survival was 34 days for Māori versus 94 days for NZE patients. 72% of Māori patients had an OS < 60 days compared to 39% of NZE, however OS at 6 months was similar in both groups (28% Māori v 27% NZE). For locally advanced disease, similar rates of receipt of chemotherapy (71% vs 62%) were documented between Māori and NZE respectively. Of the 16 Māori patients with metastatic disease at presentation none received palliative chemotherapy compared to 6 / 23 (26%) NZE. Conclusions: Regardless of ethnicity relatively small numbers of our patients have curative surgery which is of concern. Despite adequate performance status at presentation and comparable outcomes in the locally advanced setting, NZ Māori were less likely to receive palliative chemotherapy in the metastatic setting. Further research is warranted to explain and reduce this disparity.