# Examining the disparities in ovarian cancer survival among Asian Americans

> **NIH NIH P20** · CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY FULLERTON · 2021 · $64,966

## Abstract

Pilot Project 2: Project Summary
Ovarian cancer is a highly fatal disease with a five-year relative survival of less than 50%. However, ovarian
cancer survival is not the same for all women. Asian American ovarian cancer patients have the highest survival
across all major racial groups, however the Asian American population is heterogeneous. Studies have shown
that analyzing Asian Americans as a single group overlooks important ethnic-specific disparities, and this has
been observed for ovarian cancer. Hence, this pilot project aims to better understand these disparities using data
from the California Cancer Registry (CCR). The CCR is an ideal data source for this project given that it includes
detailed demographic, socioeconomic, tumor, and treatment information by Asian subethnic group and covers
the geographic region in the United States that is home to the largest number of Asian Americans.
Our preliminary analyses of Asian American ovarian cancer patients using data in the CCR showed ethnic-
specific percent differences for several survival-related characteristics. To clarify these differences, Aim 1 of this
project will examine the association between Asian subethnic group and ovarian cancer tumor characteristics.
Certain Asian subethnic groups may be more likely to present with ovarian cancers of a particular grade, stage,
or histology, hence the ethnic-specific survival disparities may be attributed to the tumors themselves. Aim 2 of
this project will examine whether receipt of National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guideline adherent
care and its association with ovarian cancer survival differ across Asian subethnic groups. NCCN guideline
consensus statements reflect the most current and accepted standard for cancer treatment, hence the ethnic-
specific survival disparities may be attributed to the treatment and care received. Certain Asian subethnic groups
may be more likely to receive NCCN adherent care and receipt of that care may be differentially associated with
survival.
Given the fatality of ovarian cancer, understanding why some women die from ovarian cancer while others do
not is a public health priority. Few ovarian cancer studies have focused on Asian Americans, hence this pilot
project will not only shed light on an understudied segment of the population, but will do so in a way that
recognizes the importance of the population’s heterogeneity so ethnic-specific disparities are not overlooked.
Understanding how ovarian tumors and treatment care may differ by Asian subethnic group will inform the future
work that is needed to understand the underlying factors contributing to ovarian cancer disparities and survival
overall.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10302807
- **Project number:** 1P20CA253251-01A1
- **Recipient organization:** CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY FULLERTON
- **Principal Investigator:** Alice Lee
- **Activity code:** P20 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $64,966
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2021-09-22 → 2025-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10302807

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10302807, Examining the disparities in ovarian cancer survival among Asian Americans (1P20CA253251-01A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10302807. Licensed CC0.

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