Comparing cancer stage at diagnosis between migrants and non-migrants: a meta-analysis

BackgroundMigrants face barriers accessing healthcare, risking delays in cancer diagnosis. Diagnostic delays result in later stage diagnosis which is associated with poorer cancer survival. This review aims to compare the differences in cancer stage at diagnosis between migrants and non-migrants.MethodsWe conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of three databases from 2000 to 2023 for studies conducted in OECD countries that compared stage at diagnosis between migrants and non-migrants. Meta-analysis compared odds ratios (OR) for early (stage I and II) stage at diagnosis. The Risk of Bias in Non-randomised Studies of Exposure tool was used to assess study quality.Results41 of the 11,549 studies identified were included; 34 studies had suitable data for meta-analysis. Overall, migrants were significantly less likely to be diagnosed with early stage cancer compared with non-migrants (OR 0.84; 95% CI 0.78-0.91). This difference was maintained across cancer types, although only statistically significant for breast (OR 0.78; 95% CI 0.70-0.87) and prostate cancer (OR 0.92; 95% CI 0.85-0.99).DiscussionPublished studies indicate that migrants are less likely to be diagnosed with early stage cancer. Variation by cancer type, study location and region of origin highlights the need for further research to understand these differences.