Abstract PS4-09-14: Timing delays from diagnosis to first treatment in black and hispanic versus white women with triple-negative breast cancer

Abstract Purpose: Disparities for Black and Hispanic versus White women with triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) have been identified in literature. This study used a mixed-methods approach to capture the lived experiences of women treated for TNBC. Qualitative interviews contextualized the quantitative analysis. This approach prioritizes the patient voice and patient reported outcomes when translating claims-based data. Methods: The quantitative analysis used commercial (n=4494) and Medicaid managed care (MMC; n=1851) claims. Study inclusion required claims for breast cancer and for TNBC-related therapy ≤12 months postdiagnosis. Qualitative interviews (n=42) were conducted with women diagnosed with TNBC, though not the same women from the quantitative sample. Results: In the quantitative analysis, compared to White women in MMC, Black women had over 5 weeks longer between diagnosis and treatment (82.1 days [95% CI 75.3, 89.4] versus 44.2 days [40.7, 48.0]), and Hispanic women had almost 3 weeks longer (63.2 days [58.1, 68.8]). Compared to White women, the qualitative analysis found Black and Hispanic women more frequently reported discrimination and care team dismissiveness, exacerbating the impact of delays in care and contributing to worse outcomes. Conclusions: Black and Hispanic women experienced longer wait times between TNBC diagnosis and treatment, compared to White women. These delays in care must be considered within the context of other barriers to obtaining timely treatment. The qualitative study identified barriers, such as provider dismissiveness, which could have compounding effects on care. Further research is required to improve the standard of care for all women with TNBC, fostering better patient and provider relations, and reducing treatment delays. Citation Format: M. Mazo Canola, C. Hogea, K. Backus, T. L. Buckingham, E. Gillen, N. Barrow, A. Schroeder, M. Khan, N. Mercado, M. Karhade, L. T. Housman. Timing delays from diagnosis to first treatment in black and hispanic versus white women with triple-negative breast cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium 2025; 2025 Dec 9-12; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Clin Cancer Res 2026;32(4 Suppl):Abstract nr PS4-09-14.