Response: Re: Residual Treatment Disparities After Oncology Referral for Rectal Cancer

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Abstract
We appreciate the interest of Dr Field and colleagues in our recent article ( 1 ). The main objective of our study was to better understand mechanisms that underlie racial disparity in the receipt of adjuvant therapy for rectal cancer, including access to care. Using Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results–Medicare data, we found no statistically significant difference between black and white patients in the rates of consultation with an oncologist but a persistent and statistically significant difference in the rates of receipt of adjuvant therapy after consultation. A secondary finding was that racial disparities in receipt of care were greatest among patients with fewer comorbid diseases and those who tended to be younger.