Lay summary
Lung cancer is the major cause of cancer mortality in New Zealand. The death rate for Māori is 4 times that of non-Māori. Knowing about treatment disparities between Māori and non-Māori patients is vital to improving cancer outcomes. We have data on 5000 patients who developed lung cancer in the Midland Region between 2010 and 2020 including 1800 Māori. By linking our detailed lung cancer records to national data sets on drug treatment, hospital discharge and mortality data we aim to explore the differences in the characteristics of patients with lung cancer, their access to care, the quality of treatment and how this impacts on patient survival. This research aims to identify and understand any inequities in the management of lung cancer so that strategies can be put in to place to address system issues that adversely affect Māori.