Health · Medical Research · 39 mins ago
Study finds survival gap for lymphoma patients in São Paulo
A study in São Paulo found that lymphoma patients treated in the public system had lower five-year survival than patients treated privately.
It examined 2,396 people diagnosed with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma who began treatment from 2015 to 2020; 85.8% received care through Brazil’s public health system, the SUS.
Since 2015, patients in both systems have been offered the same R-CHOP chemoimmunotherapy, which can lead to lasting remission for about 50% to 60% of patients.
After five years, 51.7% of public-system patients were alive, compared with 64.7% of those treated privately.
Education was also linked to outcomes: patients with eight or fewer years of schooling had a 47% higher risk of death than those with more schooling, even after other factors were considered.
The findings suggest that access to the same treatment does not ensure equal outcomes, and point to education-related factors such as understanding care instructions and following treatment as possible influences; the study also examined delays before treatment began.
A study found that five-year survival for patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma in São Paulo was lower in the public health system than in private care.
The survival rates were 51.7% for patients treated through the SUS public system and 64.7% for those treated privately.
Researchers analyzed records for 2,396 patients diagnosed and treated between 2015 and 2020.
The study found that patients with up to eight years of formal education had a 47% higher risk of death, regardless of several other factors.
The findings were published in Blood Global Hematology.
- Who
- Researchers studied 2,396 patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma in São Paulo.
- What
- The study found a five-year survival gap between patients treated in public and private health care.
- When
- Patients were diagnosed and began treatment between 2015 and 2020. The article was published on November 6, 2026.
- Where
- São Paulo state, Brazil.
- Why
- Researchers investigated whether the same treatment protocol led to the same outcomes for public and private patients.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Patients diagnosed with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma in public and private care have received the R-CHOP treatment regimen.
Researchers gathered records on patients diagnosed with the disease who began treatment during this period.
Folha published its report on the study.
- Patients studied
- 2,396
- Treated through SUS
- 2,055 patients (85.8%)
- Treated privately
- 341 patients (14.2%)
- Five-year survival, SUS
- 51.7%
- Five-year survival, private care
- 64.7%
- Education and mortality risk
- Up to 8 years of schooling was associated with a 47% higher risk of death.
What people are saying
Our study showed that other factors interfere and can affect patient survival. Survival does not depend solely on the treatment offered.
Education has a major impact on the survival of these patients.